BOX SCORE (HTML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY
ATLANTA, Ga.—Morehead State football’s first trip to the Georgia Dome wasn’t very peachy.
The Eagles lost 37-10 to Georgia State in MSU’s final non-conference game of the year. GSU scored twice early, putting MSU at a disadvantage in the first quarter. The Eagles fall to 2-3 and the Panthers move to 3-2.
Morehead State’s first three drives went three and out, and Georgia State took advantage by scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions. Drew Little’s 6-yard pass to Jordan Giles gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead and Parris Lee’s 4-yard carry on the next drive bumped that lead to 14.
“Today was not what we had expected or hoped for,” MSU coach Matt Ballard said. “We’re dissapointed in the outcome, but give credit where credit is due. They played harder than us, more physical than us and better than us. They played sound football.”
Thaddeus Winston stopped the next GSU drive by intercepting Star Jackson’s pass and returned it 41 yards to the Panther 23 yard line. The Eagles drove to the five yard line, but Georgia State’s defense held and forced a field goal attempt.
Rainer Duzan’s 27-yard field goal put MSU on the scoreboard, but it was the Eagles’ only points of the first half.
GSU kicker Iain Vance’s 43-yard field goal attempt that would have capped a second quarter drive was wide left, but he got a second chance when Blake Stanley fumbled on MSU’s ensuing possession and Vance hit a 49-yard field goal to extend Georgia State’s lead to two touchdowns.
A fumbled punt return gave the Panthers the ball on the Morehead State 31 yard line and a pair of Little passes pushed the ball into the end zone, the second to Arthur Williams for 11 yards and the score. Vance missed the PAT try, and GSU led 23-3.
“We talked about this yesterday, but our receivers, our kick returners, our punt returners, we all had a difficult job judging the football,” Ballard said regarding playing indoors under the lights. MSU had three fumbles (two lost), two of which came on kick returns.
The Panthers scored once more in the first half on a 12-yard pass from Little to Sidney Haynes to finish a nine-play, 73-yard drive, sending the game to halftime 30-3 in favor of the host.
Morehead State struck back with its first touchdown of the game with an early fourth-quarter drive. Quarterback
Zach Lewis completed six straight passes, the last to
Jaison Yoshimura for a 23-yard touchdown pass. It capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive and was the final score of the day for either team.
Lewis wasn’t as prolific as in the previous three weeks, but he still threw for 230 yards on 27-of-44.
Desmond Cox finished with 38 yards on 12 carries and
Ronnie McDermott made nine catches for 79 yards.
Cameron Armstrong had eight tackles, seven solo a pass breakup and an interception to lead the MSU defensive effort.
MSU will be off next week before returning home for its Athletics Hall of Fame game against Davidson. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Jayne Stadium on Oct. 16.
