BOX SCORE (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Morehead State football outgained host Butler by more than 100 yards Saturday, but in the end the Bulldogs were able to pull out a 24-21 Pioneer Football League victory over the Eagles Saturday at the Sellick Bowl.
Senior quarterback
Lawson Page rushed for a team-high 109 yards and a score and passed for 206 yards another score. The Eagles gained 416 yards on offense to Butler's 310. But, MSU was flagged for 13 penalties and missed what ultimately might have been a game-tying field goal at the end of the first half.
"All things considered, we were pretty much even with them and even better in most of the stats. Our guys fought extremely hard, we rushed the ball well, but at the end of the day it came down to consistency and execution," said head coach
Rob Tenyer. "We had a number of missed third-down opportunities, especially in the fourth quarter. The plays were there, we just didn't execute. We have to learn to finish games. We are a good team that just needs to continue to clean things up and be able to finish and win close games."
After Butler scored the first touchdown in the first quarter, the Eagles answered with a 13-play, 70-yard drive, capped by Page's one-yard score. It was his 13th career score in the rushing game. The visitors took the lead, 14-7, early in the second period when senior running back
Arien Beasley crashed in from seven yards away.
But, the hosts answered right back four minutes later with a nine-yard score on a rush to make it a 14-14 game at the intermission. The Eagles drove into Bulldog territory but a go-ahead field goal attempt sailed wide left as time expired in the first half.
The Bulldogs grabbed the lead with 5:03 left in the third quarter when QB Will Marty connected with top wideout Pace Temple on a 17-yard score to the corner of the end zone. They added three more on Drew Bevelheimer's 42-yard boot with 11:39 remaining in the contest.
MSU fought back to make the three-point contest when Page connected with wide receiver
Malik Richards on a 20-yard score with 7:56 left in the game.
The Eagles finished with 210 rushing yards and 206 passing yards. Brad Sznadjer led the hosts with a 105-yard rushing effort and a touchdown.
Jamil Butler led the Eagle defense with seven total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Vaughn Taylor, Jr., and
Jerome Brooks had a pair of tackles behind the line of scrimmage, and safety
Starr Hutcherson came up with his first career interception.
Morehead State returns to Jayne Stadium next weekend to host San Diego. Game time is 12:05 p.m. ET.
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