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It’s Halloween and the Morehead State football team will travel to Buies Creek, NC to battle the Campbell University Fighting Camels. This will mark the third and final trip to North Carolina for the Eagles this season. Both the Eagles and the Camels are looking to pick up their first Pioneer League victory of the season. Kick off is slated for 1 p.m.
Last week Morehead State held a 14-0 halftime lead, but gave up 24 unanswered points in the second half to lose to Marist 24-14 on the Eagles’ homecoming. Campbell fell behind early to Butler 20-0, but was able to get back within a touchdown with three minutes remaining in the game. The Fighting Camels were unable to make the comeback and lost to the Bulldogs 23-16.
The Eagles enter Saturday’s game with an overall record of 2-6 and 0-5 in PFL action. The fighting Camels have an overall record of 1-6 and are 0-4 in PFL play. This will mark the second meeting between the two schools. Last year MSU defeated Campbell 42-7 at home in Jayne Stadium. MSU gained 380 total yards and held Campbell to only 105 in the contest.
Offensively for the Eagles, Desmond Cox leads the team in rushing with 215 yards on 51 attempts. Evan Sawyer has 750 yards passing on the year with five touchdowns. Expect Zach Lewis and Jared Phillips to get looks from under center too. Lewis has 157 yards passing and Phillips has 178 yards thus far this season. The Eagles are led in receiving by Ronnie McDermott and Donte Sawyer. McDermott has 22 receptions on the year for 247 yards and a touchdown. Sawyer has caught 11 passes for 134 yards and two scores. The Eagles like to run a balanced offense they have rushed the ball 258 times this year and thrown it 227 times.
The Eagles defense continues to have a strong year. The Eagles lead the nation in two defensive categories; tackles-for-loss in which they average 10.88 per game and rushing defense in which they are holding their opponents to only 62.38 rushing yards per game. The Eagles are also ninth in total defense at 269.75 yards per game. The leading tackler for the Eagles is linebacker Wes McDermott with 79. Last week against Marist McDermott had 18 total tackles. Andrew Doan continues to give opposing quarterback’s nightmares. Doan ranks fifth in the nation in sacks per game and also ranks fourth in the nation in tackles-for-loss per game. Doan has totaled nine pass sacks and 14.5 tackles-for-loss this season. Derek Harkness leads the team in interceptions with three, and he is tied a top the conference for the lead.
Offensively Campbell leads the conference in rushing yards per game at 189. The Fighting Camels are led in rushing by a quartet of runners. The leading rusher is quarterback Daniel Polk who has 370 yards and four touchdowns on the season. Polk has also thrown for 853 yards and three touchdowns. CJ Oates is next on the team at 363 yards on 60 attempts. Also toting the ball for the Camels are Rashaun Brown and Carl Smith, who have combined to rush for six touchdowns and 498 yards. Campbell’s leading receiver is Harrison Jordan who has caught 18 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
On Defense Campbell is led by Lee Stanley who leads the team in tackles with 59. Milton Brown leads the team in tackles-for-loss with five and in the secondary Christian Dixon leads the team with three interceptions.
The Eagles are 9-9 all time against teams from the Tar Heel State, which includes a 1-1 record this year. The Eagles previously faced North Carolina Central and won in two overtimes 13-10, but lost to PFL foe Davidson 16-10.
