Racers Travel To Cincy For Battle With #7 Bearcats – MSU GoRacers
Football | 9/9/2021 4:14:00 PM
Date (Time): Sept. 11 (3:30p.m. ET)
Opponent: #7 Cincinnati
Site (Venue): Cincinnati, Ohio (Nippert Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Analyst: Aaron Clayton)
TV: ESPN+ (PxP: Connor Onion; Analyst: Bobby Carpenter)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball
MUR Record (Streak): 1-0 (Won 1)
CINCY Record (Streak): 1-0 (Won 1)
All-Time Series vs. CINCY (Streak): First Meeting
All-Time Series in Cincinnati (Streak): —
First Meeting: —
Last Meeting: —
Largest MSU Win: —
Largest MSU Loss: —
Last Five vs. CINCY: —
The Game
The Murray State football team will face an early-season test Saturday as it travels to FBS 7th-ranked Cincinnati. Kickoff from Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Froggy 103.7 FM and ESPN+.
The Series At A Glance
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Murray State and Cincinnati, making the Bearcats the 111th different opponent that the Racers have faced in their 97-year history.
Scouting The Bearcats
After a 49-14 thrashing of Miami (OH) last week, Cincinnati enters Saturday’s game at 1-0 and ranked seventh in the AP FBS Top 25 poll. The Bearcats amassed over 500 yard of total offense in the with game 295 coming via the pass and 247 coming from the run.
Appearing in most, if not all, conversations on this year’s Heisman race, Cincy quarterback Desmond Ridder showed why he is being considered for college football’s top honor last week in the Bearcat’s season opener. The Louisville native was 20-for-25 passing in the game for 419 yards and four touchdowns to go along with a rushing touchdown and 31 yards on the ground.
The Bearcat receiving corps is also über-talented this season with 11 different receivers catching a pass and four different receivers scoring against Miami. On the ground, Jerome Ford rushed for 121 yards and a score, while Jabari Taylor paced the defense with five tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sacks.
A Significant Shutout
The Racers notched their first shutout since 2011 when they beat Mississippi Valley, 39-0, in Itta Benna. In two games against the Delta Devils, 10 years apart, the Racers have outscored MVSU, 79-0.
The 11th Man
Preston Rice tied a school record by scoring four touchdowns to become just the 11th Racer to accomplish the feat and the first quarterback. The other 10 Racers to score four rushing touchdowns in the same game are: Danny Lee Johnson (’78), Lindsey Hudspeth (’80), Rodney Payne (’85), Derrick Cullors (’95), David McCann (’95), Anthony Downs (’97), Billy Blanchard (’02), Stevie Chaney (’05), Mike Harris (’11) and Duane Brady (’13).
Whaaat Aaa Rushhhhh!
▪ The Racer rushing attack netted 307 yards against MVSU, marking the first 300-plus yard game for MSU since 2018 and only the second against a Division I opponent since 2011.
▪ Thursday marked just the second time since 2012 that Murray State has scored five rushing touchdowns against a Division I opponent.
▪ Cortezz Jones ruled the rushing attack for Murray State with 107 yards, including a long of 69, and a touchdown.
Lockdown D
Mississippi Valley’s 162 total offensive yards Thursday is the least allowed by a Racer defense against a Division I opponent since 2004.
The Hottest Ticket In Town
The 6,874 fans attendance at The Track Thursday was the most for a Racer home opener since 2012.
Against The FBS
The Racers are 1-29-1 all-time against FBS opponents and 0-4 against Top 25 FBS opponents. Saturday’s contest will mark the fourth time MSU has faced a top 10 opponent and the third time since 2012. The only time the Racers have defeated an FBS opponent was in 1984 when they beat Louisville, 24-23. One year later, the Racers traveled to Memphis where they battled the Tigers to a 10-10 tie.
