Racers Return Home For Family Weekend vs. EIU

Date (Time): Oct. 2 (4 p.m.)
Opponent: Eastern Illinois
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Roy Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Analyst: Parker Griffith)
TV: ESPN3 (PxP: Neal Bradley; Analyst: Parker Griffith)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball
MUR Record (Streak): 1-2 (Lost 2)
EIU Record (Streak): 1-4 (Won 1)
All-Time Series vs. EIU (Streak): EIU leads 19-17 (Won 3)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): MUR leads 11-8 (Won 2)
First Meeting: W 38-13 (Nov. 15, 1946; Murray, Ky.)
Last Meeting: W 41-27 (Mar. 28, 2021; Murray, Ky.)
Largest MSU Win: 28 Points [W 35-7] (Nov. 12, 1977; Murray, Ky.)
Largest MSU Loss: 41 Points [L 7-48] (Oct. 14, 2000, Charleston, Ill.)
Last Five vs. EIU: 4-1 (WWWLW)
MUR Next Game: Oct. 9 at UT Martin
MUR Next Home Game: Oct. 23 vs. Austin Peay

The Game
After two road games at FBS opponents, the Racers return home Saturday to take on Eastern Illinois in a non-conference game for Family Weekend. Kickoff from Roy Stewart Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. with the game being broadcast on ESPN3 and Froggy 103.7 FM.

The Series At A Glance
The Racers currently trail the Panthers 19-17, but have won four of the last five in the series and are 11-8 against EIU in Murray.

Scouting The Panthers
After an 0-4 start to the season, Eastern Illinois opened OVC play with a win last week against Tennessee Tech, 28-14. DeAirious Smith caught two touchdown passes early in the game, while Bryce Dewberry ran back a fumble return for 90 yards to seal the game in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers are currently scoring 16.6 points on 273.8 yards per game, while allowing 26.8 points and 322.2 yards per game. EIU's offense leans to the pass with 170.6 yards per game in the air, compared to 103.2 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, the Panthers are equally adept at stopping the run and the pass, giving up 169.4 yards per game rushing and 152.8 yards per game passing.

Quarterback Otto Kuhns is currently 50-for-99 with four touchdowns and four interceptions on the season for a total of 664 yards or 166.0 yards per game. On the ground, Harrison Bey-Buie has led the way for the Panthers with 208 rushing yards on 56 attempts with two touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt freshman Jordan Miles has picked up where he left off in the spring with a team-high 7.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 sacks, six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

A Win Saturday Would...
A win Saturday would give the Racers their fourth consecutive win over Eastern Illinois and would be the second-longest such streak in series history. MSU's longest win-streak in series history against the Panthers is five games and took place from 1994 to 1999 with the two teams not meeting in 1995.

Members Wanted
With 2.0 sacks already this season, Scotty Humpich is just 3.0 sacks away from joining MSU's exclusive 10.0 career sack club of which there are only currently 12 members.

   Player                          Seasons         Sacks
1.Austen Lane                 06-09          29.0
2.Anthony Hutch             92-96          28.0
3.Kenney Wooten           17-18          20.5
4 Marcus Stepp               97-98          18.0
5.Joe Lepsis                     90-93          11.5
6.Nathan Williams           03-08          11.0
   Jamie Lowicz                87-89          11.0
8.Tamar Butler                06-09          10.5
9.Marcus White              03-04          10.0
   Kenneth Knotts           97-98          10.0
   Ronnie Merritt             94-97          10.0
   Jeff Urbano                   87-89          10.0

Breaking Through
With five rushing touchdowns already this season, including a record-tying four against Mississippi Valley, Preston Rice is on the precipice of becoming the first Racer quarterback to crack the top 10 in career rushing touchdowns. Rice currently has 14 career rushing touchdowns and needs just three to join the top 10 and tie with Derrick Cullors and Danny Lee Johnson with 17.

A Non-Conference Affair
Due to late schedules caused by recent conference shuffle Murray State's contest against EIU will be a non-conference game. The last time the two teams met in a non-OVC contest was nearly 30 years ago in 1994. This year's OVC contest between the two teams will take place in Charleston Nov. 20 in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Scotty Humpich

Preston Rice

Murray State University

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Scotty Humpich

Preston Rice

Racers Return Home For Family Weekend vs. EIU

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