Middle Tennessee football fought and clawed back into the game at the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl, securing the win behind the foot of Zeke Rankin, as the sophomore kicker’s late 37-yard field goal helped push MTSU to a 25–23 win over San Diego State on Christmas Eve.
It was not the prettiest win for MTSU; the team finished the game with a total of -66 yards rushing, the result of the yardage lost on seven SDSU sacks and struggles otherwise running the ball. However, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, four field goals and 236 passing yards from MTSU quarterback Chase Cunningham was enough to earn the victory.
Both teams entered the game with 7–5 records during the regular season, the MTSU Blue Raiders out of Conference USA and the San Diego State Aztecs out of the Mountain West Conference.
Trailing 14–0 after the first quarter, MTSU caught a spark on defense, taking advantage of two SDSU turnovers to regain momentum. Decorian Patterson secured his seventh interception of the season and Christian Dixon ripped the ball right out of San Diego QB Jalen Mayden’s hands to set up MTSU’s first touchdown of the game, an 8-yard strike from Cunningham to defensive end Jordan Ferguson for Ferguson’s first career offensive touchdown. Rankin added two field goals to take MTSU into the locker room down just one point, 14–13.
The teams traded field goals in the third quarter to push the score to 17–16 and then the Blue Raider defense came up big again with Ferguson securing an interception off a tipped pass by Parker Hughes, setting up a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jaylin Lane two plays later to take a 22–17 lead.
Two fourth-quarter Jack Browning field goals, the second coming from 52 yards out, would give the Aztecs the 23–22 lead with 5:43 to play.
But Rankin’s clutch boot from 37 yards out with 2:09 to play retook the lead for MTSU. A defensive stand later, and MTSU was the 2022 Hawaii Bowl champion.
“The whole message the last two weeks since we found out we’re going to this bowl was ‘Stay on the field,’” MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said while standing on the field in Oahu following the game. “Stay on the field. That was our objective, stay on the field to do this,” referring to the trophy presentation, the Bowl Game MVP award going to an MTSU player—Jordan Ferguson—the celebration, and the national spotlight on ESPN following the win.
“I told them at halftime toughness got us back in the game, and toughness would finish it,” Stockstill said. “To me, that was the bottom line. It was just a very tough, hard-fought, competitive football game.”
The Hawaii Bowl win brings Coach Stockstill’s bowl record to 4–6 for his 17-year career coaching at MTSU.
“We just stayed positive,” Stockstill said. “The defense never came down there and started complaining to the offense, always encouraging them. We’re a team, we’ve got a great culture here. And to send the seniors out this way . . . just happy for them.”
