For MTSU football fans, the 2026 season brings plenty of reasons to make a trip to Floyd Stadium—aside from the sounds of marching band music, gathering as a community for NCAA football action on Saturdays down South, and a chance to feel the fall air. The Blue Raiders enter the season with a new quarterback at the controls, a collection of experienced returning players, and a schedule that includes six home games, three midweek Conference USA contests and the team’s first-ever trip to play the University of Kansas.
The season begins at home Sept. 5 against Murray State, with kickoff for that game set for 6 p.m., followed by a trip to Marshall and a Sept. 19 home meeting with Nevada. MTSU closes September visiting Jacksonville State.
Middle Tennessee begins October with a chance to test itself against a Big 12 opponent in Lawrence; the Oct. 3 road trip will mark the first meeting between the Blue Raiders and Kansas Jayhawks.
Conference USA play will then move into midweek territory, a format C-USA began in 2023 to highlight some of the conference’s teams in Tuesday and Wednesday evening games on national television. Delaware visits Floyd Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 13, followed by a Tuesday night trip to Florida International and a Wednesday home game against defending Conference USA champion Kennesaw State on Oct. 28.
The November stretch includes the annual rivalry game with Western Kentucky on Nov. 7, and trips to Liberty and then Sam Houston before the regular-season finale in Murfreesboro against New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 28.
The Blue Raiders are entering its third season under head coach Derek Mason.
At quarterback, Nicholas Vattiato, who spent several seasons establishing himself as one of the most prolific passers in MTSU history, is gone. Vattiato finished his college career with 9,674 passing yards—a mark that gets him into the top 200 quarterbacks of all time in the FBS career passing yard list.
The expected candidate to take over under center is Roman Gagliano, who made a strong impression when he got his opportunity late in the 2025 season.
Gagliano started the final three games of the year after Vattiato was injured. In those three starts, he threw for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 166 rushing yards and two rushing scores. He was especially impressive in his first start against Western Kentucky, accounting for 471 yards of total offense—383 passing and 88 rushing.
MTSU head coach Derek Mason said in the spring that Gagliano had finished the 2025 season playing some of his best football.
“Now it’s about building on that—continuing to grow his command, his leadership, and his consistency within the offense,” Mason said. “He’s put in the work, and we’re excited to see that carry over.”
Gagliano has subsequently been selected to represent MTSU at the 2026 Conference USA Football Kickoff and was named a third-team preseason All-CUSA selection by Phil Steele.
Wide receiver Cam’ron Lacy returns to the Blue Raiders after a breakout 2025 season. The redshirt junior caught 38 passes for 549 yards and three touchdowns last year, averaging 14.4 yards per reception. He earned second-team preseason All-CUSA recognition and was also named to the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
A.J. Jones hauls in a touchdown pass against New Mexico State;
photo by Matt Posey / MT Athletic Communications
At 6-foot-4, redshirt senior receiver A.J. Jones gives the Blue Raiders another experienced target. Jones caught 28 passes for 216 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, including two touchdown receptions in the season-ending victory at New Mexico State.
Graduate transfer Markus Allen spent 2025 at Mississippi State; the 6-foot-2 receiver also previously had a productive season at Eastern Michigan in 2024.
On defense, redshirt senior defensive end Reggie Johnson returns after recording 34 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2025. He was named second-team preseason All-CUSA by Phil Steele. Linebacker Ashton Taylor, a transfer from Jackson State, and cornerback Jason Hardy, coming off a strong season at Grand Valley State, were also selected to Steele’s third team.
Punter Ashton Logan was Steele’s first-team preseason All-CUSA selection after averaging 44.7 yards per punt in 2025, the second-best single-season average in MTSU history.
After a tough 2025, the team has plenty to improve upon. After a November loss at rival Western Kentucky, the 2025 Blue Raiders sat at 1–9.
But MTSU finished 2025 with a 3–9 overall record, closing the year with consecutive victories over Sam Houston and New Mexico State.
Fans remain hopeful that the finish to the 2025 campaign provided at least a glimpse of what the team could become, with Gagliano’s emergence coinciding with the two-game winning streak to close the season.
Mason characterized the late-season improvement as something the team needed to carry into the offseason.
“You saw a team at the end of last year that was starting to figure it out,” Mason said, challenging the team to “bring that same energy and focus.”
“Momentum only matters if you build on it.”
Mason has also made significant changes to his coaching staff, including hiring Anthony Scelfo as offensive coordinator and adding Christopher Browne as offensive line coach, Al Poree as running backs coach and Ross Jenkins as tight ends coach. Joe Ganz moved into the quarterbacks coach role.
Mason has made clear that the ultimate goal is bigger than simply improving on last season’s record. Announcing changes to his coaching staff in February, he said made the changes “with one purpose in mind—to make Middle Tennessee football better and get us competing for championships.”
And while the football itself is the centerpiece, MTSU has increasingly made game day into a family and community event.
The 2026 home schedule includes a White Out and Faith & Family Night for the opener against Murray State, Family Weekend and the annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces game against Nevada, Halloween in Floyd Stadium against Kennesaw State, Homecoming against Western Kentucky and Senior Day against New Mexico State.
Before each home game, fans can gather at Walnut Grove for Party in the Grove, which will feature live music, food trucks, sponsor activities and other pregame entertainment. The university’s Raider Walk also gives fans an opportunity to line the route and welcome the team into Floyd Stadium before kickoff. For children, the Blue Raider Kids Club offers football season tickets in the Family Fun Zone, game-day concessions and other activities.
For tickets and more information on MTSU Blue Raider athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.
2026 Blue Raider Football Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 5
Murray State
6 p.m.
Murfreesboro
White Out • Community Night • Faith & Family Night
Saturday, Sept. 12
at Marshall
6 p.m.
Huntington, West Virginia
Saturday, Sept. 19
Nevada
6 p.m.
Murfreesboro
Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces • Scout Night • Family Weekend
Saturday, Sept. 26
at Jacksonville State
6 p.m.
Jacksonville, Ala.
Saturday, Oct. 3
at Kansas
TBA
Lawrence, Kansas
Tuesday, Oct. 13
Delaware
6 p.m.
Murfreesboro
$2 Tuesday
Tuesday, Oct. 20
at FIU
6 p.m.
Miami, Florida
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Kennesaw State
6 p.m.
Murfreesboro
Halloween in Floyd Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 7
Western Kentucky
2:30 p.m.
Murfreesboro
Homecoming • Youth Sports Day
Saturday, Nov. 14
at Liberty
2:30 p.m.
Lynchburg, Virginia
Saturday, Nov. 21
at Sam Houston
1 p.m.
Huntsville, Texas
Saturday, Nov. 28
New Mexico State
1 p.m.
Murfreesboro
Senior Day • Education Day • Lightning’s Reading Club
Friday, Dec. 4
Conference USA Championship
6 p.m.
Home stadium of highest-ranked team
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[Top: MTSU celebrates a 2025 win at Nevada; photos courtesy goblueraiders.com]
