GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO) | TICKETS
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- It's Homecoming week at Morehead State. The activities culminate with the Eagle football team hosting Marist at 2 p.m. ET Saturday. It's also the official dedication and naming of Phil Simms Stadium.
Morehead State's facility will be dedicated in honor of star alum Simms during a ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET in the parking lot behind the stadium. Simms played at Morehead State from 1974-78 before going on to a Super Bowl MVP career with the New York Giants (Super Bowl MVP in 1987). He has also continues to have a long career in broadcasting and in-studio work for the NFL.
Morehead State meets Marist for the first time since 2022 Saturday. The series began back in 2009, but has seen three different periods where the teams went on hiatus for the series due to PFL scheduling and circumstances to limit excessive travel. Ironically, it's been the road team who has seen the most success. MSU has never defeated Marist at home (0-4), and the Red Foxes have lost three of four at home to MSU.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. Chuck Mraz, Jason Blanton and Tom Lewis 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+ with Jared Stacy and Randy Stacy teaming up as the voices this game.
Marist, which finished 1-10 under first-year head coach Mike Willis last season, is having a better season. The Red Foxes are 3-3, including a 19-14 win over perennial PFL power San Diego.
THE SERIES
Record vs. Marist: 3-5
First Meeting: 10/24/09 MAR won 24-14 at MSU
Last Meeting: 11/5/22 MAR won 31-21 at MSU
Streak: MAR, W1
Eagles' Record in Morehead: 0-4
Eagles' Record in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: 3-1
Neutral Record: 0-0
GAME NOTES
• The 28-point third quarter versus Dayton was the highest scoring single quarter since Sept. 22, 2022 when the Eagles matched that with 28 versus Kentucky Christian. The 28 point quarter versus Dayton marked the most points in a quarter in a Pioneer League game since Nov. 17, 2012 when MSU hung 28 on Valparaiso in the second quarter during a 76-24 victory.
• It's definitely been a tale of two halves for the Eagles in PFL games this year. MSU is still looking for its first points in the first half of league games, being outscored 25.7-0.0. However, MSU has outscored its three league foes 14.0-6.7 in the second half of games.
• Morehead State's offense has 12 scoring drives this year (field goal or TD) that the offense moved the ball 70 or more yards (see drive chart page 4). On the flip side, the Eagles also have suffered through 13 possessions in the first seven games that went for negative yards.
• Morehead State has not lost back-to-back home games since the 2022 season.
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Ryan Upp now has 138 career receptions for 1,924 career yards, including a career-best 138 yards against KCU. He now ranks fifth in career receptions at Morehead State with his 138. He also now ranks sixth in career receiving yards at MSU, needing only 41 more to catch current MSU ESPN+ broadcaster Mark Ledford in fifth. Only three players in program history have ever eclipsed 2,000 career yards receiving (Jake Raymond - 2,907; Donte Sawyer - 2,555; Jarin Higginbotham - 2,107).
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Ryan Upp leads all active PFL players and ranks sixth nationally with 17 career receiving touchdowns. Upp ranks 13th among active FCS players in career receiving yards with 1,924.
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Ryan Upp leads the PFL in total receptions (39) and receptions per game (5.7) while ranking second in total yards (507) and yards per game (72.4).
• Quarterback
Carter Cravens has 4,830 career passing yards and 30 touchdowns. He's reached the end zone nine more times on the ground, including twice in the season opener. He is only 92 yards shy of Lawson Page's 4,922 career passing yards for ninth place in program history.
• Defensive back
Mateo Reyes registered a career-best 14 tackles against Dayton. That's a individual game high for all PFL players this season, tying with Kade Werner of Marist who also had 14 on Oct. 4.
• Freshman kicker
Jordan Price is a perfect 19-of-19 on PAT kicks in his first college season.
• Linebacker
Chris Johnson and defensive back
Mateo Reyes lead the Eagles with 43 total tackles.
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Sidney Webb has a kickoff return for a touchdown (83 yards vs. Allen) and a fumble return for a score (62 yards vs. Dayton) to his credit. He also ranks third in the PFL in kickoff returns, averaging 26.7 per return.
• The 2025 roster features nearly 75 new players to the program, including close to 50 true freshmen.
• Head coach
Jason Woodman's seven wins in his first season in 2024 marked the most ever by a first-year Eagle head coach for the football program.
• Morehead State has unfortunately seen its turnover margin take a complete turnaround this season. Last season, the Eagles led the conference and ranked among the top 15 nationally in takeaways, but in 2025, MSU ranks ninth in the league and 111th in FCS at minus-7.
