SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Tennessee State 34, UT Martin 30
Murray State 45, @Austin Peay 17
@Southeast Missouri 21, #13 Eastern Illinois 14
@Tennessee Tech 33, Eastern Kentucky 30 (OT)
TENNESSEE STATE 34, UT MARTIN 30
NASHVILLE - Tennessee State scored with 18-seconds on the clock to cap off a come from behind victory over UT Martin in front of a crowd of 10,001 at Hale Stadium on Saturday. Patrick Smith was able to out jump a defender to come down with the game winning catch in the back corner of the end zone giving the Tigers a 34-30 advantage. Defensive back Terrell Bonds secured the victory as he stepped in front of Troy Cook pass for his third interception of the season.
The win helped the Tigers remain undefeated, improving to 4-0 and 1-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Skyhawks fell to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in conference.
The win also moved TSU to 1-0 in the battle for the Sgt. York Trophy. It was the first loss for UTM in the trophy series since falling to TSU 29-15 in 2013. The Skyhawks are 1-1 this season as the hope to retain the honors of holding possession for the third consecutive year.
Smith finished the game with six catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Ronald Butler. The senior signal caller was productive in his first start of the season. Butler completed 17-of-24 for 223 yards and three scoring throws. The Tallahassee, Fla. product teamed up Chris Sanders-McCollum for a three yard scoring play early in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown was the lone reception for the senior wide receiver as he collected his second touchdown of the season, the eighth of his career. Five of Sanders-McCollum’s scoring plays have come from Butler over the last four seasons.
Kicker Lane Clark aided in the victory scoring 10 points on the afternoon. The junior set a new TSU record with a 54-yard field goal, as he tied for the top distance in the NCAA-FCS this season.
Clark would better himself with 7:27 remaining in the game as he booted a 57-yard field goal to extend the Tigers lead to 27-23. The kick is the longest for all levels of NCAA football this season, surpassing Rigoberto Sanchez of Hawai’i and Elliot Fry from South Carolina.
The Skyhawks opened the game by converting on a pair of third-and-longs leading to an 18-yard passing touchdown from Troy Cook to Jaimiee Bowe. UTM added to the lead on the Tigers first play from scrimmage as Ronald Butler was called for intentional grounding while in the end zone. The safety gave UT Martin a 9-0 lead five and a half minutes into the game.
UTM continued its hot start as Cook found Caylon Weathers from four yards out to extend the lead to 16-0 with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter. The Skyhawks took advantage of the good field position they received from the punt after the safety, as they needed to move just 37 yards to score.
The Tigers would make a statement on their next possession, using 12 plays to move 65 yards down the field. The Big Blue established the ground game as Erick Evans carried the ball six times for 35 yards including a nine yard blast up the middle for his fourth touchdown of the year.
The score came on the first play of the second quarter, cutting the lead to nine, 16-7. It also marked the first time this season the Tigers did not score in a quarter. TSU had scored in 18 consecutive periods dating back to Nov. 7 of last season.
The Big Blue would start its next drive at the 46 yard line after Gabe Scott pulled in his first career interception. It would be the first of five turnovers forced by the defense.
The Tigers could only manage 17 yards, which allowed Clark to record the initial record breaker. TSU pulled to within a score of the Skyhawks, 16-10, with 9:32 remaining in the first half.
After the intermission, TSU need just two minutes to take their first lead of the game. The drive opened with Butler teaming up with Steven Newbold for 22 yards and Rodney Morris for 43 more on back-to-back plays. The Morris reception would get the Tigers to the UTM one setting up the first Butler to Smith scoring play. Smith once again out leaped his defender and was able to get one foot down in the back of the end zone to move TSU ahead, 17-16.
UTM regained the lead to open the final stanza on a seven yard pass from Cook to Ben Axline. The Skyhawks found success through the air as they totaled 321 yards and converted on 10-of-12 third down plays.
The Tigers answered back on the following drive to reclaim the lead. Butler found Newbold for 23 yards to start the drive and move into Skyhawk territory. Butler would take things into his own hands to keep the drive alive as he scampered for 11 yards to the UTM 27 on a third-and-long.
On the next play, Butler was able to hit Newbold for an 18 yard gain and a first down at the nine. After a six yard run by Evans, Butler found Sanders-McCollum all alone making the score 24-23 in favor of the Tigers.
