Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Raiders carrying swagger to Charlotte
11/6/2017 4:00:00 PM | Football
Game will be broadcast on ESPN3
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – If one thing was clear after Middle Tennessee's win Nov. 4 over UTEP, it was that the Blue Raiders got some swagger back.
After back-to-back losses followed by a bye week, MT looked much better against the winless Miners, cruising to a 30-3 victory and looking dominant at times in all three phases of the game.
The Blue Raiders (4-5, 2-3) can get to within a win of bowl eligibility if they can carry their newly regenerated mojo on the road. They'll travel to Charlotte (1-8, 1-4) Saturday to take on a 49ers team that's had its struggles this season.
"Looking forward to this week's game versus Charlotte," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They're not having a great year record-wise. But, like I've said and told our team, it doesn't matter who you play, it's why you play. So, we've got to get ready to play this game this week.
"It's tough to win games on the road. It's especially tough to win conference games on the road. They're struggling a little bit offensively to score points there, but defensively, this is a really good football team that we're getting ready to play."
Charlotte has just one win on the season, coming in overtime against UAB 25-24 two games ago. While their record isn't imposing, the 49ers still present a challenge that Stockstill hopes the Blue Raiders don't overlook.
Four of Charlotte's losses have come by two scores or less, meaning the 49ers' record could easily look much different.
"They're a competitive football team, and a break here or there might've changed the outcome in some of those games," Stockstill said. "They've lost to some good teams, and they've hung in there and played them close. So, we've got to be ready to play, that's the bottom line. We've got to be ready to go."
Saturday's contest will be the third all-time between the teams. Middle Tennessee won the first at home, 73-14, in 2015 then squeaked out a close victory last season at Charlotte, 38-31.
Sophomore wide receiver Ty Lee was the star of the show for the Blue Raiders against the 49ers last season. He had 76 receiving yards and a touchdown, but his most important play came on the ground.
With just over a minute remaining in the game and the score tied at 31, Lee took his second handoff up the middle and went untouched 61 yards to the house for the game-winner.
Lee's damage against Charlotte last season came without starting quarterback Brent Stockstill, who was injured two games before against UTSA.
The wideout will benefit from having his redshirt junior QB under center on Saturday. Brent Stockstill returned to action against UTEP after missing the prior seven games due to a sternum injury and threw for 190 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also rose to second on the school's all-time passing yards list (7,904).
"There were no ill-effects from the game or that standpoint," Coach Stockstill said. "He's still getting treatment … there's still going to be the health concern finishing out this year. But, he made it through that game fine."
The Blue Raider defense will try to tee off on Saturday for the second week in a row against one of the nation's worst offensive units.
Charlotte ranks 13th out of 14 teams in Conference USA in scoring (12.9 points per game) and total offense (310.4 yards per game). The only team worse in the conference in the two categories is UTEP, whom the Blue Raiders limited to 137 total yards (48 passing) last week.
While the 49ers don't look like a formidable offensive team on paper, they do different things schematically than MT has seen this season, most notably in the rushing game.
Redshirt junior quarterback Hasaan Klugh is one of the better dual-threat QBs in the conference, and his versatility will be a challenge to defend for the Blue Raiders. He leads the team with seven rushing TDs and three 100-yard rushing outings, and is second with 471 net yards.
"I've seen a lot of different formations, some stuff I've never seen before as far as trickiness and different stuff," junior Raider safety Jovante Moffatt said. "Like you all know, their quarterback is going to run the ball, find ways to use his feet, which is a big part of their offense.
"Stopping him from running is going to be really big. I mean, as far as his passing, I think the DBs can hold on. I just feel that stopping him from running is going to be the main key."
November wins have come at an abundant rate since Rick Stockstill took over at Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders are 24-11 in their last 35 November games, including 15 wins in the last 20 contests.
Against a struggling Charlotte team, they'll have to come out with the same amount of tenacity showed in previous Novembers. From what he's seen this season, Coach Stockstill thinks they'll carry their swagger to Jerry Richardson Stadium just fine.
"We take pride in playing well in November," he said. "You guys have all heard the saying, 'You remember November.' I think it's a matter of no matter what your situation is … you finish every week. You play with great effort, with great tenacity, with great intensity every week.
