Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Familiarity makes bowl game unique for MT
12/13/2017 5:00:00 PM | Football
Kickoff set for 7:05 PM Saturday
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Middle Tennessee will enter uncharted waters as it takes the field for the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl on Saturday.
The unknown won't be because of the unfamiliarity that normally comes from a bowl game, playing against a new team in a strange place. Rather, it will be because of the familiarity that will come from the matchup and location.
The bowl game, slated to kick off at 7 p.m. at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, will feature two old Sun Belt Conference rivals in the Blue Raiders (6-6) and Arkansas State Red Wolves (7-4).
Having a bowl opponent it knows so well – MT leads the all-time series between the two 9-5 – will be unique for the Blue and White.
In its six bowl games since moving to the Division I FBS level, five have come against teams it hadn't played before nor since. The other, Southern Miss, has only clashed with the Blue Raiders three times, though the two are now in Conference USA together.
Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State haven't met on the gridiron since 2012, but the familiar foe lining up on the other side will be an interesting twist MT hasn't seen in a bowl game before.
"That will be pretty cool," Blue Raider senior linebacker D.J. Sanders said. "It used to be a great rivalry, but we've moved on to different conferences. It's going to be a great game with two good teams playing against each other."
Not only does Arkansas State as a program offer a familiar foe, but the Red Wolves' coaching staff is also recognizable for the Blue Raiders.
Four full-time A-State coaches – head coach Blake Anderson, defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and special teams coordinator Luke Paschall – have spent time either coaching or playing at MT. Offensive graduate assistant Parks Frazier also went to Jonesboro from Murfreesboro.
While Anderson and Paschall have been away from Middle Tennessee for over a decade, Cauthen and Faulkner went to Arkansas State in 2013 and 2015, respectively. They're still familiar with the Blue Raiders and how they operate.
"With Buster and Joe, they kind of know our personnel and players a little bit, what they're good at and what they're not so good at," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "That will play into it Saturday."
The opponent isn't the only thing that will feel uniquely familiar in this bowl game for MT. The location will, too.
After traveling to Hawaii and the Bahamas the last two years, the Blue Raiders get to stay close to home this time around. Montgomery is just a 4-hour drive from Middle Tennessee's campus, making it easy for fans and students to get to the game.
"The fans can come to the game and see us play, so that's always a good thing," Sanders said. "We really need fan support down there."
The short drive will also make the game feel more like a regular-season matchup for the players, especially with a short timeframe between their last contest and Saturday.
Last year, the Blue Raiders played on Christmas Eve in the Hawai'i Bowl, meaning they had to wait four weeks between games. The Camellia Bowl being played on Dec. 16 gives them one less week to sit around and wait, something the players have enjoyed.
"It's way better [this year]," redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill said. "We like to just treat this like a bye week. We had one week off, then hit the ground running, and we're ready to go again. We're excited that it's right around the corner."
With a 1-5 record in bowl games since 2006 and a four-game bowl losing skid, something will have to change if Middle Tennessee is going to come out with a Camellia Bowl victory.
Coach Stockstill and co. are hoping the familiar feel of the game will be that change.
The unknown won't be because of the unfamiliarity that normally comes from a bowl game, playing against a new team in a strange place. Rather, it will be because of the familiarity that will come from the matchup and location.
The bowl game, slated to kick off at 7 p.m. at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, will feature two old Sun Belt Conference rivals in the Blue Raiders (6-6) and Arkansas State Red Wolves (7-4).
Having a bowl opponent it knows so well – MT leads the all-time series between the two 9-5 – will be unique for the Blue and White.
In its six bowl games since moving to the Division I FBS level, five have come against teams it hadn't played before nor since. The other, Southern Miss, has only clashed with the Blue Raiders three times, though the two are now in Conference USA together.
Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State haven't met on the gridiron since 2012, but the familiar foe lining up on the other side will be an interesting twist MT hasn't seen in a bowl game before.
"That will be pretty cool," Blue Raider senior linebacker D.J. Sanders said. "It used to be a great rivalry, but we've moved on to different conferences. It's going to be a great game with two good teams playing against each other."
Not only does Arkansas State as a program offer a familiar foe, but the Red Wolves' coaching staff is also recognizable for the Blue Raiders.
Four full-time A-State coaches – head coach Blake Anderson, defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and special teams coordinator Luke Paschall – have spent time either coaching or playing at MT. Offensive graduate assistant Parks Frazier also went to Jonesboro from Murfreesboro.
While Anderson and Paschall have been away from Middle Tennessee for over a decade, Cauthen and Faulkner went to Arkansas State in 2013 and 2015, respectively. They're still familiar with the Blue Raiders and how they operate.
"With Buster and Joe, they kind of know our personnel and players a little bit, what they're good at and what they're not so good at," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "That will play into it Saturday."
The opponent isn't the only thing that will feel uniquely familiar in this bowl game for MT. The location will, too.
After traveling to Hawaii and the Bahamas the last two years, the Blue Raiders get to stay close to home this time around. Montgomery is just a 4-hour drive from Middle Tennessee's campus, making it easy for fans and students to get to the game.
"The fans can come to the game and see us play, so that's always a good thing," Sanders said. "We really need fan support down there."
The short drive will also make the game feel more like a regular-season matchup for the players, especially with a short timeframe between their last contest and Saturday.
Last year, the Blue Raiders played on Christmas Eve in the Hawai'i Bowl, meaning they had to wait four weeks between games. The Camellia Bowl being played on Dec. 16 gives them one less week to sit around and wait, something the players have enjoyed.
"It's way better [this year]," redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill said. "We like to just treat this like a bye week. We had one week off, then hit the ground running, and we're ready to go again. We're excited that it's right around the corner."
With a 1-5 record in bowl games since 2006 and a four-game bowl losing skid, something will have to change if Middle Tennessee is going to come out with a Camellia Bowl victory.
Coach Stockstill and co. are hoping the familiar feel of the game will be that change.
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