GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO)
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- After a win to open the 2025 season, Morehead State Football makes it first road trip of the year this week to a highly-ranked opponent. The Eagles are set to tangle with No. 7 Illinois State. Kick-off at Hancock Stadium is 7 p.m. ET Saturday evening.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. 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+.
Morehead State returns to Illinois State, a team the program hasn't faced since before the world knew about COVID, in 2019. MSU also traveled to Illinois State in 2011. Prior to that, the teams had not met since 1971 and 1972 seasons.
Head Coach
Jason Woodman chatted with Chuck Mraz this week in preparation for the trip.
THE SERIES
Record vs. Illinois State: 1-3
First Meeting: 11/13/71 MSU won 28-12 at ISU
Last Meeting: 9/7/19 ISU won 42-14 at ISU
Eagles' Record in Morehead: 0-1
Eagles' Record in Normal, Ill.: 1-2
Neutral Record: 0-0
GAME NOTES
• The game vs. ISU marks the 13th consecutive season the Eagle program has faced an FCS top-25 ranked program (at the time of the game). The highest-ranked opponent MSU has faced (since being in the Pioneer Football League) is No. 2 James Madison in 2021.
• Head Coach
Jason Woodman is in his second year leading the Eagles. Woodman guided MSU to a 7-5 record in 2024, which marked the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history. In 11 years as a head coach (10 at Fairmont [W.Va.]), Woodman has coached seven teams that finished .500 or better.
• The 2025 roster features nearly 75 new players to the program, including close to 50 true freshmen.
• Morehead State's defense was a force to be reckoned with last fall, under first-year coordinator
Wil Truelove. The Eagles allowed seven or fewer points to five different opponents. That occurrence had not happened for a MSU team since 1949. In MSU's seven wins last season, opponents averaged just 8.8 points per game.
• Redshirt freshman defensive back
Sidney Webb ranks FIRST in all of FCS in kickoff returns at 69.5. The speedy Webb returned a kick 83 yards for a touchdown against Allen and also had a 56-yard return earlier in the game, marking his first two college returns. It was the first Eagle kickoff return for a score since B.J. Byrd's return score versus Butler in the 2020 season (which was played in the spring due to COVID pandemic, so on April 17, 2021).
•
Ryan Upp entered the season with 99 career receptions and hauled in a team-high eight against Allen for 90 yards. His 1,507 career receiving yards also ranks 10th in program history. He needs 177 to move to ninth place past Toby Moeves (1998-01). He has had seven career games with 90+ yards receiving and three over the 100-yard plateau.
• Morehead State's defense has 31 interceptions in the last two seasons. Last fall, MSU finished ranked 17th in the nation in the FCS in interceptions with 14.
• Quarterback
Carter Cravens is poised to make a nice run in the MSU record book this fall. He now has 4,232 career passing yards and 25 touchdowns. He's reached the end zone eight more times on the ground, including twice in the season opener. He is only 690 yards shy of Lawson Page's 4,922 career yards for ninth place in program history.
• Junior transfer running back
Craig Cunningham, who saw very limited time in three seasons at Tennessee State, burst onto the MSU scene Saturday against Allen. He rushed for a team-high 94 yards on just 12 carries, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Cunningham recorded a 31-yard touchdown run as part of his debut for the Blue and Gold.
• Morehead State's 195 rushing yards in the season opener was the most in head coach
Jason Woodman's tenure at MSU and the most for the program since a 226-yard effort at Dayton (in the snow) on Nov. 12, 2022.
• The defense recorded five sacks in the season opener, ranking second among all PFL teams and fourth in the nation among all FCS program in the first two weeks of action.
• Freshman kicker
Jordan Price had a perfect collegiate debut. He was 5-of-5 on extra-point kicks and connected on a 21-yard field goal.
• Morehead State ranks FIRST in all of FCS in punt return defense. After week one, MSU is allowing negative-6 yards per return.
• A trio of returning Eagles garnered preseason recognition as part of the Pioneer Football League All-Conference team.
Carter Cravens,
Ryan Upp and
Luke Bauer were honored on the team.
