GAME STATS (HTML) | GAME STATS (PDF) | POST-GAME INTERVIEW | REPLAY OF LIVE BLOG
PHOTO GALLERY
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Another game, another heartbreaking loss for the Morehead State football team.
MSU led by 17 points heading into the fourth quarter on Saturday afternoon at Jayne Stadium, but San Diego rallied to post a 48-44 win in the Pioneer Football League opener for both squads.
The Toreros improve to 3-1 overall, while the Eagles slip to 1-3 on the season. USD also improves to 7-0 in the all-time series between the two clubs.
San Diego’s 28-point fourth quarter erased 474 total yards by the Morehead State offense and two interception returns for touchdowns by the Eagle defense.
USD provided the final margin when sophomore quarterback Mason Mills found freshman wide receiver Brandon White on a 13-yard strike with 17 seconds remaining. The connection capped an eight-play, 51-yard drive.
Mills, who didn’t even start the contest due to an injury from the previous week, finished with five touchdown passes and just one interception. He went 19-of-31 for 312 yards.
Mills replaced junior Bo Stompro, who threw a pair of interceptions in the first 22 minutes of the game.
San Diego generated a season-best 538 total yards on the afternoon. Senior John McGough led the Toreros with 162 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Kenny James added 138 rushing yards and one score.
Morehead State junior quarterback Zach Lewis, who was also injured a week ago, completed 28-of-42 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown, but was sacked four times.
Desmond Cox, a senior fullback for MSU, rushed 17 times for 126 yards and one touchdown. He now has 255 yards on 44 carries the past two games.
Donte Sawyer, a junior wide receiver for the Eagles, registered six catches for 128 yards. He now has 311 yards on 11 receptions the past two tilts.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with each team scoring four times. San Diego held a 20-16 lead at intermission after Kenny found the end zone on a four-yard rush, Mills connected with McGough on a 46-yard pass and senior Mike Levine booted two field goals.
Junior Rainer Duzan kicked three first-half field goals for Morehead State, while its other score came on a 35-yard interception return by freshman defensive back Zachary Senvisky.
Freshman defensive back Andrew Lee added a 59-yard INT return for a TD in the third quarter for the Eagles, who began the day with no defensive TDs this season.
The second half was a game of runs. Morehead State shut out the Toreros in the third quarter, but USD countered with four touchdowns in the final frame en route to the victory.
Morehead State returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Valparaiso for a 2 p.m. ET start. The contest will be carried live by the Eagle Sports Network, which includes WIVY-96.3 FM in Morehead, WLGC-1550 AM in Greenup and WMST-1150 AM in Mt. Sterling.
Be sure to also check MSUEagles.com throughout the week for stats, social media updates, game previews and much more.
