Murray State University Athletics
Bruising Ground Game Powers Racers to Win Over Beacons
9/12/2026 11:50:00 PM | Football
Allen scores on the ground and through the air in Murray State victory
The Murray State Racers (1-2) defeated the Valparaiso Beacons (1-1) in front of a raucous crowd of 11,122 for the first win of the 2026 season.
After both teams traded punts on their opening drives, the Racers got on the board first when they capped off a 13-play, 59-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run by Jawaun Northington for an early 7-0 lead. After the Beacons tied the game early in the second quarter, Collin Shannon hit Trey Firestone on a 47-yard bomb down the middle to set the Racers up on the Valparaiso 15. Four plays later, Mykel Allen put the Racers ahead once again with a 12-yard touchdown run, dragging multiple defenders across the goal line.
Both defenses took over in the third quarter, with both teams missing field goals and trading punts before Valparaiso got on the board once again with a field goal to cap off a 7-play, 53-yard drive. After another Valparaiso punt, the Racers embarked on a 9-play, 56-yard drive deep into Beacons territory. With the ball on the Valparaiso 1-yard line, the Racers turned to Baxter Wright for their third rushing touchdown of the night for a 21-10 lead.
The Beacons answered with a touchdown of their own on a 23-yard pass from Rowan Keefe to Isaac Tran and cut the Murray State lead to three with just 4:57 to go on a two-point conversion. After a touchback on the kickoff, the Racers slowed the pace to a crawl, chewing 4:38 off the clock before Jim Ogle hit Mykel Allen on a 5-yard touchdown pass with just 19 seconds left. After the ensuing extra point was blocked, the Racers were left with a 27-18 lead.
Collin Shannon went 11 of 17 for 121 yards before being injured, and Jim Ogle went 7 of 13 for 73 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in relief. Trey Firestone led the Racers through the air with three receptions for 62 yards, and Tyrell Campbell led them on the ground with 117 yards on 14 carries. Mykel Allen had 31 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and added 18 yards and a touchdown through the air, and Jawaun Northington had 27 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Klayton Ingram led the Racers with seven tackles and added a pair of PBUs and an assist on a TFL. Jayden Walker had six tackles and a TFL, while Terry Lewis II had a pair of TFLs and two PBUs. Rett Hemphill had four tackles, including the Racers' lone sack on the night, and Brooks Esplin had an interception for the team's first takeaway of the 2026 season.
For the game, Murray State compiled 388 total yards of offense, balancing a 194-yard passing performance with 194 yards on the ground. Valparaiso finished with 305 total yards, generating 249 yards through the air behind quarterback Rowan Keefe, but was held to just 56 rushing yards by the Murray State defense.
Up Next
Following their win over Valparaiso, the Racers travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face off against Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 19.
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