THURSDAY'S SCORES
@Austin Peay 38, Cumberland 6
@Kent State 41, Murray State 10
@Ball State 27, Southeast Missouri 10
Eastern Kentucky at Missouri State (postponed until Friday)
AUSTIN PEAY 38, CUMBERLAND 6
CLARSKVILLE, Tenn. - Although Austin Peay State University rolled up more than 300 yards in rushing, it was a bit of aerial trickery that propelled the Governors' 38-6 season-opening victory against Cumberland, Thursday night, in Governors Stadium.
With the Govs leading just 3-0 early in the second quarter, wide receiver Devin Stark connected with fellow receiver Darryl Miller for a 30-yard to spearhead a three touchdown second quarter as the APSU blew open a close ball game against its NAIA opponent.
Stark, a former high school quarterback, spread out wide to the left and came in motion. Quarterback Jake Ryan took the snap and handed off to Stark on what appeared to be a reverse. After five steps Stark pulled up and found a wide open Miller heading towards the end zone. That gave the Govs a 10-0 lead.
Before the half ended Terrence Holt broke loose for a 42-yard score and Ryan White added another just before halftime as the Governors led 24-3. Holt finished with 126 yards rushing on 14 carries while White ended with 86 on 11 attempts. Holt, in fact, with his 167 all-purpose yards became Austin Peay's all-time record holder in that category with 5,630 yards.
A Delton Teeter 66-yard TD interception return and Wes Kitts' 68-yard TD run capped the second-half scoring. Kitts, a junior, joined the 100-yard rushing club with 107 yards in his first extensive experience.
Defensively, the Govs limited Cumberland to two field goals and 238 yards total offense. The Govs' new linebacking duo of Zac Burkhart and Darrick Dillard each finished with 10 tackles. Senior defensive tackle Antonio Faulkner ended with eight tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.
But on the negative side, APSU was charged with 17 penalties for 187 yards. And APSU quarterbacks combined for 6 of 16 passing for 39 yards.
The victory gave Austin Peay its first back-to-back season opening victories since the 1987-88 seasons.
KENT STATE 41, MURRAY STATE 10
KENT, Ohio - Murray State was one big play away from tieing the game late in the first half, but instead Kent State used their special teams to pull away from the Racer in the second half en route a 41-10 victory in the 2010 season opener Thursday night at Dix Stadium.
The Golden Flashes (1-0) got on the board on their opening possession as they covered 61 yards on six plays. Eugene Jarvis carried the load on the drive as he carried four times for 31 yards, including scoring from seven yards out.
Kent added to its lead on its next possession as they used a short field to convert a 29-yard field goal off the foot of Freddy Cortez.
The Racer (0-1) offense got rolling on their third possession of the game as MSU went 76 yards on eight plays for their first points of the season. The drive was done through the air as quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt found receivers Arhtur Brackett and Daniel Ard for a pair of first downs to put the ball at midfield.
Following an offside penalty on Kent, Ehrhardt found Ard over the middle for seven yards to set up a 4th-and-2. The Racers quickly came to the line and forced the Golden Flashes to jump offside. Knowing he had a free play, Ehrhardt threw a deep ball down the right sideline that was caught by Brackett, who tight-roped the sideline for the 42-yard touchdown.
The Golden Flashes got the points right back as Spencer Keith found Sam Kirkland for a 16-yard touchdown.
The MSU defense set up the Racer offense just over five minutes into the second quarter as cornerback Nathan Brinkley stepped in front a Keith pass and returned it 44 yards. After failing to get a first down, Kienan Cullen connected on a 42-yard field goal to pull the Racers within a touchdown.
With just under five minutes remaining in the first half and the Racers down seven, cornerback Dontrell Johnson stepped in front of a Keith pass, but could not hang to the interception and the touchdown.
Two possessions later, Kent pushed the advantage to two touchdowns as Jacquise Terry went down the left sideline for a 49-yard touchdown reception.
