Jim Cundiff, Off The Trail Photography

Football Faces First Road Test of 2023 Saturday at No. 20 Mercer

9/7/2023 9:00:00 AM

By: By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations

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

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- After a thrilling week one win, Morehead State football is set to head south to face a tough test at No. 20 Mercer. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET Saturday from Macon, Ga.

The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. Chuck Mraz and Jason Blanton provide 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+.

Saturday marks just the second-ever football meeting between Mercer and Morehead State, the first coming in week zero last fall. Mercer was in the PFL for just one season when it first re-started its program.

THE SERIES

Record vs. Mercer: 0-1

First Meeting: 8/30/22 MER won 63-13 at MER

Last Meeting: Same

Eagles' Record vs. MER in Morehead: 0-0

Eagles' Record vs. MER in Macon, Ga.: 0-1

Streak: MER, 1 game

GAME NOTES

• The game against Mercer will mark the 11th straight season MSU will face a nationally-ranked FCS opponent - every season under head coach Rob Tenyer.

• Quarterback Carter Cravens earned the PFL's first Offensive Player of the Week honor for 2023. Cravens completed 21 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start and also rushed for a team-high 82 yards against West Virginia State.

• Junior kicker Nathan Hazlett is on the Fred Mitchell Award preseason watch list for the second consecutive season. The Award is presented annually to the nation's top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community.

• Morehead State ranked first in the nation in blocked kicks in 2022 (8) and picked up the trend again last week as newcomer Kairo Reid blocked a West Virginia State punt, which eventually led to an Eagle TD.

• James Louis heads into the season coming off a breakout season in 2022. Louis rushed for a team-high 780 yards and six touchdowns. In the final three games, he averaged 136.6 yards per outing and scored three times. Included in that span was a career-high 195 yards (in the snow) at Dayton. Louis rushed for 74 yards and a TD in week one.

• Defensive back Cooper Krezek recorded a career-best 10 solo tackles (11 total stops) against WVSU. After week one, Krezek ranks fourth in the FCS in solo tackles. Last season, he ranked among the top 10 in the PFL with 100 total tackles and also blocked three kicks.

• Newcomer Andre Nolan-White was pushed into duty following an injury and proceeded to lead the team in tackles (12) from his starting linebacker position.

• Running back Caleb Ramseur showed flashes of brilliance in the return game last week, averaging 34 yards on a pair of returns, including a long of 38 yards. He also returned a punt 18 yards.

• Morehead State converted 12 of 17 third-down opportunities against West Virginia, good enough for 71 percent. The Eagles ranks second in the nation only behind Montana State on third-down success.

• MSU's season captains are Nathan Hazlett, James Louis and Cooper Krezek.

• Morehead State has 50+ new players on the roster for 2023.

• Junior running back James Louis and junior defensive back Cooper Krezek have been honored on the official preseason All-Pioneer Football League team.

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