SATURDAY'S SCORES
#2 Eastern Illinois 37, @Murray State 17
Tennessee Tech 41, @Southeast Missouri 16
@Tennessee State 31, Austin Peay 6
@Jacksonville State 68, Eastern Kentucky 10
@Memphis 21,
UT Martin 6
#2 EASTERN ILLINOIS 37, MURRAY STATE 17
MURRAY, Ky. - Eastern Illinois featured a balanced offensive attack on Saturday afternoon as the Panthers jumped out to a 30-0 lead before winning 37-17 at Murray State.
EIU ranked No. 2 in the nation won its tenth straight Ohio Valley Conference game to improve to 9-1 on the year, 6-0 in the OVC. Murray State dropped to 5-5, 3-3 in the league.
EIU will host Jacksonville State next Saturday for senior day at O’Brien Field for a 12 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised on ESPN3. Call 217-581-2106 for tickets or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com
EIU quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo put the Panthers on the board on their first drive with his legs instead of his arm as the senior Walter Payton Award candidate had a 12-yard keeper to put EIU up 7-0.
Garoppolo would pass for 179 yards in the first half as the Panthers only had four offensive drives in the opening 30 minutes. It marked the first time this season Garopplo has not passed for more than 200 yards in the first half this season.
EIU did convert on three of those four first half possessions to lead 21-0 at the break. Taylor Duncan had a 5-yard touchdown run at 13:39 of the second quarter. Erik Lora hauled in a 13-yard touchdown with 1:11 to play in the second quarter. With that touchdown catch Lora became the OVC record holder for single season and career touchdown receptions. Lora also passed Jerry Rice in the first half as he became the seventh player with 300 catches in FCS history. Lora ended his day with 10 catches for 94 yards. Lora is now third all-time on the FCS career receptions list with 306.
The Panther defense stone walled Murray State on two first half drives including a team tackle for loss with the Racers attempting to punch the ball in from the half yard line midway through the second quarter. Both teams missed short field goals wide left into the wind.
EIU extended the lead to 30-0 in the third quarter as Dino Fanti forced a fumble in the end zone that resulted in a safety. On the ensuing drive Shepard Little scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns. Little finished the day with 173 yards including a 61-yard score to ice the game in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers finished with 602 yards of total offense with 303 yards on the ground and 299 yards in the air. It was the first time this season Garoppolo has not passed for 300 or more yards. Garoppolo was 28-of-40 for 299 yards.
Murray State scored 17 points late in the third quarter and midway through fourth quarter taking advantage of two EIU turnovers. Pokey Harris caught an eight yard pass from Parks Frazier with 3:07 to go in the third quarter. Marc Wynstra added a 31-yard field goal and Nevar Griffin ended the Racers scoring with a 14-yard reception from Frazier with 7:53 left to play.
Little answered the last MSU score with his 61-yard gallop with 6:50 to go in the game. Pete Houlihan led the defense with nine tackles. Fanti finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, four tackles and a forced fumble.
Murray State finished with 387 yards of offense. Frazier passed for 255 yards.
TENNESSEE TECH 41, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 16
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Junior quarterback Darian Stone put together one of the finest games of his career to pace the Tennessee Tech offense, and the defense came up with three turnovers as the Golden Eagles rolled to a 41-16 Ohio Valley Conference victory Saturday afternoon at Southeast Missouri.
With the win, Tennessee Tech (4-7/1-6 OVC) handed head coach Watson Brown a record victory, the 126th of his career. It tied Watson and younger brother, Mack (head coach at Texas) for the record for most Division I head coaching victories by brothers.
The pair ties the mark of 362 held by Vince and Bill Dooley. Mack's Longhorns play at West Virginia later Saturday afternoon with the chance to break the record.
Southeast Missouri (2-8/1-5 OVC ) lost on Senior Day in the team's final home contest of the year.
Stone, who has been in-and-out of the lineup all season because of a variety of injuries, rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries, and also completed 13 of 22 passes for 135 yards to account for 297 yards of total offense. Junior Stephen Bush complimented Stone in the ground game, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for a career-best 76 yards on 13 carries.
The Tech defense had numerous standout performances, including a 38-yard interception return by sophomore linebacker Jay Rudwall that led to an early Tech touchdown as the Golden Eagles established dominance in the first half.
Junior Marty Jones grabbed his second interception of the year and eighth of his career, and also caused a fumble and made five tackles. Freshman Jordan Patrick led Tech with six tackles, including a quarterback sack and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Senior Tra'Darius Goff also made six tackles, had a tackle-for-loss and broke up the pass that Jones intercepted.
Special teams also contributed to the win. Sophomore placekicker, filling in for injured starter Zach Sharp, scored 11 points in the game including the first two field goals of his career and all five PAT kicks. He booted field goals from 26 and 32 yards, both in the fourth quarter.
