BOX SCORE
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State football stayed in contention for the Pioneer League championship and remained perfect (5-0) at home in 2024 as the Eagles put forth yet another stellar defensive effort and had one of its better offensive days too this fall with a 21-7 win over previously unbeaten St. Thomas.
The Eagles (6-3/4-1 PFL) knotted themselves up with St. Thomas for second place in the league race. MSU also defeated St. Thomas for the first time in program history after narrowly losing in the last 10 seconds in Minnesota last fall.
MSU has now only allowed four total touchdowns to its five opponents at home in 2024, over a span of 20 quarters.
Junior quarterback
Carter Cravens passed for 196 yards on just 12 completions, throwing three touchdowns. Cravens completed scoring tosses to wideouts
Ryan Upp,
Trevion Green and
Nate Garnett. Garnett, ranking second in the nation in yards per catch among all FCS players, hauled in four passes for 90 yards.
"You could see us being able to throw the football as efficiently as we have all year, ad that started with the protection today up front. Best the line has played." said head coach Jason Woodman. "
Carter Cravens played phenomenal today. He's actually out there still playing hurt. And what can you say more about our defense. Their effort is incredible. You can't do anything but praise everything they do right now."
Defensively, the Eagles gave up 310 yards but won the turnover battle yet again, picking off two passes and coming up with a fumble recovery.
Jackson Benjamin stopped a Tommie drive with a pickoff at the MSU 27-yard line, and
Jihad McCall hauled in a pickoff on STU's final offensive play - a wildly heaved ball that got swatted around before McCall got his hands under it at the five-yard line to seal the win.
Noah Benza hopped on a bad exchange between STU's quarterback and running back for the fumble recovery.
McCall led MSU with nine tackles. Benjamin also had a tackle for loss, and
Luke Bauer broke up a team-best three passes. Linebacker
Dillon Schobourgh and safety
Matthew McClelland each came up with eight tackles.
WATCH SCHOBOURGH DISCUSS THE GAME
Morehead State took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards on eight plays before Cravens connected with Upp on a 22-yard strike to the end zone. It was Upp's 13th career touchdown.Â
St. Thomas then tied the game just more than a minute later as Tak Tateoka tossed a 68-yard touchdown to Colin Chase to knot it up 7-7.
MSU had a 14-7 halftime lead thanks to Green's 20-yard touchdown reception with 11:17 left in the second period. The Tommies tried to climb to within four with a 39-yard field goal with nine seconds left before the break, but it sailed wide.
Garnett secured the Eagles' third score with 5:39 in the third period. He took a short shovel pass from Cravens and motored his way in from 12 yards away for the score.
Morehead State is back on the road next weekend when it travels to face PFL power Davidson at 1 p.m. ET Saturday in Davidson's new stadium.
