Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
8-4 , 5-3
Florida Atlantic University (beIN Sports)
3-9 , 2-6
Team Stats
FAU 7, MT 0
FAU - TERRY, Nate 13 yd pass from DRISKEL, Jason (JOSEPH, Greg I kick) 8 plays, 85 yards, TOP 2:37
FAU 7, MT 7
MT - JAMES, Richie 49 yd pass from URZUA, John (ROOKER, Canon kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:47
FAU 7, MT 14
MT - JAMES, Richie 16 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:27
FAU 7, MT 21
MT - MATHERS, I. 44 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 5 plays, 90 yards, TOP 1:58
FAU 7, MT 28
MT - JAMES, Richie 11 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 4 plays, 71 yards, TOP 1:10
FAU 14, MT 28
FAU - SINGLETARY, D 9 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 10 plays, 64 yards, TOP 4:39
FAU 14, MT 35
MT - ANDREWS, Dennis 11 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 7 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:54
FAU 21, MT 35
FAU - HOWELL, Greg 2 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:23
FAU 21, MT 42
MT - MATHERS, I. 18 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 3 plays, 59 yards, TOP 1:02
FAU 21, MT 49
MT - ANDREWS, Dennis 5 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 12 plays, 92 yards, TOP 4:28
FAU 28, MT 49
FAU - SINGLETARY, D 30 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 5 plays, 72 yards, TOP 1:40
FAU 35, MT 49
FAU - DRISKEL, Jason 4 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 5 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:13
FAU 42, MT 49
FAU - BUSSEY, Henry 10 yd pass from DRISKEL, Jason (JOSEPH, Greg I kick) 13 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:59
FAU 42, MT 56
MT - MATHERS, I. 8 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:43
FAU 42, MT 63
MT - JAMES, Richie 3 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 1 plays, 3 yards, TOP 0:04
FAU 49, MT 63
FAU - SINGLETARY, D 1 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 5 plays, 61 yards, TOP 1:48
FAU 49, MT 70
MT - ANDREWS, Dennis 1 yd run (ROOKER, Canon kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:48
FAU 49, MT 77
MT - SANDERS, DJ 20 yd interception (ROOKER, Canon kick)
FAU 56, MT 77
FAU - WARREN, Jay 1 yd run (JOSEPH, Greg I kick), 10 plays, 52 yards, TOP 3:04
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Records fall on Senior Day
11/26/2016 9:19:00 PM | Football
Blue Raiders roll 77-56
Against the Florida Atlantic Owls (3-9, 2-6), Middle Tennessee (8-4, 5-3) set numerous records en route to a 77-56 win.
"It was a good win, I'm really proud of our team," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "To me, the difference in the game was the offensive line. When you line up and the other team knows you're not going to throw the ball and you rush for almost 500 yards, those offensive linemen deserve a lot of credit."
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Richie James broke his single-season receiving yards record set in 2015 (1,346) with 120 yards on four receptions. He now has 1,463 receiving yards on the season and is second on the all-time single-season all-purpose yards list. He also became the sixth player in NCAA Division I history to record 100 yards receiving and 200 yards rushing in the same game.
Redshirt senior running back I'Tavius Mathers, who owns the single-season all-purpose yards record, broke Vince Hall's record of 1,439 rushing yards on an 8-yard run in the third quarter. The Murfreesboro native now has 1,504 yards on the ground this year.
The Blue Raiders also set a few team records in the win. They established new single-season highs with 6,188 total offensive yards, 481 points scored and 61 offensive touchdowns, and broke single-game records with 77 points, 757 total offensive yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
"I'm just glad we got a win," James said. "You have two receivers at quarterback and we play like that – that was the first thing I thought about."
It wasn't exactly how they drew it up, but Middle got the job done behind an extremely potent rushing attack that ended with two players over 200 yards rushing. It was just the sixth time that feat has been accomplished in NCAA Division I history.
After losing redshirt freshman quarterback John Urzua in the first quarter to a concussion, Middle Tennessee switched to a wildcat offense and dominated.
"Coach just said play your game, be smart and don't do any harm to the team, just make plays," James said. "We practiced that like the last two periods of practice – we haven't done it much."
Once Urzua went down, James and fellow wide receiver Dennis Andrews took a spot in the backfield with Mathers on a majority of the plays. The three controlled the offense, leading the Blue Raiders to 495 yards rushing as a team.
James ran for 207 yards on 22 carries and added four total touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving). Mathers had 213 rushing yards and three scores on 18 attempts, and Andrews compiled 50 yards on the ground with three TDs and completed 2-of-3 passes for 73 yards.
The switch to a heavy running attack may have come at the right time against a Florida Atlantic defense that went into the contest ranked last in Conference USA giving up 222.7 yards per game on the ground.
"Honestly, I didn't even know John was hurt; I just thought [offensive coordinator] Tony Franklin wanted to run the wildcat," Mathers said. "I think we did a pretty good job of running [the wildcat] for most of the game."
While the offense was rolling, Middle Tennessee's defense did just enough to secure the win. They gave up 589 total yards (299 rushing, 290 passing) to the Owls, but came up with four interceptions of quarterback Jason Driskell.
Redshirt senior Jeremy Cutrer had two picks, and redshirt junior Mike Minter and junior DJ Sanders both had one. Sanders returned his 20 yards for his second pick-six of the season.
