Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. (October 21, 2000) - Garner Byars 65-yard touchdown through the middle of the Southeast Missouri defensive line lifted the Murray State Racers to a 38-28 victory Saturday at Houck Stadium.

Southeast Missouri (2-5 overall, 0-4 Ohio Valley) helped the Racers cause with seven turnovers on the day including a school record six interceptions. The previous record was five interceptions, which occurred against both Evansville on September 22, 1979 and Delta State on September 27, 1986.

The Racers (4-4, 2-2) used a balanced attack behind quarterback Stewart Childress's 24-38 passing for 270 yards and two touchdowns and Byars 139 rushing yards.

Murray State got on the board early as defensive end Anthony Johnson intercepted a Bobby Brune pass and scampered 40-yards to make the score 7-0 less than two minutes into the game. Murray would extend its lead to 14-0 following a seven play, 87-yard drive that was capped off by a Childress seven-yard pass to wideout Terrance Tillman.

Southeast would answer on a Brune quick strike pass to wide receiver Leslie Weaver that covered 48-yards. Later in the second, the second Indian quarterback, a healthy Rashad West, ran a keeper off the option, 11-yards for the touchdown to pull Southeast even at 14.

Murray would pull away before halftime with a Tim Linville two-yard run and a Greg Miller 27-yard field goal before the half expired.

Following a West touchdown run, Murray drove 76 yards in 4:46 to take a 10-point lead at 31-21. The big play of the drive was a Byars 16-yard rush off a fake punt that kept the drive alive.

Southeast would pull within three at 31-28 following another Rashad West touchdown run but Byars 65-yard run with 2:29 remaining sealed the victory for the Racers.

For Southeast, West finished the day 11-19 for 126 yards, four interceptions, and 77 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Brune finished the day 7-12 for 118 yards, two interceptions and a passing touchdown.