MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Football set or tied multiple program records, including scoring 68 points in the first half, Thursday night at Phil Simms Stadium as the Eagles rolled past visiting Kentucky Christian 75-24.
The game, which featured nearly 1,000 combined total offensive yards and three interception returns for touchdowns, saw the Eagles nearly set the Football Championship subdivision record for points in a half as they pounced on the Knights to lead 68-17 at the half. MSU added a fourth-quarter score to come within one point of the modern-era program record for points in a game (76 vs. Valparaiso in 2012). The overall program record came in 1941 whe the Eagles beat Rio Grande (Ohio) 104-0.
The FCS record for points in a half is 73. MSU eclipsed 40 points for the second straight game for the first time since the 2018 season and scored 70+ for the first time since registering 73 versus KCU in the 2019 season.
Morehead State scored 11 touchdowns on the night, including setting the program team record passing TDs in a single game with seven. The Eagles also rushed for a pair of scores and returned two interceptions for paydirt. The 11 TDs tied the single-game MSU standard also set in that contest versus Valparaiso in 2012. The Eagles' 41 second-quarter points also established a program mark for points in a quarter.
Individuals were the highlight of the evening as quarterback
David Parsons accounted for five of the passing TDs, including three scoring connections of 25 or more yards to freshman wideout
Cross Watson. Parsons was 10-of-14 for 304 yards - all in the first half. The last Eagle to throw for 300+ yards in two straight appearances was Grady Cramer in 2022.
Watson had a career-day with four catches for 132 yards. Junior wideout
Anthony Ice led the team with his second straight 100+ yard outburst. He hauled in five catches for 163 yards and a touchdown, and it marked the second straight game with two receivers above the 100-yard plateau. Sophomore
Cannon Dinger also reeled in a pair of scores, as well as the first career receiving score for freshman
Gabe Linkous.
Running back
Craig Cunningham added a pair of one-yard rushing scores as well.
But, the defense wasn't left out as well as safety
Sidney Webb returned an interception 39 yards for a TD in the second quarter, and sophomore defensive back
Isaiah Watts ran a pickoff back 47 yards to the end zone. The Eagle unit picked off KCU quarterback Xavier Phillps three times as senior transfer
Tazion McQueen nabbed a Phillips' offering on the Knights' first play from scrimmage. In addition, junior defensive back
Quinton Griffin blocked a KCU punt.
The Eagles led 27-7 after the first quarter, thanks to Cross' 60-yard score from Parsons, Dinger's 27-yard catch to the end zone, Watson's 25-yard TD and Cunningham's first one-yard scoring scramble. KCU's only score of the opening quarter came when Anthony Harris, Jr., returned a kickoff 100 yards to the end zone.
MSU built on its lead in the second quarter, going ahead 40-10 before the visitors scored another TD. Cunningham had another one-yard score, and Dinger caught an eight-yard end zone connection from Parsons. Parsons also found Ice for a 72-yard TD, and Webb and Watts each returned their interceptions on consecutive KCU possessions. Watson's 40-yarder from Parsons closed the first-half scoring onslaught at 68-17.
Linkous finished out the Eagle TDs on the night with a 17-yard pass from junior transfer QB
Allen Fernett in the fourth quarter. KCU's final score came when Sharmarion Graham picked off
Jack Reilly and returned it 67 yards to the pile-on.
In a game where nearly all eligible Eagles saw action, MSU had 12 different ball rushers, six different QBs complete passes and nine different receivers catch at least one pass.
Morehead State rolled up 604 total yards and allowed 326. MSU also took advantage of 13 penalties against KCU for 100 yards. Kicker
Jordan Price was true on all nine PAT kicks he booted, coming within one of the single-game MSU record.
The Eagles venture on the road for the first time next week, as they go to nationally-ranked Austin Peay for a 5 p.m. ET contest on Saturday, Sept. 12.
