THURSDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Kentucky 29, @Robert Morris 10
@Southeast Missouri 77, Missouri Baptist 0
@Minnesota 42,
#11 Eastern Illinois 20
@Murray State 73, Union 26
@Tennessee Tech 33, Kentucky Christian 7
EASTERN KENTUCKY 29, ROBERT MORRIS 10
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The Eastern Kentucky University football team piled up 407 yards rushing on the way to a convincing 29-10 victory over host Robert Morris Thursday night.
Newcomer Dy’Shawn Mobley led the charge with 142 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback Jared McClain added 90 yards, including an 18-yard scoring run in the second quarter. Meanwhile, sophomore JJ Jude picked up 84 rushing yards.
The Colonels scored on their third possession and never looked back. Senior fullback Channing Fugate caught a swing pass from starting quarterback Bennie Coney and scampered 42 yards down the left sideline to pay dirt.
After Coney played the opening quarter at quarterback, McClain took over in the second quarter and led the Colonels on two scoring drives. McClain’s 18-yard scoring run put EKU ahead early in the second quarter, 14-3. On Eastern’s next possession, a Devin Borders 28-yard reception set up a 34-yard field goal by senior Andrew Lloyd to make the score at the half, 17-3.
Eastern Kentucky had two touchdowns called back by penalty in the third quarter and had to settle for two more Lloyd field goals. Redshirt freshman quarterback Barton Mann capped the scoring with a three-yard rushing touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter.
The Colonels outgained Robert Morris by a substantial mark of 624 to 250 yards. However, four turnovers kept EKU from putting up more points on the board.
Senior Tyrelle Johnson led the defensive effort with eight tackles. Eastern held the Colonials to just 28 yards rushing on 24 carries. Junior Marquise Piton and senior Blake Atzinger each notched a sack.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 77, MISSOURI BAPTIST 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (1-0) began the Tom Matukewicz era with a 77-0 rout of Missouri Baptist Thursday night in front of a crowd of 7,143 at Missouri National Guard Field/Houck Stadium.
The 77 points were the most Southeast scored in a game during its NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision tenure. The last time the Redhawks scored over 70 points was in a 72-3 victory over Quincy in their 2009 season-opener.
The game was delayed a half-hour due to lightning before a line of motorcycles revved up the Redhawks as they took the field for their season-opener.
Southeast scored on its first seven possessions and never looked back.
Kyle Snyder scored the first touchdown of the season for the Redhawks on a 1-yard run that was set up by a 61-yard punt return by Spencer Davis. Snyder's TD came with 11:58 left in the first quarter.
After MBU punter Tyler Hach fumbled the snap on a 4th-and-15, Southeast took over on downs at the Spartans 25-yardline. On the next play, DeMichael Jackson broke free a 25-yard touchdown run down the far sideline to push the Redhawks lead to 14-0 at the 7:33 mark.
Southeast forced MBU to punt again and proceeded to cap a 4-play, 84-yard march when Jackson caught a screen pass from Snyder and dashed 66 yards to make it 21-0 with 1:27 remaining.
The Redhawks tacked on another 28 points in the second quarter. Snyder threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Paul McRoberts and hit paydirt on a 5-yard run. Ron Coleman then scored on a 1-yard run and Joshua Wilson recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Coleman moved to ninth all-time at Southeast with his 14th career rushing touchdown.
Southeast continued to have its way with the Spartans, scoring twice more in each of the third and fourth quarters.
Central Michigan transfer quarterback Alex Niznak scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard run with 8:19 left in the third quarter. Lewis Washington crossed the goal line on a 12-yard jaunt to push the Redhawks lead to 63-0 at the 4:07 mark. Lennies McFerren and Chaffee native Tyson Estes ended the scoring in the final period. McFerren busted loose for a 28-yard touchdown run and Estes scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard plunge to polish off the victory.
Southeast racked up 516 yards of total offense and averaged 9.6 yards per play against MBU.
Snyder paved the way, completing 10-of-12 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, he ran for 33 yards and two touchdowns on six carries, and completed passes to nine different receivers. Jackson finished with 148 all-purpose yards, including a game-high 82 on the ground.
Special teams wise, the Redhawks kicked a perfect 11-of-11 extra points, nine of which came from Ryan McCrum who made only eight all of last season.
Defensively, Roper Garrett turned in a game-high 10 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Wisler Ymonice followed with six tackles and an interception. The interception was the first of Ymonice's career. Southeast had 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and limited MBU to just 81 total yards on the night.
The Redhawks improved to 9-15 all-time in season-opening games since joining the FCS.
MINNESOTA 42, #11 EASTERN ILLINOIS 20
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Turnovers plagued Eastern Illinois in the opener for first year head coach Kim Dameron as the Panthers fell at Minnesota, 42-20. EIU turned the ball over three times in the season opening loss on Thursday night.
EIU’s offense was able to move the ball on its opening drive but the first of two first quarter fumbled snaps stalled the drive just past midfield. The second first quarter fumble proved more costly.
The Panthers fumbled the snap at their own five-yard line after being backed up by a penalty on a Minnesota punt. After stuffing the run the first two plays, Gophers quarterback Mitch Leinder ran around the end for a 2-yard score with 1:53 to play in the first quarter.
Minnesota had a fumble in its own territory midway through the opening quarter as Fedney Delphonse forced a fumble. After a 3-and-out, freshman kicker Nick Bruno missed right on a 41-yard field goal, his first collegiate kick.
EIU used both quarterbacks in the opening quarter with Jalen Whitlow getting the start. Andrew Manley ran the final drive of the quarter. For the game Whitlow was 14-23 for 110 yards passing while rushing for 77 yards. Manley finished 18-of-34 for 200 yards. Manley scored one of the Panthers touchdowns on the ground. He hit Jimmy Lera and Adam Drake for touchdowns.