Tevin McDermott blocked a field goal try on the first play of the second quarter when Tech's lead was still only 7-0. The Golden Eagles used that play to propel them to two touchowns in a 49-second span and build a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Stone directed the team to a 7-for-15 mark on third down conversions. Tech was also 2-for-2 on fourth down tries, and was a perfect 7-for-7 on scoring chances inside the red zone.
Jordan Smith also had a solid game, leading Tech's receivers with a career-high six catches for 68 yards.
SEMO was led by DeMichael Jackson with 104 rushing yards on 17carries, while quarterback Scott Lathrop added 44 yards on 11 tries. Lathrop and backup quarterback Kyle Snyder were 10-for-21 passing for 89 yards. Paul McRoberts had six catches for 66 yards including a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
TENNESSEE STATE 31, AUSTIN PEAY 6
NASHVILLE - After dropping two straight contests the Tigers returned to their winning ways Saturday with a 31-6 win over Austin Peay.
The TSU defense flexed their muscle Saturday afternoon holding Austin Peay for under 100 yards of total offense. APSU only managed 92 total yards on the day, which is the lowest total Tennessee State has allowed since before 2006.
On offense the Big Blue rushing attack was the story of the day, as the Tigers totaled 146 yards on the ground. Tim Broughton led TSU’s two headed attack with 73 yards on 21 carriers. In the third quarter the senior went over 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the fifth running back in school history to reach the milestone. Broughton’s season mark now sits at 1,029 yards.
Telvin Hooks provided the lightening to Broughton’s thunder, as the sophomore tailback rushed for 66 yards on just nine carries, providing two touchdowns for TSU on the day.
Tennessee State started the game with a defensive stop of the Austin Peay attack, forcing a three-and-out on their first drive. The stand forced the Governors to punt the ball away, giving the Tigers good field position on their own 48 yard line.
The offense wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Facing a third-and-five from the Peay 48 yard line, Ronald Butler connected with Devin Wilson for a 19-yard pass play which extended the drive. On the next play Butler found a wide open Chris Sanders-McCollum, the Tigers receiver cut to the outside and racing to the endzone to give TSU the early 7-0 lead, with 12:49 left in the first quarter.
On Tennessee State’s next drive the Tigers marched down to the APSU 22-yard line behind 15 rushing yards from Broughton. The drive ended there with Jamin Godfrey connecting on a 39-yard field goal to push the lead out to 10-0.
In the first quarter the TSU defense held Austin Peay to -15 yards rushing and three yards total.
Offense proved hard to come by in the second period with five consecutive three-and-outs for both teams.
Austin Peay used a 3:35 second drive to get into the redzone for the first time on the afternoon. With APSU facing a first-and-goal from the TSU nine, the Big Blue defense stood tall pushing the Governors back nine yards to the Tigers 18. APSU settled for a 39 yard field goal from Chase Dunlap to get on the board and cut the Tennessee State lead down to seven, 10-3.
The road team used a surprise onside kick to get another shot at the endzone before the half. The Governors recovered at their own 44 with 2:27 left in the quarter.
APSU drove 35 yards to the TSU 31 to give Dunlap another chance at a field goal with just over 10 seconds on the clock. Dunlap connected from 48 yards out with 12 seconds on the clock, cutting the Tigers lead down to 10-6 heading to the break.
TSU opened the second half the same way they began the game marching the full length of the field to score. Telvin Hooks carried the offense gaining 47 yards on the ground including the final 45 yards on the drive. Hooks five yard run pushed the TSU lead to 17-6.
After an APSU three-and-out the Tennessee State was back at work. Starting at their own 23 yard line the Tigers marched the length of the field in 13 plays on the back of their two running backs Broughton and Hooks.
The duo combined for 47 of TSU’s 50 yards rushing on the drive. Hooks ended the drive bursting through the line of scrimmage and racing to score untouched from 27 yards out. The drive ate up 5:37 of game clock.
Austin Peay used a long drive to close the third and enter the fourth quarter pushing to the Tennessee State 27-yard line. APSU capped the drive with a 44-yard field goal attempt from Dunlap, this time the kick was short, preserving the Tigers 24-6 lead.
Tennessee State tacked on another score in fourth. With 4:41 left on the clock Ronald Butler hit Wesley Samuels in the corner of the endzone for the second passing touchdown of the contest.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 68, EASTERN KENTUCKY 10
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Saturday's Jacksonville State-Eastern Kentucky showdown was a de facto playoff play-in game for both teams.
The Gamecocks, one of four teams that began the day with two OVC losses, were in desperate need of a win to have an outside shot at the league title and keep their playoff hopes alive.
