Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
6-2 , 3-1
Florida International University (ESPN3)
3-6 , 3-2
Team Stats
MT 7, FIU 0
MT - LEE, Ty 26 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (ROOKER, Canon kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:19
MT 14, FIU 0
MT - LEE, Ty 19 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (ROOKER, Canon kick) 3 plays, 74 yards, TOP 0:42
MT 21, FIU 0
MT - MATHERS, I. 9 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 4 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:53
MT 21, FIU 7
FIU - SMITH, Jonnu 27 yd pass from McGOUGH, Alex (TAYLOR, Austin kick) 5 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:11
MT 21, FIU 14
FIU - OWENS, Thomas 10 yd pass from McGOUGH, Alex (TAYLOR, Austin kick) 9 plays, 52 yards, TOP 4:24
MT 28, FIU 14
MT - JAMES, Richie 15 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (ROOKER, Canon kick) 6 plays, 43 yards, TOP 2:45
MT 28, FIU 21
FIU - McGOUGH, Alex 7 yd run (TAYLOR, Austin kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:18
MT 28, FIU 28
FIU - OWENS, Thomas 24 yd pass from McGOUGH, Alex (TAYLOR, Austin kick) 12 plays, 78 yards, TOP 5:51
MT 35, FIU 28
MT - JAMES, Richie 52 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (ROOKER, Canon kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:47
MT 35, FIU 35
FIU - JONES, Anthony 1 yd run (TAYLOR, Austin kick), 13 plays, 81 yards, TOP 6:15
MT 42, FIU 35
MT - SANDERS, DJ 48 yd interception (ROOKER, Canon kick)
Players Mentioned
Blue Raiders bowl eligible after 42-35 win at FIU
10/29/2016 9:36:00 PM | Football
Sanders seals win with pick 6
The Blue Raiders (6-2) used their first defensive score of the season to secure victory when linebacker DJ Sanders hauled in an interception and rumbled 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:22 remaining for a 42-35 lead. It was Sanders' third career interception and first touchdown.
Middle Tennessee sealed the victory when Steven Rhodes recovered a fumble that was forced by Malik Manciel on FIU's final drive.
Sanders' touchdown came after the Blue Raiders were forced to punt from the FIU 39 and with the Golden Panthers were driving toward midfield for the winning score.
Blue Raider quarterback Brent Stockstill was solid again with four touchdown passes. He completed 19-of-32 passes for 296 yards and no interceptions. He connected with Richie James and Ty Lee for two scores each. Stockstill also became the program's career leader in touchdown passes.
Tailback I'Tavius Mathers continued to run roughshod over opponents behind the Blue Raiders' solid offensive line. Mathers had 148 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries for a whopping 8.7 yards per touch. Mathers surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season to become the first tailback to accomplish the feat since Dwone Hicks in 2002.
James finished with 127 yards and two scores, including a 51-yarder, on just six catches. Lee tallied 100 yards on six catches, including his two scores. In fact, Lee scored the first two touchdowns of the game.
Darryl Randolph led the Blue Raiders with 10 tackles, followed by Chris Melton with nine. Melton also had a forced fumble. Mike Minter and Jovante Moffatt had eight tackles each. Darius Harris and Rhodes each recovered a fumble.
Middle Tennessee started fast and jumped out to a 21-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Stockstill connected with receiver Ty Lee for a 26-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard drive. Canon Rooker's extra point provided the Blue Raiders with a 7-0 lead with 13:41 remaining in the first quarter.
On the next drive, Stockstill and Lee hooked up gain, on a 19-yard touchdown grab to push the lead to 14-0 at the 11:04 mark of the first quarter. Stockstill became Middle Tennessee's all-time leader in passing touchdowns with 54 on the play.
Mathers went over the 1,000 mark on a 9-yard scoring run with 9:09 remaining in the quarter and it looked like the Blue Raiders were off and running with a 21-0 lead. Their first three scoring drives came on a combined 12 plays.
FIU wouldn't lay down and scored 14 unanswered to pull to within 21-14 after the first quarter, but the defenses started to settle in and the score remained the same until late in the half. After a Darius Harris fumble recovery, Stockstill threw his third touchdown of the first half when he hit James for a 15-yard scoring strike with 3:53 remaining until halftime.
The Golden Panthers came back with a touchdown just before intermission as Middle Tennessee led 28-21 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, FIU tied the game, 28-28, with 12:45 remaining, but the Blue Raiders responded quickly with a three-play scoring drive.
Stockstill connected for his fourth touchdown pass of the game and the second to James when the dynamic duo connected for a 52-yard scoring pass. The three-play, 75-yard drive staked Middle Tennessee to a 35-28 lead with 11:58 remaining.
MT POSTGAME NOTES
CAPTAINS: Today's game captains were OL Josh Chester, DL Raynard Felton and OL Hunter Rogers.
BOWL ELIGIBLE … AGAIN: With tonight's win over FIU, Middle Tennessee ran its record to 6-2 on the season and became bowl eligible for the fifth year in a row and the eighth time in 11 years under Rick Stockstill. Also, Oct. 29 is the earliest date the Blue Raiders have garnered six wins since 2001 when that team picked up win number six on Oct. 27.
NEW CAREER LEADER: Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill became the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes after tossing four against FIU. Stockstill surpassed the previous record of 53 set by Logan Kilgore in 39 games (2010-13). Stockstill, who has played in just 22 career games, now has 56 touchdown passes.
MATHERS HITS 1,000: Senior running back I'Tavius Mathers hit the magical 1,000-yard rushing plateau after gaining 148 yards against FIU. Mathers is the first MT player to top 1,000 yards since Dwight Dasher in 2009 and is the first running back to accomplish the feat since Dwone Hicks in 2002. Entering play today only two players nationally had recorded 1,000 or more yards this season in the FBS.
BACK-TO-BACK: Wide receiver Richie James became just the second player in school history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons when he registered 127 yards at FIU. Kerry Wright is the only other Blue Raider to accomplish the feat which he did in 2003 and 2004. James had 1,346 receiving yards in 2015 and now has 1,032 yards in 2016.
6 STRAIGHT: I'Tavius Mathers registered his sixth straight 100-yard rushing game when he netted 148 yards against FIU. The six consecutive 100-yard games is the second longest streak in MT history and he needs just one more next week against UTSA to tie all-time leader Vince Hall who had seven in a row in 1983.
JAMES MOVING UP: WR Richie James turned in his 10th career 100-yard receiving game tonight against FIU which moves him into a tie with Kerry Wright for second all-time. He needs four more to catch all-time leader Kendall Newson's 14.
SANDERS FOR SIX: LB DJ Sanders scored the game-winning TD with a 48-yard interception return for a score with less than two minutes remaining. It was Sanders' third career interception and first pick six. It also served as the first defensive score of the season.
QUICK HITTERS: Sophomore Darryl Randolph made his first collegiate start tonight … Brent Stockstill has now thrown at least one TD in 14 straight games … DT Shaquille Huff started his team-leading 33rd straight game today … Steven Rhodes, Shaquille Huff, and Hunter Rogers all played in their team-leading 46th career game today … Tonight marked the 70th win for Head Coach Rick Stockstill … With two TD catches, James now has 16 for his career which ties him for sixth all-time
