RICHMOND, Ky. — With new quarterback Matt Morrissey at the helm, coach Walt Wells and Eastern Kentucky football will kick off the 2024 season Aug. 31 at Mississippi State. 

What You Need To Know

  • Eastern Kentucky football opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 in Starkville, Mississippi, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs 

  • The Colonels went 5-6 in the 2023 season, including a 4-2 record in conference play

  • Matt Morrissey, a graduate transfer from Western Illinois, is expected to take over at quarterback 

  • Eastern Kentucky opens the 2024 season with four preseason all-conference selections 

Saturday's game is the first-ever meeting between the Colonels and Bulldogs. The Colonels are 0-8 against the Southeastern Conference and are seeking their first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision school since a seven-overtime defeat of Bowling Green two years ago.

The Colonels went 5-6 in the 2023 season, including a 4-2 record in United Athletic Conference play. They open 2024 with four preseason All-UAC selections: offensive lineman Payton Collins, tight end Hunter Brown, defensive back Mike Smith Jr. and kicker Patrick Nations. Redshirt senior Joshua Carter, who is coming off 714 yards and four touchdowns last season, will lead the rushing attack. 

Morrissey, a graduate transfer from Western Illinois, threw for 1,981 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023 for the Leathernecks, averaging 180 yards per game en route to All-Missouri Valley Conference honorable mention honors. 

Defensively, Eastern Kentucky returns eight projected starters who played in at least 10 games last season. Smith Jr. finished 2023 with 13 passes defended, tied for most in the UAC, while also recording two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. 

Nations, a preseason All-American and one of the country's top kickers, is entering his fourth and final season. He tied for first in the Football Championship Subdivision with 1.73 field goals per game last season, converting 19 of 25 attempts. 

For Mississippi State, it will be the first game under coach Jeff Lebby, who most recently served as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator. The Bulldogs, who went 5-7 in 2023, return three starters from last season: safety Corey Ellington, linebacker JP Purvis and defensive lineman De'Monte Russell. Senior Blake Sharpen, a transfer from Baylor, is expected to start at quarterback. 

Kickoff is 6 p.m. EDT. You can catch the action on SEC Network+. Follow the team's website for the latest news and updates. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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