Old Foes Meet Again - Racers Meet ETSU Saturday in Season Opener
8/27/2025 7:25:00 PM | Football
The 101st season of Murray State Football gets underway as the Racers face East Tennessee for the first time since 1978
It has been 47 years since the last time the Murray State Racers and East Tennessee State Buccaneers met on the gridiron, but that changes Saturday when they meet in Johnson City, Tenn.
Game time for the 101st season opener in MSU Football history is 4:30 p.m. Central Time from Bank of Tennessee Field at William Greene Stadium.
The Racers and Bucs were regular opponents in the Ohio Valley Conference from their first meeting in 1969 to their last meeting in 1978. The Racers have won the last two, including the last game in 1978, which was a homecoming win in Murray 34-21 under MSU Hall of Fame Coach Bill Fergerson.
GAME 1
MURRAY STATE AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE
Venue: Bank of Tennessee Field at Williams Greene Stadium (7,694)
Site: Johnson City, Tenn.
Game Time: 4:30 P.M. CT
Murray State Racers: 0-0 (0-0 MVFC)
Head Coach: Jody Wright (Alma Mater: Jacksonville State, 2005)
Murray State Record: 1-11 (2nd season) MVFC Record: 0-0
Career Record: Same
Record vs ETSU: 0-0
East Tennessee State Buccaneers 0-0 (0-0 SoCon)
Head Coach: Will Healy (Alma Mater: Richmond, 2008)
ETSU Record: 0-0 (1st season) SoConRecord: 0-0
Career Record: 28-45 (8th Season)
Record vs Murray State: 2-1
Series: Tied 9-9-3 Home: 5-5 Away: 4-4-3
Last Meeting: 1978, Racers won at ETSU 34-21
Racer Radio: WFGE Froggy 103.7FM
Online: Froggy103.com, GoRacers.com
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com, GoRacers.com
MSU Next: Home vs Southeastern Louisiana, Sept. 6
ETSU Next: At Tennessee, Sept. 6
Game Story Lines
- The 2025 season is made up of 12 games in Murray State's 101st season in program history.
- Head Coach Jody Wright has a roster of 109 players which are made up of 20 newcomers, including 54 freshmen and only two returners from the 2024 season.
- The Racers had four returners on the Missouri Valley Football Conference Watch List.
- The MSU quartet includes, (QB) Jim Ogle, (WR) JK Carter, (RB) Jawaun Northington, (P) Thomas O'Hara.
- Northington begins his senior season with the Racers having played in 27 games at running back with 1,195 yards rushing on 272 carries, with a 4.4 yards per carry and he has scored nine touchdowns.
- Northington is MSU's leading returning back with 518 yards rushing in 2024 on 111 carries and an average of 4.7 yards per carry.
- The Racers are looking for their 11th 1000-Yard rusher in 101 seasons and the first since Mike Harris ran for 1,018 yards in the 2011 season.
- Ogle enters the 2025 season as the Racers presumed starter at quarterback.
- In 2024 Ogle appeared in four games and completed 17-of-43 passes for 200 yards.
- Carter played in 12 games in 2024, with 42 receptions for 560 yards and one TD.
- O'Hara was a freshman punter in 2024 and was second in the MVFC with a average of 44.9 yard per punt.
- MSU is looking for their first winning season since 2021 when they were 6-5 and MSU seeks its first winning season in conference play since they were 5-2 in 2020 in the Ohio Valley.
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