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Football Jets To West Coast For PFL Clash At San Diego Saturday

10/25/2023 12:13:00 PM

GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO)

MOREHEAD, Ky. --
  Morehead State jets to the west coast to face PFL foe San Diego Saturday, looking for the program's first-ever win against the Toreros. Game time is set for 5 p.m. ET at Torero Stadium.

The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. Jason Blanton and Tom Lewis are slated for the radio call. Fans can also hear it on MSUEagles.com, WGOH-100.9 FM/1370 AM and WMST-106.9 FM/1150 AM. The game will stream live on ESPN+.

Although MSU has not defeated San Diego, the last two seasons have resulted in two of the closest margins of victory for the Toreros. In fact, the Eagles' 14-9 setback at home last season was THE closest. Last time the teams played in San Diego (2021), USD squeezed out a 10-3 win.

After a month-long hiatus of home games, the Eagles will finally return to Jayne Stadium next weekend for Homecoming versus Butler.

THE SERIES
Record vs. San Diego: 0-15
First Meeting: 11/19/05 USD won 47-40 at USD
Last Meeting: 11/19/22 USD won 14-9 at MSU
Eagles' Record vs. USD in Morehead: 0-6
Eagles' Record vs. USD in San Diego, Calif.: 0-9
Streak: USD,  15 games

GAME NOTES
• Between the trip to Tarleton State last weekend and this weekend's USD trip, the Eagles will have logged more than 6,000 miles going to and from the games.

• Morehead State has had success with recruiting the western United States. In fact, the Eagles' 2023 roster incudes 25 players with a hometown in California. 

• Morehead State has several entries into the top 20 among NCAA FCS level individual stats: 
QB Carter Cravens (passing yards per completion, 14.3 - 12th) (passing yards per game, 248.6 - 20th) (passing yards, 1740 - 20th) (total offense, 281.4 - 11th)
WR Ryan Upp (receiving TDs, 6 - 5th) (receiving yards, 593 - 14th) (receiving yards per game, 84.7 - 15th)
LB Jahleel Holmes (total tackles per game, 9.7 - 20th)

Carter Cravens has earned two Pioneer League Offensive Player of the Week nods this year.

• This game will feature the PFL's top two receivers in MSU's Ryan Upp and San Diego's Ja'seem Reed. Upp averages 84.7 yards per game, while Reed is only slightly higher at 91.4.

• Morehead State's offense ranks first in the PFL and fifth nationally in converting red-zone chances to points. MSU has scored on 18 of 19 red-zone forays.

•  Morehead State's offense has taken care of the football this season. The Eagles have only lost two fumbles total, with one of those being on a punt return.

• Not only has QB Carter Cravens led the passing game, but he is also Morehead State's leading rusher with  230 yards on the ground. He ranks second on the team in rushing attempts with 55 and has scored two rushing TDs.

• Linebacker Jahleel Holmes came up with a career high 13 tackles at Tarleton State and  has led the Eagles in six of the seven games. In his last five games, Holmes has nine, nine, nine, 11 and 13 stops.

• Defensive back Cooper Krezek has piled up 265 career tackles, including 230 just in the past three seasons. He was one of only two Eagles since 2015 to record a 100+ tackle season when he  hit that figure (100) exactly last fall.

• MSU's five turnovers gained against Dayton was the most in a game in three seasons. Cornerback Kaleb Lyons had two interceptions, and three of the five takeaways occurred either in the end zone or inside the five-yard line on Dayton possessions.

• Eagle special teams have been solid. Kicker Nathan Hazlett, who booted a game-winning 28-yard FG at Valparaiso, is 5-of-5 on field goals and 12-of-13 on PATs, while Thomas Schwartz V is 2-of-2 on FGs. Punter Kip Warren ranks third in the PFL at 39.7 yards per punt. Meanwhile, Braeden Haynes has stepped in for kickoff duties and averages nearly 60 yards per boot. MSU's punt return team, headed by return man Ryan Upp, ranks first in the PFL at 9.7 yards per return.
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