The second half could not have started any worse from the Racers as the Golden Flashes all but put the game away as Calvin Taylor took the second-half kick 92 yards for a touchdown.
Ehrhardt led the Racer offense by going 30-for-47 for 258 yards and a touchdown. The 30 completions were the seventh most in a single game in Racer history.
The favorite target of Ehrhardt was Marcus Harris, who caught 11 balls for 79 yards. Ard added eight catches for 71 yards, while Brackett had five catches for 78 yards and a score in his first collegiate action.
BALL STATE 27, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State (1-0) scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to key a 27-10 victory over Southeast Missouri (0-1) Thursday night in front of a crowd of 10,753 at Scheumann Stadium.
Southeast and Ball State were tied, 7-7, at halftime before the Cardinals scored two touchdowns in a span of 4:32 early in the second half.
Southeast had the ball first in the second half, but was forced to punt.
The Cardinals, after taking over on downs at their own 49, marched 51 yards in nine plays to take the lead. Eric Williams and Cory Sykes combined for 36 rushing yards, with Williams capping the drive on a 1-yard plunge at the 8:45 mark.
On the first play of the Redhawks next possession, Cedric Cox fumbled the ball into the hands of Robert Eddins at Southeast's 39-yardline. Eight plays later, Sykes scored his second rushing touchdown on a 12-yard run with 4:53 left.
Southeast was forced to punt again, but Briggs Orsbon came free up the middle to block Joe Vucic's kick.
The Cardinals were held to a 29-yard field goal by Ian McGarvey which extended their lead to 24-7 with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Southeast's only points in the second half came via a 53-yard field goal by Drew Geldbach. Geldbach, who split the uprights on his first career field goal attempt, is the second Redhawk kicker to make a 53-yard field goal in as many years. Doug Spada also connected from 53 yards out at UT Martin on Sept. 26, 2009.
McGarvey's 17-yard field goal with 5:40 left in the game polished off Ball State's 27-10 season-opening win.
Ball State struck first in a run-dominated opening quarter.
Williams carried the ball six times for 31 yards to help get the Cardinals to the Southeast-18. Two plays later, Sykes took the handoff and scored on a 9-yard run to grab Ball State a 7-0 lead at the 8:55 mark. The Cardinals ran the ball on 10 of their first 11 plays of the season.
Southeast, like the Cardinals, also started strong.
The Redhawks took over on downs at their own 27-yardline and used two big third-down conversions to keep their first drive alive.
Henry Harris ran for a first down on a 3rd-and-2 and Matt Scheible completed a 10-yard pass to Harris on a 3rd-and-5. Scheible completed another pass to Harris, this time for 11 yards, to give Southeast a first down at the Ball State-11. On the next play, Mike Jones hit paydirt to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:21 remaining.
Jones' 11-yard run marked the Redhawks first touchdown against an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) opponent since 2006 (at Arkansas).
Southeast had excellent field position late in the second quarter when Justin Woodlief intercepted a Kelly Page pass to give the Redhawks the ball at Ball State's 30-yardline. However, Jones fumbled two plays into the drive and the Cardinals recovered.
Offensively, Ball State outgained Southeast, 259-142, on the ground. Williams led the way with 105 yards on 20 carries and averaged 5.2 yards per rush.
Harris had a big night for the Redhawks, piling up 137 all-purpose yards. He had 50 yards on 11 carries and caught a career-high eight passes for 82 yards. Harris also added five yards on kick returns.
Scheible completed 12-of-18 passes for 112 yards. He also went his fourth-straight game without throwing an interception.
Defensively, the Redhawks let Ball State into their territory only once in the first half. Woodlief, Joshua Jackson and J.J. Sanchez each registered double-digit tackles. Woodlief and Jackson had a game-high 13, while Sanchez followed with 10. The defense also forced two fumbles and had an interception.
EASTERN KENTUCKY, MISSOURI STATE (postponed)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The EKU-Missouri State football game has been postponed until Friday at 1 p.m. local time due to lightning in the area. The game had been under a weather delay since 5:55 p.m. local time.