Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
North Dakota
Racers Travel North for Matchup With Fifth-Ranked Fighting Hawks
10/2/2026 10:47:00 AM | Football
Murray State facing North Dakota in second MVFC game of 2026.
Date (Time): Saturday, Oct. 3 (1 p.m. CDT)
Opponent: North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Location (Venue): Grand Forks, N.D. (Alerus Center)
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
The Murray State Racers (1-4, 0-1 MVFC) will seek their first Missouri Valley Football Conference win of the season against No. 5 North Dakota (4-1, 1-0 MVFC) in Grand Forks, N.D., on Saturday.
Following the opening week of conference play, the Fighting Hawks are atop the MVFC standings after a 42-35 win over Indiana State. Meanwhile, the Racers are looking to bounce back after a 46-6 loss to Southern Illinois.
In the loss, Jaxon Potter was responsible for the lone Murray State touchdown, catching a 3-yard pass from Jim Ogle to cap off a game-opening, 11-play, 75-yard drive. Conlee Crossno led the Racers on defense with 9 total tackles, including 1 for loss, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup.
The Racers' offense has been anchored by the run game through the 2026 season with 665 yards on the ground. Tyrell Campbell and Mykel Allen have combined to lead the rushing effort, with Campbell having 228 yards and a touchdown and Allen having 193 yards and adding a score of his own. Jawaun Northington leads the team with 2 touchdowns on the ground.
Trey Firestone and Jaxon Potter have been the leading receivers in 2026 with 16 catches each. Firestone leads the team with 198 yards, while Potter leads the way with 2 receiving touchdowns. Collin Shannon and Jim Ogle have split time at the quarterback position, as Shannon leads the team with 405 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns, and Ogle is right behind with 347 yards and 2 more touchdowns.
Defensively, Dylan Rowsey continues to be one of the leading tacklers in the MVFC, as he is ninth in the conference with 35 tackles. Rett Hemphill is second on the team with 34 tackles and is fourth in the MVFC with 20 solo tackles, in addition to a pair of tackles for loss and a sack. Jayden Walker has consistently gotten into the opposing backfield throughout 2026 with a total of 6 tackles for loss, 2 QB hurries, and a pair of sacks to lead the team.
Scouting the Fighting Hawks
Second-year head coach Eric Schmidt boasts a 12-7 record after leading the Fighting Hawks to an 8-6 record in his first year, earning an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs. The Fighting Hawks are led by senior quarterback Jerry Kaminski, who boasts 1,288 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 71% completion rate through the first five games of the season. Korey Tai has been one of his favorite targets, as the senior features 342 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season.
The North Dakota defense is led by Ethan Boll and Mike Deveraux with 24 tackles each, while Braden Mohr leads the team with 4.5 sacks, and Jonnie Wiltshire leads the secondary with an interception and 3 pass breakups.
Up Next
Following the game against North Dakota, the Racers will benefit from a bye week before returning to action on Oct. 17. The Racers will host South Dakota State on Rudolph Family Field at Roy Stewart Stadium for a 1 p.m. CDT homecoming battle.
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