RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley set a new program record with six touchdowns as the Eastern Kentucky University football team rallied for a 43-36 win over Murray State Saturday afternoon at Roy Kidd Stadium.
The No. 18 Colonels (9-2, 6-2 OVC) trailed Murray State (3-8, 1-6) at halftime, 27-7, before outscoring the Racers in the second half, 36-9.
Mobley finished with career highs in carries (40) and rushing yards (224). He tallied five rushing touchdowns and also took a screen pass 72 yards to pay dirt on the final play of the third quarter. Mobley’s six touchdowns not only set an EKU record, it also equaled an OVC record, which was set in 1995 by Murray State’s Derrick Cullors.
The Racers capitalized on sloppy play by Eastern in the first half to jump on top of the Colonels. EKU turned the ball over three times, including twice deep in Murray State territory, and also had a 31-yard field goal attempt blocked in the first 30 minutes.
Murray State lit up the scoreboard 13 seconds into the contest after Pokey Harris returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score. MSU quarterback KD Humphries notched two rushing scores in the first half, highlighted by a two-yard run with 19 seconds before intermission to make the score, 27-7.
In the second half, the Colonels scored touchdowns on their first two possessions to cut the deficit to 27-21. Murray State pushed the lead back to two possessions in the final minute of the third quarter after Humphries hit Janawski Davis with a 36-yard touchdown strike. However, three plays later, Mobley took a screen pass 72 yards untouched for his fourth touchdown to bring EKU back to within five points, 33-28.
On the ensuing kickoff, Murray State fumbled the ball for its first turnover of the game. Junior linebacker Trey Thomas came up with the recovery, giving the Colonels the ball at Murray State’s 18-yard line. Mobley gave EKU its first lead three plays later with a six-yard scoring run. Sophomore quarterback Bennie Coney scampered in the end zone for the two-point conversion put Eastern ahead, 36-33.
Senior defensive back Theron Norman ended any thoughts of a Murray State victory with his first collegiate interception with 3:53 remaining. Mobley sealed the win two minutes later with a one-yard touchdown plunge.
Sophomore quarterback Bennie Coney played the second half for EKU and threw for a team season-high 264 yards. Meanwhile, junior wide out Jeff Glover recorded a personal-best 161 yards receiving, 136 of which came following halftime.
Eastern Kentucky piled up 683 yards of offense, the most in seven years under head coach Dean Hood.
For Murray State, Humphries finished 40-of-57 throwing the ball for 385 yards and a touchdown.
Eastern Kentucky wraps up the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 22 with its first-ever visit to Florida. The game will be televised by the SEC Network beginning at noon.
NOTES
–Eastern Kentucky has now won its last five meetings against Murray State at Roy Kidd Stadium. The Colonels lead the all-time series by a count of 44-26-4.
–Eastern’s nine wins are the most in seven years under head coach Dean Hood. The Colonels had won eight games in two other seasons under Hood (2008, 2012).
–RB Dy’Shawn Mobley’s 224 yards rushing are the most by a Colonel since Matt Denham reached 226 yards against Tennessee State on Oct. 22, 2011.
–After converting just one third down last week against Jacksonville State, EKU went 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) on third downs against Murray State.