The victory gives Middle Tennessee its first eight-win season since 2013, the first year the Blue Raiders were in Conference USA. They also clinched their fifth season in a row with at least five league victories.
"I'm really proud of this football team and proud of this senior class and what they've accomplished, and I'm looking forward to playing for a bowl game," Stockstill said. "I'm just really, really appreciative and proud of this football team and how they've sacrificed so much. They've overcome a lot."
The Raiders will find out which bowl they will participate in during Selection Day on Dec. 4.
MT Postgame Notes
CAPTAINS: Today's game captains were WR Terry Pettis, LB Chris Melton and WR Demetrius Frazier.
JAMES MAKES HISTORY: With 207 yards rushing and 120 receiving, Richie James became only the sixth player in NCAA Division I history with 200-plus yards rushing and 100-plus receiving. James becomes the only receiver to join the elite list. He is the only C-USA player to accomplish the feat. The others are:
Player, Team vs. Opp., Date Rush Rec
Thomas Jones, Virginia vs. Buffalo, Nov. 13, 1999 221 110
Emmett White, Utah St. vs. New Mexico St., Nov. 4, 2000 322 134
Steve Slaton, West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh, Nov. 16, 2006 215 130
Donald Buckram, UTEP vs. Tulane, Nov. 7, 2009 234 109
Christian McCaffrey, Stanford vs. Southern California, Dec. 5, 2015 207 105
TWO FOR 200: Middle Tennessee became the sixth team in Division I history to have two players rush for 200-plus yards in the same game when I'Tavius Mathers (213) and Richie James (207) accomplished the feat Saturday.
RAIDERS BREAK TOTAL OFFENSE AND SCORING MARKS: Middle Tennessee set a new single-game total offense record by recording 757 yards in the win over FAU. The previous record of 685 yards was set against Idaho in 2001. The 77 points was also a new school record and broke the previous mark of 76 set in 1927 against North Alabama. The 77 points also tied the C-USA mark.
MATHERS SETS RUSHING RECORD: After churning up 213 yards on the ground tonight against FAU, senior I'Tavius Mathers broke the single-season rushing record. Mathers now has 1,504 yards on the season to surpass the previous mark of 1,439 yards by Vince Hall in 1984.
WHAT A RUSH: Middle Tennessee racked up 495 yards rushing against FAU, which goes down as the second-most rushing yards in a game. The record is 592, set in 1990 vs. UT-Martin. The 495 rushing yards is the most as a FBS member. The previous FBS mark was 385 vs. FIU in 2009.
MT SETS POINTS RECORD: Middle Tennessee set a new single-season scoring record after registering 77 points in the win over FAU. The previous mark was 442 points set by the 2015 team and the Raiders now have 481 points in 2016.
JAMES BREAKS RECORD: WR Richie James broke his own single-season receiving yardage record after posting 120 yards on four catches against FAU. James set the mark with 1,346 yards in 2015 and now has 1,463 yards in 2016.
JAMES TIES WRIGHT: Middle Tennessee wide receiver Richie James hauled in his 11th touchdown catch of the season against FAU to tie Kerry Wright for second place on the single-season list. James needs two more to tie Ed Batties for the single-season record of 13. James now has 19 for his career which ranks fourth all-time.
CAREER-HIGH FOR JAMES: Noted mainly for his receiving ability, wide receiver Richie James also did some damage on the ground against FAU. James rushed 22 times for a career-best 207 yards and bettered his previous mark of 61 yards set last week against Charlotte.
MATHERS GETS NO. 8: Senior I'Tavius Mathers recorded his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season when he ran for 213 yards against FAU. The eight 100-yard games ranks as the 10th most in school history.
90-YARD DRIVES: Middle Tennessee registered its third and fourth 90-yard scoring drives of the season tonight against FAU. The Blue Raiders went 5 plays in 90 yards for a first quarter TD then went 12 plays and 92 yards in the third quarter. It marks the 22nd and 23rd 90-yard scoring drives under Rick Stockstill.
13 FOR RICHIE: Wide receiver Richie James turned in his 13th career 100-yard receiving game in the win over FAU. James had four catches for 120 yards and now stands just one shy of equaling the school record of 14 (Kendal Newson).
RAIDERS BREAK TD RECORD: With 11 touchdowns tonight against FAU, Middle Tennessee ran its season total to 61 which is a new single-season record. The previous record was 58 set by the 2015 team.
JAMES JOINS ELITE COMPANY: Middle Tennessee receiver Richie James had over 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in the same game for the first time in his career. James becomes just the third Blue Raider, and second this season, to accomplish the feat. I'Tavius Mathers did it earlier this season against Bowling Green and Don Calloway was the first when he did it in 2000.
QUICK HITTERS: FAU scored on its opening drive marking the sixth time this season an opponent has scored on its initial drive of the game … Richie James has now caught at least one pass in 25 straight games which ties for the fifth longest streak in school history … DT Shaquille Huff started his team-leading 37th straight game today … Steven Rhodes, Shaquille Huff, and Hunter Rogers all played in their team-leading 50th career game today which ties for the second most in school history … DB Jeremy Cutrer recorded his second and third INTs of the season against FAU and the fifth and sixth of his career … MT had two players (Mathers and James) go over 100 yards rushing in the same game for the first time since Nov. 29, 2014 when Austin Grammer and Shane Tucker accomplished the feat … MT rushed for a school record nine touchdowns.
