Schwartz's Game-Winning 41-Yard FG Propels Football to Epic Homecoming Win

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Kicker Thomas Schwartz V nailed a 41-yard go-ahead field goal with three seconds left to lift the Morehead State Football Eagles to a 23-21 Homecoming come-from-behind win over Marist Saturday at newly monikered Phil Simms Stadium.

The Eagles (3-5/1-3 PFL) nearly fell after leading 20-0 before seeing the Red Foxes score two fourth quarter touchdowns and come back to lead 21-20 with 31 seconds left. But, kick returner Sidney Webb broke free and took the ensuing boot back 45 yards to the Marist 48-yard line. A penalty pushed the ball to the 33. Quarterback Carter Cravens then connected with Ryan Upp for nine more yards to the 24. On third down, Schwartz came on to drill just his second successful field goal of the season.

Marist (3-4/1-2 PFL) had one more play, utilizing a multiple lateral attempt from its own 25-yard line, but defensive lineman Jake Rhodes busted up the play by forcing a fumble on the final back toss, and fellow lineman KJ Hardesty recovered the fumble to ice the victory.

The victory, ironically, was the first-ever for MSU over Marist at home. The Red Foxes were 3-0 at MSU.

Schwartz describes his game-winner.



Upp, who became just the fourth Eagle ever to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards, led the game with 109 yards on eight catches. Cravens  (139 yards, 1 TD) completed a pass each to three other receivers, including a 15-yard touchdown to wideout Cannon Dinger as MSU made it 20-0 with 6:11 left in the third quarter. Upp now sits with 2,033 career yards.

The Eagles, who had not scored a point in the first half against PFL opponents yet, opened the scoring with a 39-yard field from Jordan Price with 2:48 left in the first quarter. It capped a season-high 15-play drive that covered 58 yards and took 6:17.

MSU made it 10-0 at the 13:48 mark of the second quarter as running back Isaac Stopke leaped in from the one-yard line. That was the icing on a 72-yard, seven-play march. Schwartz then nailed a 40-yard field goal with 1:53 remaining in the first half as the home team led 13-0 after 20 minutes.

Marist recovered a pair of fumbles by Cravens in the second half as it began its rally. James Carter caught a 12-yard TD pass from Sonny Mannino at 2:02 in the third, and Mannino rushed it into the end zone from a yard out with 5:33 left. After a three-and-punt, the Red Foxes got the ball with 5:26 left and finished off a 13-play, 79-yard drive when Carter crashed in from the one-yard line with 31 seconds left for the go-ahead score.

Linebacker Dillon Schobourgh had a monster game on defense, coming up with a career-high three sacks and 10 total tackles.Cornerback Drayson Crane put up a career-best nine total stops.

The Eagles rushed for 179 yards, including 88 by Stopke.

MSU is back on the road next weekend, at Valparaiso, for a 1 p.m. ET game Saturday.