"We practice every day as hard as we can to get better. This team has done a good job of staying focused and staying the course, and we'll continue to fight here this week."
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN3.
After back-to-back losses followed by a bye week, MT looked much better against the winless Miners, cruising to a 30-3 victory and looking dominant at times in all three phases of the game.
The Blue Raiders (4-5, 2-3) can get to within a win of bowl eligibility if they can carry their newly regenerated mojo on the road. They'll travel to Charlotte (1-8, 1-4) Saturday to take on a 49ers team that's had its struggles this season.
"Looking forward to this week's game versus Charlotte," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They're not having a great year record-wise. But, like I've said and told our team, it doesn't matter who you play, it's why you play. So, we've got to get ready to play this game this week.
"It's tough to win games on the road. It's especially tough to win conference games on the road. They're struggling a little bit offensively to score points there, but defensively, this is a really good football team that we're getting ready to play."
Charlotte has just one win on the season, coming in overtime against UAB 25-24 two games ago. While their record isn't imposing, the 49ers still present a challenge that Stockstill hopes the Blue Raiders don't overlook.
Four of Charlotte's losses have come by two scores or less, meaning the 49ers' record could easily look much different.
"They're a competitive football team, and a break here or there might've changed the outcome in some of those games," Stockstill said. "They've lost to some good teams, and they've hung in there and played them close. So, we've got to be ready to play, that's the bottom line. We've got to be ready to go."
Saturday's contest will be the third all-time between the teams. Middle Tennessee won the first at home, 73-14, in 2015 then squeaked out a close victory last season at Charlotte, 38-31.
Sophomore wide receiver Ty Lee was the star of the show for the Blue Raiders against the 49ers last season. He had 76 receiving yards and a touchdown, but his most important play came on the ground.
With just over a minute remaining in the game and the score tied at 31, Lee took his second handoff up the middle and went untouched 61 yards to the house for the game-winner.
Lee's damage against Charlotte last season came without starting quarterback Brent Stockstill, who was injured two games before against UTSA.
The wideout will benefit from having his redshirt junior QB under center on Saturday. Brent Stockstill returned to action against UTEP after missing the prior seven games due to a sternum injury and threw for 190 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also rose to second on the school's all-time passing yards list (7,904).
"There were no ill-effects from the game or that standpoint," Coach Stockstill said. "He's still getting treatment … there's still going to be the health concern finishing out this year. But, he made it through that game fine."
The Blue Raider defense will try to tee off on Saturday for the second week in a row against one of the nation's worst offensive units.
Charlotte ranks 13th out of 14 teams in Conference USA in scoring (12.9 points per game) and total offense (310.4 yards per game). The only team worse in the conference in the two categories is UTEP, whom the Blue Raiders limited to 137 total yards (48 passing) last week.
While the 49ers don't look like a formidable offensive team on paper, they do different things schematically than MT has seen this season, most notably in the rushing game.
Redshirt junior quarterback Hasaan Klugh is one of the better dual-threat QBs in the conference, and his versatility will be a challenge to defend for the Blue Raiders. He leads the team with seven rushing TDs and three 100-yard rushing outings, and is second with 471 net yards.
"I've seen a lot of different formations, some stuff I've never seen before as far as trickiness and different stuff," junior Raider safety Jovante Moffatt said. "Like you all know, their quarterback is going to run the ball, find ways to use his feet, which is a big part of their offense.
"Stopping him from running is going to be really big. I mean, as far as his passing, I think the DBs can hold on. I just feel that stopping him from running is going to be the main key."
November wins have come at an abundant rate since Rick Stockstill took over at Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders are 24-11 in their last 35 November games, including 15 wins in the last 20 contests.
Against a struggling Charlotte team, they'll have to come out with the same amount of tenacity showed in previous Novembers. From what he's seen this season, Coach Stockstill thinks they'll carry their swagger to Jerry Richardson Stadium just fine.
"We take pride in playing well in November," he said. "You guys have all heard the saying, 'You remember November.' I think it's a matter of no matter what your situation is … you finish every week. You play with great effort, with great tenacity, with great intensity every week.
"We practice every day as hard as we can to get better. This team has done a good job of staying focused and staying the course, and we'll continue to fight here this week."
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN3.
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