2024 Missouri Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 1: Murray State

Less than a 100 sunsets from now, fans will be filing into Faurot Field again to celebrate the beginning of another Missouri football season.

Season openers against non-conference opponents are not usually the most enthralling of football matchups but act as the important ribbon cutting ceremony for another fall season.

This year for Missouri, Murray State will be making the trek to Columbia on Thursday, August 29. This will be only the second time in history that the Tigers and the Racers meet on the football field, the only other time being a 58-14 win by the James Franklin led Tigers in 2013.

The Racers’ head coach, however, is familaar with the SEC. Jody Wright, who was introduced as Murray’s State’s new head coach this January, has had two stints on SEC coaching staffs. Most recently, Wright was South Carolina’s tight ends coach in 2022 and 2023. He was also a graduate assistant in 2010 and an offensive assistant from 2011-’12 under Nick Saban at Alabama.

The Racers struggled in 2023, their first year in the Missouri Valley Conference, finishing 2-9. But Wright has revamped the roster with plenty of new additions through the transfer portal from FBS schools. Wiill it be enough to challenge the Tigers in August? Here’s an early look at the 2024 Racers.

In Murray State’s first year in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Racers ranked No. 10 out of 12 with 1,270 total offensive yards. The offense for 2024 will have a much different look.

The unit’s transfer portal additions is headlined by former Louisiana Monroe signee, quarterback Jim Ogle. Ogle was a three-star quarterback out of Jacksonville, Alabama and was originally committed to Troy before flipping to Louisiana Monroe in December of 2023.

The most experienced quarterback for the Racers is Isaac McNamee, entering his third year. The three-star recruit started against Ball State in his freshman year of 2022, going 7-for-22 for 57 yards.

The Racers also bolstered their pass catching corps through the portal with Willie Gaines from Colorado, Rykin Maxwell from James Madison and J’Kalon Carter from North Texas.

Murray State will be the fifth school for Gaines, a three-star rated transfer. He caught 27 receptions for 446 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 at Jackson State.

Of course, just as the transfer portal giveth, the transfer portal taketh away. All-American Third Team tight end Cole Rusk, the Racers’ leading receiver in 2023 with 507 yards, transferred to Illinois.

Defense

The Racers’ defense ranked No. 11 out of 12 last year in both yards allowed (4,713) and points (383).

Just like the offense though, there will be plenty of new faces attempting to turn the unit around.

The secondary oversaw the most extreme makeover, with newcomers from Louisville, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech and Coastal Carolina. Amari Wansley from Florida Atlantic, a three-star recruit, and Shavarick Williams from Louisville will lead the safety room. Trelon Slade, a cornerback from Coastal Carolina, brings experience after playing in nine games in 2023.

The defensive line added two players from Middle Tennessee State with Tyrece Edwards and Vincent Dinkins. Edwards, a defensive tackle, appeared in 11 games last year and recorded seven tackles for the Blue Raiders. Dinkins is coming off of an injury that caused him to miss all of the 2023 season.

Staying with the front seven, linebackers Kamron Robinson from New Mexico and Tyson Meguiez from Georgia Tech transferred to Murray State. Meguiez, a three-star prospect, appeared in 28 games over four years with Georgia Tech.

Team Outlook

A competitive, close match would be considered a win for the Murray State program. Playing on the same stage as a SEC team is a significant opportunity for any FCS school, even if they are only the sacrificial lamb.

That was the case for Murray State’s last SEC matchup, a 63-17 blowout loss to Georgia in Athens. The Racers have two SEC matchups on the schedule this year with Missouri in week 1 and Kentucky in week 6.

Date: Aug. 29

Time: 8 p.m.

TV: SEC Network

Location: Faurot Field

Series: Missouri leads 1-0

Head Coach: Jody Wright, formerly the tight ends coach at South Carolina

Offensive Coordinators: Adam Ross and Jimmy Ogle

Defensive Coordinator: Ryan Smith

2023 Record: 2-9, 1-7 in MVC

Coaching Changes Since 2000: Six

Last Conference Championship: Ohio Valley – 2002

Conference Championships: Eight

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