Photo by Tab Brockman
The Murray State football team scored 45 unanswered points in the second half en route to setting the school’s single game scoring record in Saturday’s 86-29 win over Kentucky Wesleyan at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray.
DeQavius Walker helped the Racers (3-5) get the game off and running in a hurry as he returned Kentucky Wesleyan’s opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown. It wass the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Racer since Walter Powell accomplished the task in 2013 against Missouri State.
Murray State went on to score three more touchdowns in the opening quarter including a 64-yard punt return by Janawski Davis, to lead the Panthers, 27-10, at the end of the stanza. In the second quarter, Kentucky Wesleyan (4-4) actually outscored the Racers, 19-10, despite a second kickoff return by Pokey Harris for 75 yards. However, even with the 19 points allowed in the second stanza, Murray State led at the break, 41-29.
After halftime, the Racers put their foot on the gas and never let off scoring six touchdowns and a field goal in the final 30 minutes. KD Humphries scored twice on rushes of seven and 12 yards, while his backup, CJ Bennett also had a score, punching it in from the one yard-line.
The MSU offense was nearly perfect on the night, scoring on 13 of 16 drives with all but one being a touchdown. The rushing attack came up 10 yards shy of a school record with 408 yards for a whopping 12.0 yards a carry. Murray State finished the game with 720 yards of total offense, in addition to the 268 yards gained on kick returns
Humphries finished the game at 19-for-23 with two touchdowns and no interceptions for 293 yards. Marcus Holliday and Davis caught the two touchdown passes from Humphries, while Jeremy Harness led the MSU receiving corps with 74 yards on five catches.
Harris led the Murray State ground attack with 10 rushes for 176 yards and a touchdown. Harris’ performance not only marks the first 100-plus rushing yard game of his career, but MSU’s first of the season as well. Nick Taylor followed with 67 yards and a score, while Holliday rushed four times for 40 yard and found the end zone twice.
Defensively, Travis Taylor led the way with 10 tackles including one for a loss of a yard. Felton Collins had seven tackles in the game including 2.0 sacks for a total loss of 16 yards and two blocked extra point attempts, giving him a total of three on the year. Jonathan Jackson and Bishop Woods also had seven tackles in the game with Jackson registering 0.5 for loss, while Woods had 1.5.
The Murray State kicking game was also on in the contest as Carson Griefenkamp racked up 819 yards on 13 kickoffs with three touchbacks for an average of 63 yards per kick. Greifenkamp also converted on nine of 10 extra points and knocked down a 40-yard field goal.
Murray State will return to OVC action next week when it hosts UT Martin. Kick-off at The Track is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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