Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Eastern Illinois
Racers to Open 102nd Season Against Former OVC Foe
8/26/2026 9:49:00 AM | Football
Murray State and Eastern Illinois to Face off in Week 0 Matchup
Date (Time): Thursday, Aug. 27 (6 p.m. CDT)
Opponent: Eastern Illinois Panthers
Location (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Rudolph Family Field at Roy Stewart Stadium)
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
The Murray State Racers are set to kick off their 102nd season on the gridiron against former Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Illinois in a Week 0 matchup in Murray, Kentucky.
The 2026 Racers feature 67 newcomers, with more than 230 players donning the navy & gold during the Jody Wright era. Wright enters his third season at the helm of a young squad with several key returners, particularly on defense. The Racers' defense returns each of its top three tacklers from the 2025 season: Dylan Rowsey (139), Conlee Crossno (89), and Klayton Ingram (68). They also return two of the four defensive backs who accounted for interceptions on the year: Rowsey (two) and Brooks Esplin (one). Additionally, the heart of the Racers' defensive line, Brandon Mills and Cameron Daniels, both made multiple starts and 10 or more tackles in 2025, while defensive end Jayden Walker returns after totaling 37 tackles last season.
While the defense features several key returners, the offense returns players who accounted for just 240 yards out of 2,518 total receiving yards, and just 350 out of 1,611 rushing yards. Brooks Kleinpeter led returners with 74 receiving yards in 2025, and Baxter Wright leads returning rushers with 150 yards last year.
Rowsey and Crossno represented the Racers on the Phil Steele Preseason lists, with Rowsey being named first-team All-MVFC and second-team All-American, and Crossno being named second-team All-MVFC. Additionally, six Racers were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Watch List, with four defensive players and a pair of offensive linemen getting the nod from the conference office. Defensive lineman Jayden Walker joins linebackers Klayton Ingram and Conlee Crossno, and offensive linemen AJ Shadid and Jake Darby on the list.
Offensively, Racer fans can expect to see multiple quarterbacks taking reps under center, with returners Jim Ogle, Baxter Wright, and Blaze Berry competing with newcomer Collin Shannon throughout fall camp. At running back, Tyrell Campbell leads all newcomers with 135 yards in 2025 and is expected to split time with newcomer Mykel Allen, while the wide receiver group is led by several newcomers, including Ball State transfer Trey Firestone and Eastern Kentucky transfer Kyle Vaka.
Matchup History
Murray State and Eastern Illinois resume a longtime OVC rivalry Thursday with the first matchup between the two programs since Sept. 24, 2022, during the Racers' final season in the conference. Despite putting up more than 400 yards of offense on the afternoon, turnovers and penalties doomed Murray State in a 35-21 loss to Eastern Illinois at Roy Stewart Stadium. The win gave EIU a 20-19 lead in the all-time series and snapped a five-game winning streak for the Racers dating back to 2018, when Murray State set a modern-era single-game rushing record with 449 yards on the ground in a 48-41 victory. The Racers hold an 11-9 advantage in the all-time series at Stewart Stadium.
In 2002, the Racers capped off the regular season with a thrilling 37-35 win over the Panthers on a 52-yard field goal by Shane Andrus, giving Murray State a share of the OVC crown and sending the team to the FCS playoffs. Murray State and Eastern Illinois met in the 1993 and 1994 season openers in a home-and-home series when the Racers were in Year 1 of the Houston Nutt era in the OVC and the Panthers were coached by Bob Spoo as members of the Gateway Conference. The two teams split the series, with both squads winning on the road.
Scouting the Panthers
Coming off a 3-9 season in 2025, the Panthers feature nine players on the Phil Steele All-OVC lists, in addition to offensive lineman Rahfeeq Katumbusi being named a preseason FCS third-team All-American. Head coach Chris Wilkerson holds a 16-30 record in five years at Eastern Illinois and a 67-57 overall record in 14 years as a head coach, including nine years at the University of Chicago. Prior to his coaching career, Wilkerson played at Eastern Illinois. Much like the Racers, the Panthers feature a bevy of newcomers on both sides of the ball and will likely have a pair of quarterbacks split time, with the battle between Cole LaCrue and Jeremiah Salem continuing into the regular season.
Follow the Racers on X (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics), and Facebook to stay up to date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State football on X and Instagram (@Racersfootball).
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