BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Another stellar defensive unit effort, plus a monster day for wide receiver Nate Garnett with 212 yards, propelled Morehead State Football to its first win at Dayton since 2008 as the Eagles topped the Flyers 14-6 on their Homecoming game at Welcome Stadium Saturday.

Garnett hauled in the longest catch for an individual Eagle since 2012 (Brandon Bornhauser 94 yards) with his 88-yard touchdown late in the third quarter and piled up 212 yards, which is the third highest single-game total in program history. He caught a career-high nine passes from QB Carter Cravens, who passed for a season-best 284 yards and a pair of scores on 16 completions.

Meanwhile the defense held Dayton to just 198 total yards and forced two turnovers. Gabe Whittington forced a fumble recovered by Dillon Schobourgh, and Richard Sweeney III picked off his second career pass. Dayton managed only 91 passing yards. MSU had eight tackles for loss, including six sacks (one for 17 yards and one for 19 yards).

"It was great to get a road win in a traditional rivalry game," said head coach Jason Woodman, whose team improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the Pioneer League. "We knew we had been doing some good things lately in the last few games, and the offense was able to keep the ball and sustain some drives and not give them the ball. Once again our defense stepped up. Dayton runs the ball really well and it really can challenge you. We knew that. I can't say enough about our defense and our staff. Those kids are playing their tails off right now."

Morehead State has now won two straight over its closest PFL rival after garnering a 31-7 win last year in Morehead.

After a scoreless first quarter, MSU struck first after an eight-play, 66-yard drive. On a third-and-two situation from the Flyer two-yard line, Cravens executed a solid fake and dumped a pass to a wide open tight end Christian Pederson as MSU led 7-0 heading into halftime. 

The Eagles unfortunately set up Dayton with two relatively short-field drives during the third period, but the defense didn't break. They forced two field goals to sustain the lead at 7-6 with 4:16 left in the quarter.

The big break came just 17 seconds later. On the Eagles' first play of the ensuing drive, Cravens found a streaking Garnett across the middle, and he outraced the defense 88 yards to paydirt for the 14-6 lead.

MSU had a couple of chances to increase the margin, but a pair of missed field goals still left the door open for Dayton. However, with 1:03 remaining, Kenneth Shafner sacked UD QB Drew VanVleet on a fourth down to effectively seal the win. For good measure, and to run the final five seconds off the clock, Cravens completed a 33-yard pass to Garnett to push him over the 200-yard mark

The Eagles finished with 293 total yards.

MSU returns to Jayne Stadium next Saturday when St. Thomas makes the trek from Minnesota to face MSU at 1 p.m. ET. The Tommies are right ahead of the Eagles in the league standings at 4-0 and effectively stole a game from the Eagles last fall when they scored with nine seconds left to win 31-28.