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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- After a few weeks on the road, Morehead State football is happy to return to Phil Simms Stadium this week as the Eagles open Pioneer League play against Valparaiso. Game time is 1 p.m. ET.
Special promotions this weekend are Local Heroes and Youth Day.
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 Mark Ledford teaming up as the voices.
One of the Eagles' longest running Pioneer Football League rivals comes to Phil Simms Stadium this week in Valparaiso. MSU has owned the series, leading 26-5, but it always seems to be a close. Seven of the last 10 matchups between the Eagles and Beacons have been decided by seven points or less.
The Beacons are led by second-year head coach Andy Waddle and are 1-3 this season. Last weekend they fell at home to their rivals Butler, 33-28, despite having a last-second would-be touchdown pass thwarted.
THE SERIES
Record vs. Valparaiso: 26-5
First Meeting: 9/21/96 MSU won 24-0 at Valpo
Last Meeting: 10/25/25 MSU won 17-13 at Valpo
Streak: MSU, W3
Eagles' Record in Morehead: 11-3
Eagles' Record in Valparaiso, Ind.: 15-2
Neutral Record: 0-0
GAME NOTES
• Last season, MSU held the Beacons scoreless in the second half at Valpo after trailing 13-10 at the break, and the Eagles prevailed 17-13.
• Morehead State ranks No. 23 in the FCS in passing offense (261.0) and 11th in yards per completion (14.7).
• QB
David Parsons ranks 28th in the FCS in passing yards per game (224.8) but ranks sixth in the circuit in passing yards per completion. Parsons averages 16.3 per completion.
• David Parson's 463 passing yards versus Ohio Dominican was the third highest single-game total in program history and the most ever yards by a QB in his Eagle starting debut.
• Newcomer wideout
Cross Watson earned PFL Freshman of the Week (just the second-ever official FOTW award) and is the Stats Perform FCS National Freshman of the Week after the KCU game. He had four catches for 132 yards and three TDs but has not caught a pass in the season opener or the APSU game. He would rank No. 1 in the FCS in yards per catch (33.0) if he had enough to qualify.
• Fourth-year punter
Ashton Adams has burst onto the scene as the primary punter after not kicking a single punt in his first three seasons and the first two games of 2026. He is averaging 46.1 per punt just in the last two games, including six punts of 50+ yards and 10 downed inside the 20-yard line. Adams would rank second in the PFL and sixth nationally if he had enough punts to qualify for national stats.
• MSU's 68-point first half outburst against KCU was the program and PFL record for points in a half and came within five of tying the all-time FCS (I-AA) record of 73 set by Montana State in 1985. MSU also scored 75 points, which ranks third in program history for points in a game (104, 76 [twice], 75). The last time MSU scored 40+ points in consecutive games was 2018 (48 vs. Mt. St. Joseph and 40 vs. No. 23 Austin Peay). The 41 points in the second quarter also set a program standard for points in a quarter.
• Sophomore kicker
Jordan Price still carries a perfect PAT sheet into his second year now. He was a perfect 30-of-30 on PAT kicks in his first college season and drilled his first in week zero against ODU. He connected on all nine tries against KCU and one at APSU and is now 42-of-42 in his career.
• Morehead State's 11 touchdowns scored against KCU tied the program's modern-era record of 11 set in 2012 against Valparaiso. MSU's seven passing TDs also tied the all-time MSU record for TDs through the air in a game.
• When
Isaiah Watts and
Sidney Webb both returned interceptions for TDs vs. KCU, it marked the first time in program history the Eagle defense recorded two "pick 6s" in the same game.
• Morehead State will look to snap a streak of 26 consecutive offensive possessions without a score. MSU had a 75-yard drive on its first possession at Austin Peay to score but have been shut out since. The Eagles also did not have a play of 25+ yards in the last two games. MSU's 77 total yards at WIU were the fewest in a game since gaining 45 at Montana in 2024.
• The Eagles rank in the top 15 in the FCS in the penalty categories. MSU is 10th in fewest penalties per game (4.5), 11th in fewest yards penalized per game (36.0), 12th in fewest total penalties (18) and 13th in fewest penalty yards (144).
•
Cross Watson,
Riley Purcell,
Sam Harkness and
Gabe Linkous have all caught their career touchdown passes this year.
• The Eagles have the unique distinction of being the only FCS team to ever lose 59-2, and it's happened twice. In 2024 at Montana and this year at Western Illinois.
