MURRAY, Ky.- When everything wanted to go wrong, Eastern used its conference-leading defense to make things go right.

Eastern (5-2, 4-0) was out-gained by 179 yards on offense, was trailing for the first time in more than a month, and for the second straight week had less than 100 yards passing. However, the Panthers defense scored two touchdowns in the second half to earn a 35-28 win against Murray State.

“Good players make big plays, and we made a bunch today,” Eastern head coach Bob Spoo said. “That’s all we needed.”

Eastern’s offensive attack consisted of two big plays that resulted in long touchdowns. On the first possession, Panthers quarterback Mike Donato used a play action pass with a pump fake to find receiver Ryan Voss for a 55-yard score. The pitch and catch was the longest for the Panthers in the 2005 season. Eastern’s duo picked on Racers freshman cornerback Dominic Spinks for the long play.

“We got a freshman out there and we knew they were going to test him,” Murray State head coach Joe Pannunzio said.

At the end of the game, Pannunzio was disappointed with the third straight OVC loss after out gaining its opponent.

“What is the most frustrating is that I’m fighting to save my job and there’s really nothing I can do about it,” Pannunzio said.

The longest fumble recovery of the year by safety Tristan Burge made a 14-7 Eastern lead early in the opening quarter.

The junior, who was named Sunday as OVC Defensive Player of the Week, picked up Murray State quarterback Ken Topps’ fumble after the Racer signal caller was hit by middle linebacker Clint Sellers.

“I was just trying to make a play and didn’t see him behind me when I decided to throw the ball,” Topps said.

The second big offensive play came at the end of the first quarter when running back Vincent Webb bounced off his own lineman and ran 83 yards to the end zone. Webb ended the game with 164 yards on 25 carries and the touchdown that was the second longest of his career.

“As I got the ball, I was going to the right,” Webb said. “I ran into (Eastern right tackle Anthony) Rubican and I hit him in the back. Once I hit him, I kind of bounced off. Once he gave me a bounce, I saw all green.”

Murray State (1-6, 0-4) kept themselves in its Homecoming game by going on a nine-play, 57-yard drive in only 1:53 to make the score 21-14 with 16 seconds left before halftime. Topps’ second touchdown pass of the half hit receiver Johnathan Eiland over the middle. Topps ended the game with 214 total yards (118 rushing, 96 passing). The junior became the first Murray State quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since 1982.

“We knew we had to keep him in the pocket and bring pressure on him,” Sellers said. “He’s definitely a dangerous player.”

Another nine-play drive where Topps was injured tied the score at 21. After Sellers and fellow linebacker Lucious Seymour pancaked Topps into the artificial turf, the Murray State starter left with an injured shoulder. Topps would return but be forced to leave again after another hit injured his hip. Backup quarterback Ryne Salyer went 4 for 4 and his last completion went for a 26-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rod Harper.

“You can’t say our offense was not successful after we gain over 400 yards,” Salyer said.

For the entire first half, Eastern punter Tom Schofield had rugby-kicked the ball away from Murray State’s Nick Turner. However, Turner burned the Panthers for a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown to make it 35-28 Racers.

Ironically, the Panthers offense didn’t score another point, gained only 65 yards for the final 20 minutes of the game but managed to win.

Eastern buried the Racers at the 1-yard-line after a Schofield punt and got its second touchdown of the game on a missed exchange between Salyer and Racers tailback Chad Cook. Burge recovered the fumble in the end zone for his second touchdown.

“What was weird about that play was it looked like Ryne saw the ball on the ground and did nothing about it,” Pannunzio said. “He made two or three plays that’ll drive us all crazy.”

The very next Racers possession resulted in a 43-yard interception return by the Panthers’ Seymour for the game-winning score and a 35-28 Panthers victory. It was the second interception and defensive touchdown for the linebacker.

“I told the guys at halftime that if we didn’t give up any more big plays, we’d win,” Pannunzio said. “If I had an answer for this, I’d cure it.”