Morehead, Ky.-- The Morehead State football team battled but fell to San Diego 37-14 Saturday afternoon at Jayne Stadium.
The Morehead State (7-5/5-3 PFL) offense started slow, battling a stout San Diego defense. Morehead State's first two drives totaled six plays netting 8 yards and only 1:57 of possession. San Diego (8-3/6-2 PFL) took their opening drive eight plays and 80 yards ending with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Grant Sergent to Christopher Hall. The Toreros' second drive went plays before stalling out; USD got a 36-yard Aiden Lehman field goal with 2:29 to go to make it 10-0.
Morehead State responded with a 10-play, 69-yard drive, culminating in a James Louis 26-yard touchdown run at the 11:59 mark in the second quarter to cut the San Diego lead to 10-7. Louis ended his MSU career with 45 yards on six carries.
San Diego countered right back, with an extended 70-yard drive over 7:08, ending with a Sergent seven-yard pass to Ja'Seem Reed, giving San Diego a 17-7 lead at the intermission.
San Diego got a Lehman field goal at10:52 and a 2-yard Sergent TD pass with 1:25 to go in the frame to make it 27-7.
The Eagles bounced back with two long pass plays by Bryce Patterson, who came in for starting quarterback Carter Cravens, who was injured in the previous series. His first play from scrimmage was a 27- yard connection to senior Ryan Upp at the San Diego 48-yard line. Upp finished his MSU career with three catches for 47 yards on the afternoon.
After an incompletion, Patterson connected on a long probe down the left side to Nate Garnett for the touchdown to pull the Eagles within range, 27-14 with 41 seconds to go in the quarter. Garnett led Morehead State with three catches for 70 yards. Patterson pass for 133 yards going six for 21 with an interception.
San Diego ran out the fourth quarter, getting an Isiah Smith 18-yard touchdown run and a Lehman 37-yard field goal to close out the scoring.
Defensively, Branden Stearman and Matthew McClelland led the Morehead State. Stearman finished with 13 tackles, including two sacks and two and a half tackles for loss. McClelland added 13 tackles as well.
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