The Murray State Racers have scheduled games against the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2024 season and the Bethel University Wildcats for the 2020 season, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Copies of both contracts were obtained from Murray State University via a state public records request.
Murray State will travel to play Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 16, 2024. The Racers will receive a $600,000 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.
Murray State and Kentucky have met twice on the gridiron. The Wildcats won both contests, 37-6 in 2003 and 48-10 in 2018.
Kentucky is the second non-conference opponent and second Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent for Murray State for the 2024 season. The Racers are scheduled to open the 2024 season at Missouri on Aug. 31.
Murray State is the third scheduled non-conference opponent for Kentucky in 2024. The Wildcats are currently slated to open the season at home against Akron on Aug. 31 and later hosts Ohio on Sept. 21.
The Bethel University Wildcats, a member of the Mid-South Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), will travel to play Murray State at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray, Kentucky, on Sept. 12, 2020. Bethel will receive a $45,000 guarantee, per the contract copy.
Murray State and Bethel first met on the gridiron in 1924 and have squared off a total of three times. Bethel won the first meeting 60-0 in 1924, and then Murray State claimed victories of 25-18 in 1927 and 36-0 in 1934.
The addition of Bethel gives Murray State three non-conference games in 2020, which tentatively completes their schedule. The Racers are scheduled to open the season at Georgia State on Sept. 5 and then travel to play Louisville two weeks later on Sept. 19.
Football Schedules
