GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO) | TICKETS
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Winners of two straight games, Morehead State Football returns to newly-christened Phil Simms Stadium Saturday to host Davidson for a PFL battle at 1 p.m. ET.
Morehead State leads the all-time series with Davidson, 15-11, but it's been a streaky matchup as of late. After the Eagles won seven straight over the Wildcats from 2012-18, Davidson turned the momentum and has won five of the last six, including a 31-14 triumph last fall. MSU's last win came in 2023 when current QB
Bryce Patterson threw six TDs and MSU effectively knocked Davidson from atop the PFL standings with a 47-17 victory in Morehead.
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+ with Jared Stacy and Randy Stacy teaming up as the voices this game.
Davidson, a PFL power recently, has stuggled this season to a 1-7 record. The lone win was against Greensboro College. Saj Thakkar took over this year as the Wildcats' head coach after a successful run at Bentley (Mass.).
THE SERIES
Record vs. Davidson: 15-11
First Meeting: 9/2/99 MSU won 40-0 at MSU
Last Meeting: 11/9/24 DAV won 31-14 at DAV
Streak: DAV, W1
Eagles' Record in Morehead: 10-4
Eagles' Record in Davidson, N.C.: 5-7
Neutral Record: 0-0
GAME NOTES
• Morehead State's facility was dedicated in honor of star alum Phil Simms during a ceremony on Homecoming weekend Oct. 18. 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's defense came up with a season high eight tackles for loss (two sacks) in the win at Valparaiso. The two sacks came on Valpo's final possession, forcing the Beacons into a fourth and long situation.
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Ryan Upp eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark in receiving yards for his career with 109 versus Marist. He is currently fourth in program history with 2,111 career yards. Only three other 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 2,111.
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Ryan Upp leads the PFL in total receptions (54), receptions per game (6.0) and total yards (694) and ranks second in yards per game (77.1). Davidson's Ian Hoyt leads the league in yards per game (87.9).
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Ryan Upp now has 153 career receptions, passing current MSU broadcaster Mark Ledford (152 from 1981-83) and into third place in career catches in program history.
• Quarterback
Carter Cravens has become the ninth QB in program history to reach 5,000 career passing yards. With 5,127 yards and 32 touchdowns, he needs 418 yards to catch star alum Phil Simms (5,545 from 1974-78) in eighth place.
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Sidney Webb ranks FIRST in all of FCS in combined kick returns. He has 595 kickoff return yards, averaging 28.5 per return with one touchdown (vs. Allen). The last player to eclipse 1,000 kickoff return yards in a season was Juanyea Tarver (1,059) in 2017
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Thomas Schwartz V has made three consecutive field goals after not attempting one in the first seven games. He had the game-winner with three seconds left in the win over Marist two weekends ago and has successfully booted through 40, 41 and 41 yarders on his last three kicks. He was the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week two weeks ago.
• Freshman kicker
Jordan Price is a perfect 23-of-23 on PAT kicks in his first college season.
• The Eagles' offensive line starters -
Jacob Ziegler,
Adrian Lopez,
Gabe Kays,
Drue Duncan and
Kelton Sparks - have started all seven games together as the same unit.
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Mateo Reyes leads the team with 62 total tackles (32 solo and 30 assisted). He had a career-best game at Valparaiso, with 10 total stops and 2.5 behind the Beacons' lines of scrimmage.
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Luke Popovich leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 (all sacks on the final Valparaiso possession) last weekend.
• After allowing 38.6 points per game in the first six contests, the Eagles' defense has buckled down to allow just 18.3 in the last three games.