Minnesota added to its lead just before halftime as Donovahn Jones scored on a 35-yard touchdown from Leinder with 1:27 to go in the half. Jones caught the ball after EIU’s corner jumped the route but could not knock down the ball. The Gophers led 14-0 at the break. It marked the first time since Oct. 9, 2009 at Penn State that EIU failed to score in the first half.
The Gophers tacked on a special teams touchdown to open the second half. After stuffing EIU’s offense, Eric Murray blocked a punt and it was returned two yards by Logan Hutton with 13:20 to play in the third putting Minnesota up 21-0.
EIU put together a successful drive deep into Minnesota territory in the third quarter only to see it end on the Panthers third fumble of the day. EIU turned it over at the five yard line with 7:22 to play in the 3rd.
EIU turned it over for a fourth time in the third quarter and the Panthers eventually allowed a short touchdown run by Leidner from 2-yards out with 13:56 to play in the game.
The Gophers added a two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter as they rushed for 182 yards in the game.
EIU got on the board in the fourth quarter as Manley scored on a quarterback sneak with 6:57 to play in the game. EIU finished with 409 yards for the game. The Panthers second touchdown came on an 11-yard swing pass to Jimmy Lera with 28 seconds left in the game. Adam Drake caught a Hail Mary as time expired to give EIU three touchdowns in the final seven minutes.
Kamu Grugier-Hill led the Panthers defense with eight tackles and one fumble recovery. Adam Gristick and Fedney Delphonse each sacks for EIU. Damien Wilson led Minnesota with 10 tackles.
MURRAY STATE 73, UNION 26
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State got punt return touchdowns from Shawn Samuels-Connell and Janawski Davis in the first half as the Racers rolled to a 73-26 season-opening victory over Union Thursday evening at The Track.
The Racers (1-0) wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as Davis caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from CJ Bennett on just the third play on offense. The connection was the first three for the duo on the day. They also connected on a 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter and an 11-yard score in the third.
The defense forced another punt on the second possession and Samuels-Connell made the most of his first touch as a Racer. The junior fielded the ball and went right, before cutting back across the field and racing down the left sideline for the 68-yard score.
Bennett helped cap a 28-point first quarter by connecting on touchdown passes of three and 24 yards with Jeremy Harness. Harness finished the day with four catches for 43 yards and two scores.
Davis was not to be outdone by Samuels-Connell as he started the second quarter with a 62-yard return for a touchdown. He ended his day with four catches for 60 yards and three touchdowns, while returning two punts for 75 yards and a TD.
Carson Greifenkamp added to the lead in the second quarter by hitting on a 41-yard field goal on his first collegiate field-goal attempt.
The Racers defense got into the scoring act in the third quarter. After giving up a touchdown, Demetrius Mason blocked the extra point. Jonathan Jackson scooped up the ball and raced 98 yards for the two-point defensive conversion.
True freshman Nick Taylor closed out the scoring for the Racers as he raced 12 yards up the middle for his first career touchdown.
The Racers finished the game with 535 yards of total offense. They used a balanced attack as they rushed for 298 yards and threw for 237. Bennett threw for just 167 yards, but connected on five touchdowns.
Taylor led four Racer running backs with 82 yards on 11 carries. Marcus Holliday carried the ball 12 times for 76 yards, Pokey Harris added 67 yards and a score on eight carries and Roman Clay carried the ball six times for 53 yards.
Jackson led the Racer defense with six tackles and a sack. Perry Cooper and Cedric Jones each added four stops.
TENNESSEE TECH 33, KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN 7
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Jared Davis threw for two touchdowns, Darian Stone caught a scoring pass and rushed for another TD, and the Tennessee Tech defense held visiting Kentucky Christian scoreless until the final minute as the Golden Eagles (1-0) opened the 2014 season with a 33-7 victory over the Knights (0-1) Thursday night in front of 10,597 fans in Tucker Stadium.
Davis was 18-for-25 for 168 yards and two scores but also threw two interceptions as the Golden Eagles had three turnovers. He hit Stone on a seven-yard touchdown to cap an opening drive for a 7-0 lead. Davis' second TD pass was a 35-yard connection to Cody Matthews, who finished with six catches for 74 yards.
After the first touchdown pass, Willie Davis broke through the middle on a fourth-and-one to go untouched for a 23-yard touchdown on his first carry as a Golden Eagle after transferring from USF.
Tech tacked on a safety with two seconds left in the first half when Jordan Patrick brought down Elvis Trujillo. The Knights were backed up inside the one-yard line following a 50-yard punt by Jonathan King.
Walk-on redshirt freshman John Arnold nailed a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter, the first attempt of his career, pushing Tech's lead to 19-0.
Stone raced 10 yards for his second touchdown with 1:01 to play in the third quarter for a 26-0 lead.
Tech's final score made it 33-0 when Matthews grabbed a pass along the left sideline, then evaded tacklers and raced 35 yards to paydirt.
Kentucky Christian, an NAIA school, mounted a nine-play, 48-yard scoring drive over the final five minutes with Justin Crager powering over from the four for the touchdown.
Tech managed 344 yards of offense while limiting KCU to 203 total yards.
KCU quarterback Graham Johnston was the game's top rusher with 50 yards on 10 carries. He threw for 76 yards on a 12-for-28 effort. Stone topped Tech with 42 rushing yards on 10 carries. Ladarius Vanlier posted a career-best 241 all-purpose yards.
Knight linebacker Andrew Stewart had 20 tackles and Denzel Cameron added 10 tackles and forced a fumble. Emmett Keyes had both interceptions for KSU.
Tra'Darius Goff led the Tech defense with nine tackles including 1.5 tackles-for-loss.