Football Drops Heartbreaker at Davidson, 24-21

BOX SCORE

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- In a classic chess match of a football game, the Morehead State Eagles found themselves ultimately on the short end of a 24-21 Pioneer League battle at Davidson Saturday afternoon.

Morehead State (1-3,1-2 PFL) held a 21-14 lead until the final three minutes of the game when Davidson tied it 21-all and then took advantage of a missed field goal by the Eagles to drive 59 yards for the game-winning field goal with two seconds left.

The setback wasn't without star efforts by several Eagle players, however. Junior wideout Thomas Campbell-Clay hauled in a career-best nine passes from junior QB Mark Pappas for an MSU team-high 150 yards. His yardage total is the most since Darius Pritchett's 185-yard game at Dayton in 2016. Campbell-Clay also caught a touchdown for the second straight game. Fellow wideout, senior BJ Byrd, totaled 86 yards and a score on six catches, nailing down a TD for the third consecutive game and fourth TD overall in the spring season.

Pappas finished 23-of-31 for a season-high 284 yards, tossing a trio of touchdowns for the second straight games. Senior linebacker Vincent Winey led the defense with 11 tackles. He has at least nine tackles in all four games now and three straight games with double-digit stops.

The Eagle defense also collected its PFL-best sixth interception as senior defensive back Tyler Noble nabbed his first career Division I pick.

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Morehead State went on top 7-0 with 4:54 left in the first quarter when Pappas threw a 29-yard scoring strike to Campbell-Clay.
- The Wildcats tied the game 7-7 at the 8:59 mark of the second period on Mark McCurdy's 30-yard scamper to the end zone.
- The home team led 14-7, following a 30-minute weather delay, as Bradyn Oakley punched it on the ground from six yards away.
- Pappas connected with junior slot man Ian Holder on a 15-yard TD toss with 1:16 remaining before halftime to tie the game 14-all.
- With 1:43 left in the third stanza, Byrd ripped down a 33-yard score from Pappas as the Eagles took their 21-14 advantage.
- Davidson's rally began with 4:12 left as McCurdy reeled off a 61-yard run to get the Wildcats in the red zone. Dylan Sparks' nine-yard run knotted the game 21-all.
- Morehead State used six plays, including a 37-yard pass to Campbell-Clay, to get into scoring position. The drive stalled at the 26-yard line and a 45-yard field goal attempt by senior kicker Andrew Foster careened off the upright.
- Five rushes and two positive pass plays later, Davidson set up kicker Bonoffski for a 32-yard game-winner that was true.

KEY STATS

- Morehead State registered a season-high 22 first downs and 373 total yards. The Eagles also possessed the ball for a season-best 30:12.
- Defender Cooper Krezek came up with a career-best seven tackles.
- Foster averaged a season-best 44.3 yards on punts today.
- McCurdy finished with a game-high 127 rushing yards for the Wildcats.
- Senior running back Aguero notched 74 yards on 19 carries.

UP NEXT

Morehead State is back on the road Saturday for a 3 p.m. ET PFL contest at Butler. It'll serve as the first of two spring games against Butler as the Eagles host the Bulldogs in the finale on April 17.