With Ohio Valley Conference leader Eastern Illinois having already beaten EKU, the Colonels arrived at Burgess-Snow Field looking to maintain their grip on second place in the league standings.
The opportunistic Gamecocks (8-2, 4-2 OVC) ran roughshod over Eastern Kentucky to claim a 68-10 victory in front of a crowd of 16,876. The win was JSU's third straight and snapped the Colonels' three-game win streak in the series.
The 68 points were the most ever scored by Jacksonville State against an OVC opponent, eclipsing the previous record of 59 scored against UT-Martin in 2004.
Eli Jenkins ran for three touchdowns and DaMarcus James and Troymaine Pope had two each as the Gamecocks piled up 503 yards of total offense.
James now has 19 TDs this year, tying him with Oscar Bonds (2004) for most in JSU history in a single season. The junior from Demopolis has scored 18 touchdowns over his last seven games.
Eastern Kentucky – which came to Jacksonville riding a four-game win streak – fell to 6-4 and 4-2.
Jacksonville State led 40-3 at halftime after holding the OVC's top rushing team to 25 yards on 24 carries. It was the most points in a half by a Gamecocks' squad since scoring 41 in the second half against Cumberland in 2001.
JSU scored on six of its nine offensive possessions in the first half and added a defensive TD when linebacker Michael Carlisle forced an EKU fumble and Ketrick Wolfe recovered in the end zone. Wolfe's score was the Gamecocks' third touchdown in a span of 6 minutes, 12 seconds.
Jacksonville State outgained the Colonels 339-67 in the first half and 503-213 for the game.
Griffin Thomas got the onslaught started with a career-long 52-yard field goal on JSU's second series. Thomas' kick also tied Steven Lee's 10-year-old school mark for longest field goal.
Ben Endress blocked an Eastern Kentucky punt moments later and JSU needed just two plays to get into the end zone.
Pope ran in from the 6 with 7:37 to go in the first quarter to give the Gamecocks a 9-0 lead.
The Colonels got on the scoreboard with a 34-yard field goal by Andrew Lloyd at the 2:53 mark in the first quarter to cut JSU's lead to 9-3.
Jacksonville State's 21 points in just over six minutes turned what had been a close game into a rout.
James scored on an 11-yard run to cap a six-play drive that consumed just 1 minute, 44 seconds. Thomas' extra point made it 16-3, the most points the Gamecocks had scored in a first quarter in four seasons.
Backup quarterback Jenkins sprinted 71 yards up the middle for a score and Thomas tacked on the PAT for a 23-3 lead with 10:55 left in the second. Wolfe's fumble recovery in the end zone 57 seconds later extended JSU's cushion to 30-3 early in the second quarter.
James finished off an eight-play, 62-yard drive with a 9-yard run with 2:20 remaining in the second, moving him into a tie with Bonds atop JSU's single-season touchdown record.
Thomas's 33-yard field goal, his second of the game, on the final play of the first half made it 40-3.
Starting quarterback Max Shortell threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to freshman Josh Barge and Jenkins ran five yards as Jacksonville State pushed its lead to 54-10 by the end of the third quarter.
Eastern Kentucky's only touchdown came on its first drive after halftime when the Colonels marched 79 yards in 20 plays, capped by Jared McClain's 2-yard run. The time-consuming drive ate 8 minutes, 21 seconds off the clock.
In the fourth quarter, Pope tacked on a 25-yard run and Jenkins went 21 yards for the Gamecocks' final points with 4:35 remaining.
Jenkins led the Gamecocks with 120 yards rushing on only seven carries. Shortell completed 14-of-20 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown.
MEMPHIS 21, UT MARTIN 6
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin football team could not overcome its missed opportunities to shock Football Bowl Subdivision member Memphis for the second straight season, falling to the Tigers 21-6 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
UT Martin (6-4) jumped out to an early 6-0 lead but could not overcome the Tigers’ stingy defense. Memphis held the Skyhawks to just 286 yards of total offense, but allowed 164 rushing yards.
Offensively, the Skyhawks were led by junior Abou Toure who registered a season-high 113 rushing yards on 17 carries. Toure’s 113 yards is a season-high allowed by the Memphis defense, one of just six teams in the country not to allow an individual 100-yard rushing game. DJ McNeil tallied 52 yards on 16 carries before leaving with an apparent injury.
Jarod Neal got the start under center for the Skyhawks, completing 6 of 16 pass attempts for 105 yards and one interception. Dylan Favre also saw action for the Skyhawks, completing two of three attempts for 17 yards.
Senior Jeremy Butler tallied five receptions for the Skyhawks, including a game high 95 receiving yards. Chris Thompson and Toure both tallied receptions on the night.
