MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State football out-gained Dayton's offense Saturday at Welcome Stadium and hung with the Flyers for the majority of three quarters, but a 35-7 scoring advantage in the final half dealt MSU a 56-28 defeat.
MSU fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the PFL, while UD moved to 4-1 and 1-1 in the PFL.
"We started out really well. Even in the second half, we were able to move the football," said head coach
Jason Woodman. "You saw their older, senior experience show up late and our younger, lesser experienced guys just couldn't keep up. But I am really proud of the guys in the locker room. Dayton is just a really sound team. I think my guys challenged them, though. I have a group of fighters."
"I can't tell you how happy I am of (quarterback) Bryce (Patterson). He comes to work every day ready to play, and man did he capitalize on his opportunity today. His true character came out. Very proud of him."
Making his first start of the season, Patterson completed 24-of-41 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown while also completing two sustained scoring drives with one-yard TD lunges. His top target was sophomore wideout
Cannon Dinger, who caught a career-high seven balls for a career-best 159 yards and a 20-yard touchdown. His 83-yard reception on MSU's second possession set up
Jackson Lanier's one-yard game-tying touchdown. Wideout
Anthony Ice also hauled in seven of Patterson's passes for 66 yards.
Tied 21-21 at the half, MSU could only manage the solo touchdown in the final half. Meanwhile, Dayton took advantage of three shorter-field possessions after MSU turned it over on downs, and had an unfortunate Flyer punt bounce off a player rushing down the field to give it right back to the home team, to push the margin ahead. The Flyers also had a 55-yard punt return with 3:19 left and a 19-yard rushing score with 1:04 left to set the final score.
Defensively, safety
Sidney Webb made a career-high 14 tackles.
The teams traded scores throughout the first half as Dayton went on top first with a four-yard pass with 7:24 left in the first half. Lanier answered with his one-yard plunge 1:02 later. The home squad closed the first quarter with a 21-yard TD pass to go ahead 14-7, but the Eagles answered five minutes later. Patterson reached it across the goal line at 10:19 of the second period to tie it 14-14.Â
A 32-yard TD pass with 3:57 left before halftime saw the Flyers go back on top 21-14. Once again, MSU marched to the end zone. Patterson lunged over the line with 23 ticks left for the 21-21 halftime verdict.
However, the Dayton defense stepped up to hold the Eagles to the three turnovers on downs and a punt on the final five possessions in the third and fourth frames.
MSU out-gained Dayton 376-363 and were 8-of-15 on third downs. Dayton broke through for four sacks though.
The Eagles remain on the road next Saturday at PFL foe Davidson for a 1 p.m. ET game.
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