Heading into October, the MTSU Blue Raiders sit at 2–2 following two tough losses to SEC opponents on the road and two victories at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro.
After a loss at Vanderbilt to open the season, the Blue Raiders sent their fans home happy after a win in a battle with UT Martin in the home opener.
“This was a grind . . . it was a tough, competitive game,” MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill said following the game against Martin. Although the Blue Raiders ended up with a 61–37 victory, they also surrendered 460 total yards in the game, gave up an onside kick, allowed four sacks, missed two extra points, suffered six costly penalties and gave up 12 third-down conversions.
“When you win and don’t play your best, that’s always a positive,” Coach Stockstill said after that contest. “We have to correct our mistakes, but it was good to see some explosive plays from our offense.”
A punt attempt return for a touchdown by MTSU linebacker Wayne Parks, a 97-yard pick six by Gregory Grate Jr., five touchdown passes by MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill and two rushing touchdowns from redshirt freshman Chaton Mobley helped the Blue Raiders rack up 61 points and earn the win.
Gregory Grate Jr
“We had a simple, effective plan going into this week, and we really executed it well,” Brent Stockstill said.
On Sept. 15 the Blue Raiders traveled to take on the powerhouse Georgia Bulldogs, and fell 49–7 in that game.
“It was tough sledding today,” Coach Stockstill said after the loss in front of a hostile crowd of over 92,000 at Sanford Stadium. “[Georgia] showed why they’re ranked where they are. They swallowed us up.”
MTSU had an early bye week before opening C-USA play against defending conference champion FAU on Sept. 29, pulling off an unbelievable comeback win 25–24 over FAU in Murfreesboro.
Chaton Mobley
FAU head coach Lane Kiffin saw his defending C-USA champion Owls take a 21–3 lead in the first half, but MTSU kept fighting and put up a couple of touchdowns to keep themselves in the game.
A 24–17 score lasted most of the fourth quarter, but Middle Tennessee capped a nine-play, 43-yard drive with Tavares Thomas rushing a touchdown on fourth down with 38 seconds remaining, bringing the blue and white to within 1 point, 24–23.
Instead of going for the PAT and sending the game to overtime, Stockstill sent his offense back on the field for the two-point conversion and the win.
Redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill took the snap and ran to his left, and after pumping a few times, he threw with a man in his face over the middle of the end zone. Gatlin Casey, who made his first start for the Raiders, was there, jumping and snagging the ball with his fingertips to give Middle Tennessee a 25–24 lead, its only lead of the game.
Safety Jovante Moffatt then intercepted an FAU pass on on the ensuing drive to ice it.
“That’s the best win I’ve been a part of,” Brent Stockstill said. “The first conference game of the year against a really good team and the defending conference champ . . . it just makes it so sweet that we were somehow able to score one more point than the other team.
“But, we have to get back to work. We have a really good team in Marshall, and we’re going to their place. We have to get ready.”
Coming up, the Blue Raiders travel to West Virginia to take on Marshall on Oct. 5, followed by a trip to Florida to take on Florida International on Oct. 13. MTSU will host Charlotte in Murfreesboro on Oct. 20 before concluding October play at Old Dominion on Oct. 27. For more on Blue Raider athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.