Despite the score, the Skyhawk defense stood out today with several solid efforts. Thad Williams led the team with 10 total tackles, including four unassisted and one tackle for loss. DJ Roberts tallied seven tackles and a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Senior Camaren Harris tallied one interception and three tackles on the night.
Memphis (2-6) was led by quarterback Paxton Lynch who completed 15 of 22 passes, good for 189 yards and one touchdown. Lynch rushed seven times for 38 yards and one touchdown. Running back Brandon Hayes tallied 105 yards on the ground on 27 carries while tailback Sam Craft tallied one touchdown on two carries and 14 yards.
The Skyhawks wasted little time trying to make an impact in today’s game, placing the game’s first points on the board on their first possession. Facing the FBS’s sixth-best defense against the rush, the Skyhawk used eight consecutive rushing plays to move into Memphis territory. The Skyhawks attempted two shots at the end zone through the air before turning to sophomore specialist Jackson Redditt. Redditt nailed the 41-yard field goal attempt to give the Skyhawks the early 3-0 lead with 10:55 to play in the first.
Following a punt by James Satterfield, the Skyhawk defense settled in for yet another defensive stand. With Memphis in good field position, starting their drive on their own 38, the Tigers complete two plays before the Skyhawks quickly ended their drive. Facing third and six from their own 42, Lynch throw an interception to defensive back Harris. Harris who intercepted his second pass in the past two games, returned the pick for six yards.
With good field position for the Skyhawks after the interception, taking over on the Memphis 45, Neal quickly hit Butler for a 25-yard reception along the right sideline. On the next play it was McNeil who tallied a piece of Skyhawk history. With a one-yard pick up, McNeil surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for the season. McNeil is just the eighth Skyhawk to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark in a single season, and first since Don Chapman completed the feat in 2007.
The Skyhawks would turn to McNeil yet again after a pass interference penalty, on the Memphis two-yard line. McNeil would streak to the endzone before Memphis stripped what they believe to be a fumble. For the second time in the contest, Simpson challenged the official’s ruling on the field, winning the challenge yet again and keeping the Skyhawk drive going. Redditt would attempt a 29-yard field goal to stretch the Skyhawk lead, but would hit the left upright to end the Skyhawks’ scoring opportunity.
After another defensive stand, the Skyhawks offense found life again on their ensuing possession. Sparked in large part by a 51-yard rush down the right sideline by Toure and another pass interference penalty, the Skyhawks found themselves on the Memphis 2-yard line. After three failed attempts to get into the endzone, Redditt nailed a 21-yard field goal attempt to extend the Skyhawk lead to 6-0 with 1:34 to play in the half.
Memphis began their next drive on their own 35-yard line and transitioned into a two-minute offense. Lynch completed three passes on the drive, including a big 32-yard connection to Alan Cross to move the Tigers to the UT Martin 16. Following a pass interference penalty on the Skyhawks, Lynch called his own number and scampered for the six-yard touchdown. Following the extra point by Jake Elliott, Memphis went into the halftime break with a slim 7-6 lead.
The Skyhawks forced their second turnover of the game on Memphis’ second drive of the third quarter. With Memphis on their own 49 yard line, Ryan Isom got to Lynch, stripping the quarterback. Roberts quickly jumped on the fumble, good for an eight yard loss and giving the Skyhawks great field position.
With UT Martin trailing by one, they marched down the field but could not put points on the board. The nine-play drive ended with a 42-yard field goal attempt by Redditt. However, results were like earlier as the sophomore hit the left upright, bouncing back into the endzone.
Memphis would put together another scoring drive at the 11:55 mark of the fourth. Lynch hit Craft for 26 yards to the 50 yard line. Lynch hit Mose Frazier for 12 yards before scrambling for a 24 yard first down. Lynch capped off the well-executed drive at the 7:56 mark after hitting Hayes for a 12-yard touchdown. Following the extra-point by Elliott, Memphis held a 14-6 advantage.
The Skyhawks would look to answer the Tigers’ touchdown as Neal hit Butler for a 37-yard completion, moving the Skyhawks to the Memphis 34. The hype was short lived however as Neal’s next pass was intercepted by Anthony Watson at the 13 yard line.
Memphis would put the game out of reach on the ensuing possession, using a nine-play drive which chewed up 82 yards and four minutes off the clock. The Skyhawks almost stalled Memphis’ attack when Dorola Dorceus fumbled following his 34-yard rush, but Memphis would recover. Following a timeout, Craft rumbled into the endzone for an eight yard carry and the score. Following the extra point, Memphis led 21-6 with just 2:57 to play.
Taking over on their own 30, the Skyhawks made one last effort but couldn’t find enough magic to close the gap as Favre’s fumble on the UTM 46 sealed the Memphis victory.