Racers Travel To MTSU - Old Foes Meet First Time Since 2000

Game-3
Murray State at Middle Tennessee
Sept. 16, 2023 - 6:00 p.m. CT
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium (30,788)

Murray State Record: 1-1 (1-0 H, 0-1 A) Missouri Valley: 0-0
Next Home: Indiana State (Sept. 30) Next Away: South Dakota (Oct. 7)
Head Coach: Dean Hood (Ohio Wesleyan, 1986) Record: 69-55 (12th season) at MUR: 14-17 (4th season)
vs MTSU: 0-0

Middle Tennessee Record: 0-2 (0-0, 0-2 A) Conference USA: 0-0
Next Home: Colorado State (Sept. 23) Next Away: Western Kentucky (Sept. 28)
Head Coach: Jeff Stockstill (Florida State, 1982) Record: 109-105 (18th season) at MTSU: Same
vs Murray State: 0-0

Game Day Storylines

This game marks the first meeting between the Racers and Blue Raiders since 2000.
In 2000, Coach Joe Pannunzio was leading the Racers and Andy McCollum was the head coach for the Blue Raiders who won the game 44-28.
Murray State Head Coach Dean Hood has never faced MTSU and Blue Raiders Head Coach Rick Stockstill has never met the Racers.
MSU's MVFC inaugural game is at home (Sept. 30) against Indiana State on Murray State Family Weekend.
The Racers' first MVFC road trip is to South Dakota in Vermillion (Oct. 7).
The Racers were picked No. 11 in the MVFC Preseason Poll. South Dakota State and North Dakota State were No. 1 & No. 2.
The Racers have a roster that is 106 strong for Coach Dean Hood's fourth season at Murray State.
MSU is a young team with 48 freshmen (true & redshirt) on the roster and 72 total underclassmen.
MSU also brought in immediate help with a group of 32 transfers, of which 17 are from NCAA D-I schools.

Racers Meet MTSU For 70th Time
The Blue Raiders have started the 2023 season with road games at SEC opponents Alabama and Missouri, both losses. MTSU's return to Floyd Stadium finds them meeting the Racers for the first time since 2000. They have a long history that includes 49 seasons as rivals in the Ohio Valley Conference from 1952 to 1998. Former Murray State head coach Mitch Stewart is the offensive coordinator at MTSU. Stewart was head coach for the Racers from 2015-19. Former Racer Mike Polly is also on staff at MTSU as offensive line coach. Poll coached at MSU from 2010-12. Polly and Stewart both are part of Coach Chris Hatcher's tree. Hatcher led the Racers from 2010-14. Murray State Head Coach Dean Hood has never faced MTSU and Blue Raiders Head Coach Rick Stockstill has never met the Racers. The last time the Racers faced MTSU, it was the 2000 season and Joe Pannunzio was leading the Racers and Andy McCollum was the head coach for the Blue Raiders.

Short Week - Rough Night At Louisville
The Racers picked off three passes, but couldn't scratch the scoreboard in a 56-0 loss to the Louisville Cardinals of the ACC. It was MSU's 21st game with UL and their first since 2017.

Louisville scored first on 12-yard run with 10:06 remaining in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. The Racers were limited to 42 yards of total offense (23 yards on a carry by Cortezz Jones) as the quarter ended with UL in front 7-0. MSU newcomer, Zayteak McGhee, made his first interception as a Racer with 8:58 left in the second quarter, but the MSU defense was hit by two big plays by the Cardinals on a 73-yard pass and a 72-yard run that put the Cardinals in front 28-0 at the halftime intermission after Murray State's KaVan Reed intercepted a pass on the final play. It marked the first time Murray State had two interceptions in a game since Lawaun Powell and Jamari Dailey each had an interception at Eastern Illinois in 2021 and it was the first time Murray State had two interceptions in a half since Quinaz Turner, and DaVontae McKee each picked off passes in the second half and the 2021 Season opener at Roy Stewart Stadium verses Mississippi Valley State.

Racers Visit Churchill Downs
The Racers did have a chance to visit Churchill Downs, the famous horse track that hosts the Kentucky Derby. The Racers are all about horses and the visit was a good learning experience for the team. Former Murray State football player, Jack Wolf, was there as well. In the last 20 Years, Wolf has been one of the movers and shapers of the horse racing industry. A 1973 graduate and recipient of the 2014 Murray State Distinguished Alumnus Award, Wolf was part of the ownership group that won the 146th Kentucky Derby with "Authentic" in 2020. It was his second association with a Kentucky Derby winner after "Justify" won the Triple Crown in 2018.

Racers Travel To MTSU - Old Foes Meet First Time Since 2000

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Players Mentioned

Jamari Dailey

Cortezz Jones

Lawaun Powell

KaVan Reed

Quinaz Turner

Murray State University