2018 Murray State Racers football team
The 2018 Murray State Racers football team represented Murray State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Mitch Stewart and played their home games at Roy Stewart Stadium. They were members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 5–6, 5–3 in OVC play to finish in fourth place.
2018 Murray State Racers football | |
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Conference | Ohio Valley Conference |
2018 record | 5–6 (5–3 OVC) |
Head coach | Mitch Stewart (4th season) |
Offensive coordinator | Nick Coleman (1st season) |
Defensive coordinator | Jake Johnson (1st season) |
Home stadium | Roy Stewart Stadium (Capacity: 16,800) |
2018 Ohio Valley Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 10 Jacksonville State $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 15 Southeast Missouri State ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Kentucky | 5 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Murray State | 5 | – | 3 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee State | 3 | – | 4 | 4 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Illinois | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Austin Peay | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UT Martin | 2 | – | 6 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee Tech | 1 | – | 7 | 1 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Previous season
The Racers finished the 2017 season 3–8, 2–5 in OVC play to finish in a tie for seventh place.
Preseason
OVC media poll
On July 20, 2018, the media covering the OVC released their preseason poll with the Racers predicted to finish in seventh place.[1] On July 23, the OVC released their coaches poll with the Racers predicted to finish in eighth place.[2]
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
---|---|---|
1 | Jacksonville State | 134 (14) |
2 | Austin Peay | 114 (1) |
3 | UT Martin | 96 |
4 | Tennessee State | 91 |
5 | Eastern Illinois | 83 |
6 | Eastern Kentucky | 64 |
7 | Murray State | 39 |
8 | Southeast Missouri State | 35 |
9 | Tennessee Tech | 19 |
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
---|---|---|
1 | Jacksonville State | 126 (14) |
2 | Austin Peay | 112 (4) |
3 | UT Martin | 95 |
4 | Eastern Illinois | 73 |
5 | Eastern Kentucky | 69 |
6 | Tennessee State | 64 |
7 | Southeast Missouri State | 62 |
8 | Murray State | 24 |
9 | Tennessee Tech | 23 |
Preseason All-OVC team
The Colonels had two players selected to the preseason all-OVC team.[3]
Defense Kenney Wooten – DL Specialists Gabriel Vicente – K |
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Southern Illinois* | ESPN+ | L 10–49 | 6,350 | |
September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 17 Central Arkansas* | ESPN+ | L 13–26 | 6,121 | |
September 15 | 11:00 a.m. | at Kentucky* | SECN | L 10–48 | 48,217 | |
September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | UT Martin |
| ESPN+ | W 45–38 | 11,137 |
October 6 | 6:00 p.m. | at Eastern Illinois |
| ESPN+ | W 48–41 | 3,063 |
October 13 | 1:00 p.m. | Tennessee State |
| ESPN+ | W 45–21 | 3,318 |
October 20 | 2:00 p.m. | at Eastern Kentucky | ESPN+ | W 34–6 | 10,440 | |
October 27 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 12 Jacksonville State |
| ESPN+ | L 15–42 | 8,053 |
November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | at Tennessee Tech | ESPN+ | L 24–27 | 8,788 | |
November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 21 Southeast Missouri State |
| ESPN+ | W 40–38 | 2,087 |
November 17 | 4:00 p.m. | at Austin Peay | ESPN+ | L 23–48 | 7,113 | |
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- Source: Schedule
Game summaries
Southern Illinois
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Salukis | 7 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
Racers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
9–9–2 | 2016 | SIU, 50–17 |
at Central Arkansas
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
No. 17 Bears | 7 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
0–4–1 | 2017 | UCA, 41–13 |
at Kentucky
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Wildcats | 7 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 48 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
0–1 | 2003 | UK, 37–6 |
UT Martin
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Skyhawks | 3 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 38 |
Racers | 14 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 45 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
28–20–1 | 2017 | MUR, 13–10 |
at Eastern Illinois
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 10 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 48 |
Panthers | 7 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 41 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
14–18 | 2017 | EIU, 27–24 |
Tennessee State
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Racers | 3 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
15–12 | 2016 | MUR, 38–31 |
at Eastern Kentucky
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 34 |
Colonels | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
46–27–4 | 2017 | EKU, 26–13 |
Jacksonville State
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 12 Gamecocks | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
Racers | 6 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 15 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
2–13 | 2017 | JSU, 59–23 |
at Tennessee Tech
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
Golden Eagles | 14 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
38–44–1 | 2017 | MUR, 31–21 |
Southeast Missouri State
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 21 Redhawks | 17 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 38 |
Racers | 0 | 7 | 17 | 16 | 40 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
39–12–1 | 2017 | SEMO, 21–10 |
at Austin Peay
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racers | 10 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
Governors | 14 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 48 |
Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
---|---|---|
36–15 | 2017 | APSU, 27–7 |
Players drafted into the NFL
Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
3 | 98 | Quincy Williams | LB | Jacksonville Jaguars |
References
- http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2018/7/10/media-pollsters-tab-jacksonville-state-as-2018-ovc-football-preseason-favorites.aspx
- http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2018/7/10/jacksonville-state-picked-as-2018-ohio-valley-conference-football-favorites.aspx?path=football
- http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2018/7/10/semos-terry-jsus-bridges-named-ovc-preseason-football-players-of-the-year.aspx?path=football