From OVCSports.com...
Murray State Racers (1-4, 0-1 OVC)
at #25 UT Martin Skyhawks (3-2, 1-1 OVC)
Saturday, October 7 • 2:00 p.m. CT
Hardy M. Graham Stadium (7,500) • Martin, Tenn.
TV:.................................................. OVC Digital Network
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=182569
Series Record:........................ Murray State leads 35-20-1
Last Meeting:.................... UT Martin won 38-31 (10/15/16)
Mitch Stewart at Murray State:....................... 8-19 (3 yrs.)
Mitch Stewart Overall:.............................................. same
Jason Simpson at UT Martin:..................... 75-56 (12 yrs.)
Jason Simpson Overall:........................................... same
Murray State Last Week:............ L, 55-10 at #17 Louisville
UT Martin Last Week:....................... L, 7-0 at Austin Peay
GAME NOTES: Rivals located just 50 miles apart will meet for the 57th time on
the gridiron on Saturday night in Martin. The series has seen a lot of offense
in recent years with the winning team having scored at least 38 points in each
of the last 20 meetings. UT Martin has won the last six games and 11 of the last
12 overall in the series after Murray State won 12-straight from 1993-2004. The
Skyhawks have averaged 51.8 points/game during its six-game winning streak. Last
year’s meeting was the second-straight decided by seven points and was a
back-and-forth affair until the fourth quarter. Murray State went ahead 31-30 on
a 50-yard field goal by Connor Mitchell with 10:06 to play, before UTM scored on
a 75-yard pass from Troy Cook to Greg McKillion on the next play to win 38-31.
That was one of three touchdown passes for Cook on the day. KD Humphries also
had three touchdown passes while Mareio McGraw rushed for 110 yards for the
Racers.
SCOUTING MURRAY STATE: For its second consecutive game, Murray State was limited
to under 100 yards of total offense as the Racers fell to FBS foe Louisville by
a 55-10 margin. Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson threw for 249 yards and
three touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards and another score in limited action.
MSU got a 36-yard field goal from Gabriel Vicente in the first quarter (Vicente
is a perfect 6-for-6 on the season) and the team did not find the end zone until
the first play of the third quarter when Jason Johnson returned a fumble 23
yards for a touchdown. Zachary Wade had a game-high 11 tackles and recovered a
fumble while Marico Paige added 10 stops and a sack. As a team Murray State is
fifth in defensive touchdowns (2), eighth in passes intercepted (8), 13th in red
zone offense (91.7%) and 16th in fewest penalties/game (4.8).
SCOUTING UT MARTIN: Coming off back-to-back victories over nationally-ranked
opponents, UT Martin suffered its first loss of the season to a FCS team,
falling 7-0 at Austin Peay. It snapped a nine-game winning streak in the series
for the Skyhawks and marked the first time the team was shutout since 2010 (a
streak of 83-straight games). Senior quarterback Troy Cook was limited to just
10-of-32 passing; five of his completions went to Caylon Weathers who finished
with 50 receiving yards. The ground attack was balanced with Ladarius Galloway
and Ty Brown each getting 69 yards. Galloway now ranks second nationally in
total rushing yards (583), seventh in rushing yards/game (116.6) and 17th in
all-purpose yards (141.2 yards/game). On the defensive side of the ball, Garrett
Wall had a team-best and career-high 10 tackles and added a sack. Kahlid Hagens
added eight tackles and his first interception of the season (and fifth of his
career). As a team UTM currently ranks third nationally in red zone defense
(53.8%), sixth in punt return yardage defense (0.67 yards/return) and ninth in
scoring defense (15.0 points/game), third down conversion defense (27.9%),
fourth down conversion defense (14.3%) and time of possession (34:01). After
climbing to No. 18 in last week’s STATS Top 25 poll, UT Martin slipped to No. 25
this week but remains ranked for the third-straight week.
