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DURHAM, N.C. – Morehead State freshman kicker Rainer Duzan kicked a game-winning 45-yard field goal in the second overtime period Saturday as the Eagles knocked off host North Carolina Central 13-10 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Morehead State improved to 2-1, while NCCU fell to 0-3.
In the first overtime, MSU got the offensive chance first but failed to score. Duzan missed a 38-yard field. NCCU then got its chance to win, but a 49-yard Frankie Cardelle field goal try fell short. The hosts got the first chance in the second overtime period, but on second down, MSU linebacker Wes McDermott intercepted a tipped pass by Johnson. McDermott had an opportunity to return the ball for a game-winning score, taking the ball back into NCCU territory before being wrestled out of bounds.
The Eagles lost offensive yardage on their offensive possession in the second overtime, but Duzan crushed the 45-yarder, and it just got over the cross-bar for the win.
“Not bad for a rookie,” said MSU head coach Matt Ballard. “Someone asked me, 'Do you think [Duzan] can make it?’, and I said the only thing that mattered at the that point was if Rainer believed he could make it. He is a special young man, and for a freshman to come into such a pressure situation and keep his composure tells me his is going to have special career here. In that second overtime we said that we were just going to keep it simple and try to get it to the middle of the field for Rainer."
In the first half, the MSU Eagles scored first as Ronnie McDermott was on the receiving end of an eight-yard touchdown pass from Evan Sawyer at the 11:22 mark of the first quarter. Rainer Duzan added the PAT to make it a 7-0 MSU lead. The touchdown capped a four-play, 80-yard drive. On the drive, Sawyer hit Kevin Thomas down the sideline for a 39-yard gain.
After the kickoff, NCCU’s Tim Shankle rambled 48 yards though the Eagle secondary to an apparent touchdown, but the play was nullified by a holding call on NCCU. MSU drove deep into NCCU territory on its next drive, but Sawyer’s pass was picked off in the end zone.
NCCU then drove deep into MSU territory. The drive stalled at the MSU 14. A field goal attempt, however, was blocked by MSU’s Henry Hudson. J.D. Cecil scooped up the free ball and returned it all the back to the NCCU 36-yard line where MSU started its third drive.
North Carolina Central had three chances at the end zone with less than 10 seconds left in the first half, but MSU held strong in the secondary. With no time left, NCCU kicker Frankie Cardelle missed a 28-yard field goal, and the visiting Eagles went into the locker room still holding onto a 7-0 advantage.
NCCU out-gained MSU 165-149 in the first half, but in the red zone, MSU was 1-for-1 while the host team was 0-for-2.
The host Eagles tied the game at seven near the end of the third quarter. An eight-play, 71 yard drive was finished off with a Michael Johnson to Geovanie Irvine 23-yard touchdown connection with 1:06 left in the period.
MSU got a huge break with 10:44 left in the game. Punting from his own 28, Zach Burgess’ boot was muffed by NCCU return man Tony McCord. Keaton May raced in and recovered the ball at the NCCU 17-yard line. The drive stalled at the 10-yard line, but Duzan came on and drilled a 27-yard field goal to give MSU a 10-7 lead with 9:14 left.
The hosts rallied though to tie the game at 10-10 at the 4:10 mark. Cardelle nailed a 38-yard field goal on a fourth and two situation.
MSU drove into NCCU territory, but with 1:53 left – on a fourth down play – Sawyer was sacked, and the Eagles gave the ball over on downs. MSU, however, held again on defense and the game went to overtime.
Jerrod Pendleton led the Eagles on offense with 113 total yards, including a team best 73 on the ground off 17 carries. In the passing game, Sawyer was 11-for-25 for 121 yards and had two interceptions and the touchdown.
Hudson topped the defense with nine total tackle, including one for a loss. The Eagles had tackles behind the line of scrimmage. J.D. Cecil registered 2.5 tackles for loss and seven total stops, and Mark Hall had two.
“Our guys stepped up to a tremendous challenge today, " Ballard said. "We knew coming in here we were going to have an epic battle and that we would have to maintain a high level of play the entire game. We absolutely did that, and once again like always, our guys rose up. Our defense was so intense today."
It was just the fifth overtime game in Morehead State history and it was the first overtime road win for MSU. The last overtime game prior to Saturday was in 2004, a 36-33 loss at Duquesne.
The Eagles host Butler University for Family Weekend on Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. at Jayne Stadium.