GAME NOTES (PDF) | ROSTER | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO) | TICKETS | TAILGATE INFORMATION
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The 2026 Morehead State football season continues this week with another Thursday night lights showdown, this time with local foe Kentucky Christian. Kickoff at Phil Simms Stadium is 6 p.m. ET
Special attractions for this week include a pregame "MoreChella" concert featuring Logan Purcell - in the tailgate lot, and post-game fireworks.
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, WMST-106.9 FM/1150 AM, WPKE 98.1 FM and WPRT 104.5 FM. The game will stream live on ESPN+ with Jared Stacy and Mark Ledford teaming up as the voices.
The KCU matchup is the eighth time since 2011 the Knights and Eagles have met, all played in Morehead. MSU holds a 7-0 advantage in the series, winning 45-28 last fall on Sept. 20. The average margin of victory in the seven games against KCU is 52-13.
KCU is an NAIA member in Grayson, Ky., just 30 miles from Morehead to the east. The Knights are under the direction of fourth year head coach Jason Aubry and pulled off an upset in week zero, handing Division II Kentucky Wesleyan a 44-24 defeat.
THE SERIES
Record vs. KCU: 7-0
First Meeting: 9/1/11 MSU won 67-0 at MSU
Last Meeting: 9/20/25 MSU won 45-28 at MSU
Eagles' Record in Morehead: 7-0
Eagles' Record in Grayson, Ky.: 0-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
Streak: MSU, W7
GAME NOTES
• Head coach
Jason Woodman's 13 wins were the most by any MSU head coach in his first two seasons coaching the program.
• Defensive lineman
KJ Hardesty was named to the official preseason All-Pioneer League team. Hardesty paced the defense with 7.5 tackles for loss and six QB hurries last fall.
• Nine Eagles were selected preseason All-PFL by Phil Steele's publication. The first-team pick is defensive lineman
KJ Hardesty. Second-teamers are defensive lineman
Jake Rhodes, linebacker
Chris Johnson, kick returner
Sidney Webb and long snapper
Colton Carmichael. Third-team choices are running back
Craig Cunningham, linebacker
Luke Popovich, defensive back
Luciano Corpora-Ellis and kicker
Jordan Price.
• Quarterback
David Parsons accounted for 506 total yards, including 463 passing yards, and five touchdowns in his starting debut against Ohio Dominican. The 463 passing yards are the third highest single-game total in program history and the first 400-yard passing game since Mark Pappas' school-record 481 versus Dayton in 2021.
• After week zero in the FCS,
David Parsons ranks second in the nation in total passing yards (463) and yards per game. He ranks third in passing TDs (4).
• Returning wideouts
Anthony Ice and
Cannon Dinger both eclipsed 100 yards in the Ohio Dominican game. Ice caught right balls from Parsons for 156 yards and two scores. Dinger hauled in seven catches for 134 yards, both achieving career highs in catches and yards. It's the first game with multiple 100-yard receivers since Ian Holder and Jordan Huffman against Valparaiso on November 9, 2019.
•
Anthony Ice ranks seventh in the FCS level with his 156.0 yards per game.
Cannon Dinger is 14th. Ice also ranks second among all FCS receivers in touchdowns with two.
• MSU ranks second in the nation in passing yards. In fact three of the top four teams ranked in passing yards per game are from the Pioneer League (Drake, MSU, Presbyterian).
• Sophomore kicker
Jordan Price still carries a perfect PAT sheet into his second year. He was a perfect 30-of-30 on PAT kicks in his first college season and drilled his first two last week against ODU. He also nailed a pair of 30+ yard field goals.
• Transfer punter
Bryson Patten made an immediate impact. The South Dakota School of Mines dug deep and blasted a 70-yard punt in his first attempt as an Eagle. He finished with a 45-yard per punt average on four boots and ranks first in the PFL and 12th nationally in punting.
• After an injury sidelined him last season, running back
Craig Cunningham burst back onto the scene with 150 total yards against Ohio Dominican. He rushed for a team-best 89 yards (third highest single game in his Eagle career) and had five catches for 61 yards.
• Defensive lineman
KJ Hardesty had a career-high 13 total tackles against ODU.
• After appearing in just four games last fall, defensive lineman
Damiano Mastroianni made his presence known in the season opener with 1.5 tackles for loss.
• The triple overtime game against ODU tied for the longest game in school history, equaling a three-overtime 38-35 win over Drake in 2015 at home.
