Cortezz Jones Produces Career Night – Racers Fall at MTSU

Saturday, September 16

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Murray State

1-2 , 0-0

Middle Tennessee

1-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Murray St.

Middle Tenn.

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

Cortezz Jones Produces Career Night – Racers Fall at MTSU

9/16/2023 10:25:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Murray State dropped a 35-14 defeat and look to open MVFC play in two weeks

The Murray State Racers took a 35-14 loss against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Saturday night at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro.

The Racers (1-2) have an open week coming up before beginning Missouri Valley Football Conference play (Sept. 30) at home against Indiana State at Roy Stewart Stadium.

After a slow start, the Racers got on the board at the 10:49 mark of the second quarter when Cortezz Jones went off left tackle for 55 yards. The next play gave MSU its first score of the game when DJ Williams hit Cole Rusk from the 12-yard line to cut the MTSU lead to 21-7.

The Racers were down 28-7 when they reached the end zone again on a Cortezz Jones 3-yard TD run to make it 28-14 with 9:44 left in the game before MTSU would notch another trip to the end zone.

Cortezz Jones broke free for a career night on the ground, picking up 136 yards rushing and picked up 31 more yards receiving for 167 all-purpose yards to go with a three-yard burst for his second touchdown of the season.

Tight End Cole Rusk led the Racers night through the air, hauling in six catches for 83 yards and his first touchdown as a Racer. Rusk now leads all MSU receivers with 132 yards on the year.

Murray State picked up 200 yards for the second time in three games in 2023.
Game Notes

Kanyon Walker (Sr., FS, Leesburg, Fla.) and Cole Williamson (Sr., LG, Carrollton, Ga.) served as MSU's captains.
The Racers won the coin toss and elected to defer and the Blue Raiders received the opening kick.
It's the first coin toss win for the Racers in the three games of 2023.
Cortezz Jones had the longest run of the season for the Racers when he hit MTSU for a 55-yard rush in the second quarter. The previous long for the Racers was Kylan Galbreath's 39-yard touchdown vs Presbyterian (Sept. 2).
The 44yds DJ Williams completed to Cole Rusk with 7:04 before half, is MSU's second longest pass play of the season. The 51-yards vs Presbyterian (Sept. 2) of Eric Phoenix to Taylor Shields is still the longest of the season.
MSU had 207 rushing yards tonight for the second 200+ yard performance of the year. They had 292 vs Lindenwood and 242 vs Robert Morris in 2022
Cortezz Jones posted his career-high rushing game with 136 yards, marking the second 100-yard game of his career. Jones' previous best was 107 yards vs Mississippi Valley State (09-02-2021).
Jones' 15 rushing attempts was also his career-high at MSU topping the 11 he carded at Eastern Illinois (11-20-21) and at Austin Peay (10-15-22).
The game marks the Racers' first game with the Blue Raiders since 2000.
MSU now trails in the all-time series with MTSU 38-30 and are 14-22 all-time at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium.