The Murray State Racers fell to the Georgia State Panthers 37-21 Saturday night at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium in Atlanta.
 
The Racers (0-3) play at Jacksonville State next Saturday (Sept. 20) in Jacksonville, Alabama.
 
Playing up to the FBS level for back-to-back weeks, the Racers ran more plays and had more first downs than GSU, but ultimately the game was decided by taking advantage of turnovers or the opposite.
 
Marion Ponds' second interception of the game in the late first half was part of the Racers pushing the Panthers into three turnovers on the day. The only problem was that the Racers weren't able to create any points off of GSU's miscues. 
 
With 13:51 remaining in the first quarter, the Racers drove 75 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 5-yard run by Jewaun Northington to make it a 14-7 game in favor of the Panthers.
 
The key moment of the game happened after Ponds' second interception which halted a GSU drive, but gave the ball to the Racers at their own 6-yard line. The Racers got caught on a safety with 3:50 left to give GSU a 16-7 lead and then MSU fumbled to give the Panthers the ball on the MSU 22 . The Racers' first turnover with 1:35 before game, gave the ball to GSU on the 4-yard line and GSU scored moments later for a 23-7 lead at halftime.
 
Jim Ogle hit Lucas Desjardin for his first touchdown reception at MSU from the 4-yard line with 13:50 left to make it 30-13 and MSU's final score of the game came with 1:55 remaining on quarterback Baxter Wright's 3-yard TD run.
 
Game Notes

• Captains for the Racers were Darius Cannon (WR, Gainesville, Ga.), Bryan Pulley (DB, Raleigh, N.C.), Will Pieroni (C, Marietta, Ga.) and Baxter Wright (Gainesville, Ga.).
• Murray State won the coin toss and deferred possession to the start of the second half.
• Marion Ponds became the first Racer since 2021 to grab a pair of interceptions in a game since Marcus Floyd (11-06-21) at home against Tennessee Tech.
• The Racers have four interceptions in the first three games of the season, with Brian Pulley and Brooks Esplin accounting for the other two.
• At the start of the second half, the Racers saw their long snapper, Cooper Ford, recover a fumble on a punt and set the Racers up at the GSU 21.
• The Racers forced a season-high three turnovers against GSU, but couldn't produce any points from them.
• Jim Ogle was 17-of-28 passing for 138 yards and a touchdown.
• DesJardins caught a season-high seven passes from Ogle for 75 yards.
• Darius Cannon had six receptions today and now has 27, which leads the MVFC.
• Cannon's 22-yard punt return in the first half is a new season best for the Racers, one yard longer than the return he had last week against Southeastern Louisiana.
• Dylan Rowsey has 10 tackles today and has 45 for the season, he was second in the MVFC at the start of the day.
• Today's game against Georgia State marked just the second meeting between the Racers and Panthers.
• MSU won the first meeting at the Georgia Dome in 2011 by a score of 48-24 for MSU Head Coach Chris Hatcher.

 
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