The defense stepped up again as David Kamara blitzed in from the right side of the line and sacked Cook causing a fumble. Ebenezer Ogundeko pounced on the ball giving the offense great starting position at the visitors 44.
The ensuing drive stalled after five yards, but that is all Clark would need as he connected on the NCAA leading 57-yarder. The make gave TSU a four point lead, 27-23, with just over seven minutes to play.
The Skyhawks came back with an impressive 11 play, 75 yard drive, which ate up five and a half minutes. UTM kept they drive alive with two third down conversions, as well as another on fourth down. Cook threw his fourth scoring pass of the game, this time to Londell Lee from 20 yards out with 2:00 minutes on the clock.
Trailing 30-27, Butler hit Smith for 11 yards and escaped the rush on the next play picking up ten yards to get the Tigers close to midfield. After a sack, Butler found Chris Rowland in the middle of the field. The freshman receiver broke two tackles and maneuvered his way 38 yards down the field to the 16.
TSU found themselves at the nine yard line and third and three with 24 seconds remaining on the clock. The Tigers, who totaled 364 yards on the day, picked up the final nine on the game-winner from Butler to Smith. The touchdown is the fifth of the season for the wide out and the 15th of his career.
MURRAY STATE 45, AUSTIN PEAY 17
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Senior KD Humphries completed a school-record 49 of 60 passes for 455 yards and five touchdowns as the Murray State football team routed Austin Peay, 45-17, at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.
KD Humphries passed for five touchdowns and rushed for another in Saturday’s win, finishing the night at 49-for-60 for 455 yards. He connected with 11 different receivers in the contest and broke his own school record for completions in a single-game, which was 48 against Tennessee Tech in 2014. His 49 completions are the most by a FCS quarterback this season and he is currently the only FCS quarterback this season throw for at least 450 yards, pass for at least five touchdowns and complete at least 40 passes in a single game.
Trailing 31-17, Austin Peay took over on their own 27-yard line with just under four minutes left in the third quarter after a missed Murray State field goal. The Governors marched the ball down the field, eventually yielding a first-and-goal situation from the Murray State eight. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, Austin Peay would get gains of one, three and two yards to set up a fourth-and-goal from the two.
On the ensuing play, Sean Rodriguez stopped Austin Peay’s Julian Franklin at the line of scrimmage to force the turnover on downs. The Racers then took the ball 98 yards down the field, eating 6:13 seconds of clock time in the process, and ended the drive with a nine-yard pass from Humphries to Mitch Stults to put the game virtually out of reach at 38-17.
Jordon Gandy scored a career-high three touchdowns and caught a career-high 13 passes for a career-high 147 yards Saturday. His first of the game came in spectacular fashion as he caught Humphries’ pass in mid-air and got one foot in the end zone for the touchdown.
Murray State rushed the ball 35 times for 110 yards Saturday, tying the season-high of 110 yards set at Southern Illinois. Mareio McGraw led the Racers on the ground with 86 yards, a season-high for a MSU rusher, on 16 carries with a long of 19 yards.
The Murray State defense held Austin Peay to just 355 yards of total offense in the game, a season-low for a MSU opponent. The “D” also held the Govs to just 171 yards through the air, which is a season-low as well.
For the second consecutive game, Dylan Boone led Murray State with 10 tackles. This week Boone, who also broke up a pass, was joined at the top by Sean Rodriguez, who also had 10 tackles. Marico Paige also had big night for Murray State, as he racked up seven tackles, a sack for a loss of six yards and a forced fumble that led to an offensive touchdown.
Tommy Hays passed for 160 yards and rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns to lead Austin Peay offensively. He completed each of his first 14 attempts in the game and finished the night at 14-for-17 with one interception. James Bond and Neonta Alexander led the Peay defense by each tallying 12 total tackles and 0.5 tackles-for-loss.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 21, #13 EASTERN ILLINOIS 14
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (2-3, 2-0) allowed only one offensive touchdown en route to upending #13 Eastern Illinois (3-2, 1-1), 21-14, Saturday night at Houck Stadium.
SEMO recorded its fifth all-time win over a ranked Football Championship Subdivision opponent. Even better than that, the Redhawks knocked off their third ranked opponent with Tom Matukewicz as their head coach.
