MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Just when it looked like the Morehead State football team was down for the count Saturday, a surprise onside kick recovered by the Eagles shifted the momentum. MSU erased a 28-0 halftime deficit to visiting Dayton with 28 third-quarter points, but ultimately the Flyers put together a late scoring drive and left town with a 35-28 victory over the Eagles at Jayne Stadium.
MSU slid to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pioneer League, while Dayton ended a two-game losing skid in the series and moved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the PFL.
"I am proud of our effort today. I know we didn't win, but hopefully this sparks something in us," said head coach
Jason Woodman. "We challenged them at halftime, and they responded."
Dayton scored a first-quarter touchdown and added three more before the break, leading 28-0. MSU had just 65 yards in the first half.
But, the Eagles took the second half opening kick and marched 73 yards on eight plays, including 60 passing yards by QB
Bryce Patterson.
Isaac Stopke punched it in from a yard out to get MSU on the board, trailing 28-7.
The ensuing kickoff looked to be the garden variety based on the formation, but Eagle kicker
Thomas Schwartz V dribbled an onside kick up to the 49-yard line and recovered it himself. Five plays and less than two minutes later,
Ryan Upp caught a nine-yard TD pass from Patterson (Upp's 17th career score), and MSU trimmed its deficit to two touchdowns. A Flyer interception on the drive was nullified by a penalty.
"We knew we had to do something being down three scores, so we went for it (onside kick). Tommy (Thomas Schwartz) executed it perfectly," said Woodman.
The Eagle defense forced a three-and-out for the Flyers, and Upp hauled in a punt at his own 25-yard line. MSU took just five more plays to reach paydirt again. Patterson tossed a 41-yard TD pass to freshman
Cannon Dinger, his first career TD catch, and the Eagles had it within 28-21.
At the 2:36 mark of the third, with Dayton driving, Dominic Verbanic caught a pass from Bryce Schondelmyer at the MSU 45-yard line. He looked to make a move but defensive back
Drayson Crane popped the ball loose, and fellow defensive back
Sidney Webb was in the right place at the right time. He picked the fumble out of the air and raced 62 yards for a touchdown as MSU completed its comeback.
The 28 points scored by MSU was half of the total that Dayton had allowed entirely in its first four games.
Each team had three offensive possessions in the fourth frame, but the Flyers capitalized on their second when Mason Hackett finished off a 76-yard drive with the game-winning TD with 1:46 remaining. A 44-yard pass connection to the Eagle 15-yard line boosted the Flyers' cause.
Patterson, making his first start this season, finished 15-of-27 for 252 yards and a score with one interception. Upp had 60 yards on a team-high five catches. He ranks sixth in career receiving yards at MSU with 1,843. Dinger led the pass catchers with 74 yards.
Both teams managed 19 first downs, but Dayton finished with a 408-309 advantage in total yards. The MSU rushing game was held in check to just 57 yards.
Mateo Reyes led the defense with a career-high 14 tackles.
Morehead State returns to the road next weekend, flying to Florida to face Stetson. Game time Saturday is 1 p.m. ET.
