Football Battles to the Final Horn But Comes Up Inches Short at Davidson

BOX SCORE

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Playing against a powerful option offense, Morehead State football's defense forced four turnovers at Davidson Saturday and put itself in a position to win the contest. But, a 43-yard field goal sailed just inches wide right as the final horn sounded at sunny and warm Richardson Stadium. The Eagles came up just short 28-26.

MSU slipped to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Pioneer League. The game mimicked the last five in this series where the final margin was decided by two scores or less.

Trailing 28-26, Morehead State got the ball on its own 26-yard line with three minutes remaining and drove to the Davidson 26-yard line as the clock ticked to one second left. Kicker Nathan Hazlett, who had tied his career long with a 41-yard field goal earlier, had plenty of distance but just pushed it inches wide right to end the contest.

The Eagles got on the board first as quarterback Grady Cramer connected with receiver Matt Guilfoil for a 15-yard TD to the corner of the end zone.

The home team scored the next three touchdowns, on 10-yard, two-yard and a 59-yard rushes to make it 21-7. Hazlett, returning from an injury, booted the 41-yard field goal through with 6:58 to go before halftime. Davidson drove back down and punched it in from the five-yard line to push its lead to 28-10.

But, the Eagles took advantage of a 70-yard fumble return by Cooper Krezek to set up a four-yard scoring pitch and catch from Cramer to wideout Kenny Lewis, Jr. Hazlett's extra point brought it to a 28-17 score with 48 seconds left, and that's where it stood at the half. 

With 3:26 left in the third quarter, the Eagles made it a one-score game, 28-20 as Hazlett banged a FG through from 33 yards.

Cramer finished off a drive with 13:05 left in the game on a two-yard scamper to bring the game to within two. Cramer finished 22-of-43 for a career-high 304 yards and the two touchdowns. Lewis, Jr., had a career-best 78 yards on six catches. 

Defensively, the Eagles had four players in double figure tackles, led by a career-high 16 from Keenan Wolf. Khiyree Keith and Preston Toner had 14 each, and Krezek totaled 12. Krezek also had two fumble recoveries, while Keith had one and Jahleel Holmes had a third. Toner also blocked a punt, the seventh blocked kick for MSU this season.

The Eagles finished with 363 total yards and saw the nation's leading rushing team gain 498 total yards. Davidson only three five passes for 31 yards.

Morehead State returns home for Homecoming next weekend when Valparaiso visits Jayne Stadium for a 2 p.m. ET kick off.