Story by Keith Jaco
Staff writer
With 20 seconds remaining and Southeast Missouri State’s shot at an OVC co-championship looming, junior wide receiver Malik Honeycutt did the impossible.
Trailing 38-34, Honeycutt sliced through defenders left and right before ultimately returning the kickoff for 79 yards to seal a two-point victory for the Racers and crush the No. 17-ranked Redhawks’ postseason dreams. The improbable play during the Racers’ game on Saturday, Nov. 10, is now fittingly being called “The Miracle in Murray.”
What made the play even more miraculous was that the Racers trailed by as much as 31 points in the game. Trailing 31-0 in the second quarter, senior quarterback Drew Anderson cut the deficit to 31-7 at the half.
Going into the locker room at the half, Anderson said he focused on putting his four first-half turnovers behind him and staying composed.
The Racers came out of the locker room with a chip on their shoulders, as the defense worked to give the offense a chance at a comeback. Murray State took advantage of multiple three-and-outs by scoring a field goal and touchdown to open up the third quarter. Down by 14, the Racers kept their foot on the gas.
Junior defensive tackle Matz Peters credited the team’s success in the second half to play from both sides of the ball.
“I think we provided good pressure on the QB and we as a whole team, not only offense, but defense too, worked to make sure we could make that comeback happen,” Peters said.
The Racers went on to shut out SEMO’s offense in the third, allowing just 6 yards of total offense in the entire quarter. Following two more Racer touchdowns and a field goal, the Racers took a 34-31 lead with 1:42 remaining in the game.
SEMO junior quarterback Daniel Santacaterina strung together the Redhawks’ only points of the second half in a quick seven-play, 64-yard drive, giving SEMO command of the lead with only 20 seconds to go.
What happened next rattled the hearts of Redhawk fans, as Honeycutt scanned the field and cut back to the opposite side to explode for a 79-yard touchdown run.
Neal Bradley, the “Voice of the Murray State Racers,” delivered a radio call of the game. He touted the comeback as virtually unprecedented in Racer history.
“I’ve never called a football game like that at any level,” Bradley said. “For the team to stay the course, despite the score is unprecedented. Malik’s run was crazy. It was determination on his part. He was not going to lose.”
With 5 seconds left, no one could stop him from finding the end zone ?
(? @Carhartt) pic.twitter.com/uZ0pHIM7Z2
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 10, 2018
Honeycutt understood the significance of his run, capping off 79 yards with a flip into the end zone.
“I knew that play was not only big for us as a team, but for Murray as a city,” Honeycutt said. “I just had to celebrate.”
Head Coach Mitch Stewart praised his team’s effort following their come-from-behind victory.
“I’m really proud of the resiliency and resolve of this team,” Stewart said. “It was an awfully big moment for us as a football team and obviously a huge moment for Malik Honeycutt.”
Honeycutt received OVC Football Specialist of the Week honors and was No. 2 on ESPN’s College Football’s Top-10 highlights of week 11.
