Football | 9/2/2021 5:05:00 PM

Mississippi Valley opens the season with Murray State Racers


Date (Time): Sept. 2 (7 p.m.)
Opponent: Mississippi Valley
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Roy Stewart Stadium)
Tickets: GoRacers.com/fbtixmvsu
2021 Racer Walk Path: GoRacers.com/RacerWalk
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Josh McKeel)
TV: ESPN+ (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Josh McKeel)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MUR Record (Streak): 0-0 (---)
MVSU Record (Streak): 0-0 (---)
All-Time Series vs. MVSU (Streak): MUR leads 1-0 (Won 1)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): First Meeting
First Meeting: W 39-0 (Sept. 10, 2011; Itta Benna, Miss.)
Last Meeting: W 39-0 (Sept. 10, 2011; Itta Benna, Miss.)
Largest MSU Win: 39 Points [W 39-0] (Sept. 10, 2011; Itta Benna, Miss.)
Largest MSU Loss: ---
Last Five vs. MVSU: 1-0 (W)


The Series At A Glance
Thursday will be the second all-time meeting between Mississippi Valley and Murray State and the first in Murray. The Racers won the lone previous meeting between the two teams in 2011, 39-0 in Itta Bena.
 
Scouting The Delta Devils
Mississippi Valley played an abbreviated schedule last spring, going 0-3 in the process. Last season, the Delta Devils averaged 13.7 points per game on 277.7 yards of offense, while opponents averaged 36.3 points per game on 418.7 yards.

Heading into the season, the Delta Devils were picked to finish sixth in the SWAC East Division and had three players named preseason All-SWAC defensive back Caleb Brunson, defensive lineman Jerry Garner and running back Caleb Johnson.

Brunson tallied nine tackles, 1.0 tackles-for-loss and two interceptions in two games last season, while Jerry Garner racked up 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in three games.

Offensively, last year's leading rusher Caleb Johnson returns after averaging 4.7 yards per carry and two touchdowns over three games. At quarterback, Long Island transfer Connor Regan is the likely starter for Thursday. In four games with the Sharks last season, Regan went 50-for-10 for 547 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.


MurrayState Racers
For the first time since 1996, Murray State has been picked to win the OVC by a vote of the league's sports information directors and head coaches. In addition, the Racers led all OVC schools with 10 players named to the Preseason All-OVC Team.