UT Martin rides fast start to 40-7 win over Murray State
MARTIN, Tenn. -- John Bachus III threw for one touchdown and ran for another to stake Tennessee-Martin to a 24-0 first-half lead en route to a 40-7 win over Murray State in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both schools Saturday night.
After losing back-to-back games on the road to No. 11 Florida and Southern Illinois and coming off a bye week, the Skyhawks scored early on a 7-yard run by Terry Williams. Bachus hit Lamarcus Young for a 47-yard score and, following a Ryan Courtright 27-yard field goal, scored from a yard out to make it 24-0 with 6:11 to go in the first half.
Preston Rice fired 28 yards to Rodney Castille to cut the Murray State deficit to 24-7 at intermission, but the Racers were shutout in the second half.
Bachus completed 26 of 40 passes for 312 yards. Peyton Logan carried 14 times for 95 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown run in the second half for UT Martin (2-2, 1-0).
Rice was 17 of 29 for 250 yards passing and a touchdown for Murray State (2-3, 0-1).
Game Information
2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
South Dakota State | 8-0 | 15-0 |
South Dakota | 7-1 | 10-3 |
Northern Iowa | 5-3 | 6-5 |
North Dakota | 5-3 | 7-5 |
North Dakota State | 5-3 | 11-4 |
Youngstown State | 5-3 | 8-5 |
Southern Illinois | 4-4 | 8-5 |
Illinois State | 4-4 | 6-5 |
Missouri State | 3-5 | 4-7 |
Murray State | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Indiana State | 1-7 | 1-10 |
Western Illinois | 0-8 | 0-11 |
2023 Big South-OVC Association Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Gardner-Webb | 5-1 | 7-5 |
UT Martin | 5-1 | 8-3 |
Eastern Illinois | 4-2 | 8-3 |
Bryant | 4-2 | 6-5 |
Southeast Missouri State | 3-3 | 4-7 |
Tennessee Tech | 2-4 | 4-7 |
Robert Morris | 2-4 | 4-7 |
Charleston Southern | 2-4 | 4-7 |
Tennessee State | 2-4 | 6-5 |
Lindenwood | 1-5 | 3-7 |