SEMO is off to a 2-0 start in Ohio Valley Conference play for the second time in three years with Matukewicz at the helm. Tonight marked the first time the Redhawks upset the Panthers in four meetings when they were ranked.
The Redhawks started strong, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. Jesse Hosket scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard run and then threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Davis in the first seven minutes of the game.
EIU cut SEMO's lead in half on Christopher Anderson's 18-yard touchdown run that capped a 78-yard drive with 4:26 left in the first quarter to make it 14-7.
Neither team scored in the second quarter as the Redhawks headed into the locker room with their first halftime lead of the season.
Less than a minute into the second half, EIU tied the game when Pono Choy scooped up Tremane McCullough's fumble and ran 22 yards down the far sideline for a touchdown.
SEMO, however, answered right back, marching 86 yards in seven plays. Hosket completed his second touchdown pass, this time a 45-yard strike to a wide open Marquette Murdock to put the Redhawks ahead, 21-14, with 11:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Murdock's first career touchdown loomed large in the end as both teams went scoreless for the final 15 minutes.
EIU moved the ball to SEMO's 31-yard line during its only fourth-quarter drive. The Redhawks made a big statement to end the threat. SEMO had back-to-back tackles for loss before Chad Meredith batted down a pass on a third-and-16. Another incomplete pass by Austin Green followed.
The Redhawks took over on downs with 5:39 left and ran out the clock.
Hosket completed 12-of-20 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 16 yards and another score. It marked Hosket's fourth-straight start throwing for over 200 yards and third multiple-touchdown game this season. He went over 1,000 passing yards.
Murdock added a career-high three catches for 86 yards. Two of his catches went for 30 or more yards.
Defensively, Meredith paved the way with a game-high 12 tackles. He collected double-digit tackles in a game for the second time this year. The Redhawks limited the Panthers to just 93 yards in the second half alone. Roper Garrett, who went over 300 tackles in his career, followed with eight.
Green threw for 188 yards on 19-of-33 attempts and Devin Church ran for 86 yards on 15 carries.
SEMO ended a four-game losing streak in its all-time series with EIU.
TENNESSEE TECH 33, EASTERN KENTUCKY 30 (OT)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Alex Carling had probably the catch of a lifetime.
With Eastern Kentucky up 30-27 in overtime, the Tennessee Tech football team took advantage of a personal foul call against the Colonels to get a first down, then Michael Birdsong threw a four-yard strike to the tight end Carling in the left corner of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown, 33-30 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
The dog pile ensued as the Golden Eagles improved to 2-3, 2-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles put up huge nights as Tech controlled the ball for 42:28, collecting 446 yards on 94 yards. More importantly, Tech did not give up the ball, especially to an EKU team that was characteristically taking advantage of points off turnovers.
Birdsong had his best night as a Golden Eagle, throwing for 327 yards on a 27-for-42 night with three touchdowns. Birdsong also rushed for a touchdown of his own.
Two of those touchdowns went to Louisville transfer Byrd, who hauled in 116 yards on seven catches. Josh Cunningham also caught seven passes, collecting 69 yards.
Nick Madonia also had two big field goals for the Golden Eagles, kicking from 42 and 26 yards. Since missing two field goals against Wofford in the season opener, Madonia is 7-for-7 on field goals.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles put themselves in position with two huge fourth-down stops. Tech held EKU to 0-for-3 on fourth down, but there were two stops in the fourth quarter. With 12:14 remaining in regulation, Elliott Normand and Chris McElderry stuffed Ethan Thomas for no gain at the Tech 29.
On the next Colonel drive, facing 4th and 17, quarterback Bennie Coney connected with Ryan Markush with a 13-yard pass on the Tech 14, but it was four yards short.
Deontay Wilson and Josh Poplar led Tech in tackles, wrapping up eight EKU players each. On the other end, Jeffrey Canady had 17 tackles for EKU, while Kiante Northington had 15.
Coney had another fantastic outing against Tech, throwing for 464 yards and three touchdowns on a 32-for-49 night.
Devin Borders caught nine passes for 121 yards and Markush hauled in seven passes for 104 yards. Both receivers caught touchdowns, along with Dan Crimmins, who had six catches for 65 yards.
Jared Sanders had the other touchdown for the Colonels (1-3, 0-1 OVC), rushing for a 59-yard score in the first quarter.