Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, November 15
Miami, FL
2:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
FIU
Photo by: Kaitlyn Hungerford/MT Athletic Communications
Raiders ready for stretch run
11/14/2014 6:00:00 AM | Football
Face FIU Saturday in Miami
MURFREESBORO - Since Head Coach Rick Stockstill took over the football program at Middle Tennessee in 2006, his Blue Raiders have proven to be one of the best in the nation in the crucial month of November.
Under Stockstill, the Blue Raiders have posted a November record of 19-11. Over the last 23 games in the month of November, MTSU is 16-7, including wins in seven of their last eight.
The Blue Raiders will travel to Miami, Florida, on Saturday to face a Florida International team that has revenge on its mind. Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM Central.
The game will be televised live on the American Sports Network with Ron Thulin doing the play-by-play. His analyst will be Keith Moreland. Locally, the game will be shown on WUXP-30.
The radio broadcast will be handled, as usual, by veteran announcer Chip Walters, who will be joined in the booth by former Blue Raider linebacker Dennis Burke.
In his inaugural season, Stockstill wasted no time in beginning to establish his team's reputation as strong closers. Middle Tennessee posted four wins in their last six games in 2006, including three on the road, and earned a spot in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, the first bowl game for the Blue Raiders at the FBS level. Ironically, the first win for Stockstill in that inaugural season was a 7-6 squeaker over FIU in the season opener.
With four games left on the 2014 schedule, Middle Tennessee is in position to control its own destiny. The Blue Raiders are sitting in second place in Conference USA's Eastern Division, one game behind unbeaten and nationally-ranked Marshall. Marshall is 5-0 in C-USA games, while Middle Tennessee is 4-1 with the only league loss being at Marshall. UAB is third at 3-3, with FIU being one of four Eastern Division teams with 2-4 league records.
Louisiana Tech sits atop the Western Division in C-USA with wins in all six of their leagues games. By winning the rest of their games, the Blue Raiders would have only one league loss, and likely have their choice of bowl games that are affiliated with Conference USA.
All of this is what makes the game with FIU so critical to the Blue Raiders post-season hopes.
Like most every football coach that has ever been in a title race, Stockstill insists that his team is taking the situation one game at a time.
"That has always been our approach from Day 1," declared Stockstill. "We try to keep an even keel and not let ourselves look ahead to other games. We can only control what we are a part of. We cannot control what other teams are doing in other games.
"Our focus is always on us, and what we need to do as a team to accomplish our goals."
One thing that Middle Tennessee can expect from FIU on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 PM in Miami is an all-out effort from the home-standing Panthers. The Blue Raiders handed FIU a 48-0 thumping last year in Murfreesboro, one that the Panthers have not likely forgotten.
Panther Head Coach Ron Turner has a very young, but talented team that has gotten better with each game as their experience level has risen.
True-freshman running back Alex Gardner has given the Panther rushing attack a shot in the arm with three games in which he has rushed for 100 yards or more. His most recent performance was a 100-yard effort against Marshall.
Senior wide receiver Glenn Coleman is having a banner year. He caught two passes for 101 yards for his second 100-yard game of the season last week against Old Dominion.
Defensively, the Panthers lead the nation in fumble recoveries with 17 so far this season. Individually, four of the recoveries have been made by redshirt junior Richard Leonard, who leads the nation in individual fumble recoveries.
"Obviously, one of the things we have to do on Saturday is protect the football," noted Stockstill. "Turnovers will get you beat quicker than anything else."
In addition to the motivation of revenge that will be on the side of the Panthers for the one-sided loss in Murfreesboro last year, it will be senior day for FIU. FIU will recognize a dozen seniors prior to the game.
Following the FIU game, Middle Tennessee will return home for its final home game of the season against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 22.
Under Stockstill, the Blue Raiders have posted a November record of 19-11. Over the last 23 games in the month of November, MTSU is 16-7, including wins in seven of their last eight.
The Blue Raiders will travel to Miami, Florida, on Saturday to face a Florida International team that has revenge on its mind. Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM Central.
The game will be televised live on the American Sports Network with Ron Thulin doing the play-by-play. His analyst will be Keith Moreland. Locally, the game will be shown on WUXP-30.
The radio broadcast will be handled, as usual, by veteran announcer Chip Walters, who will be joined in the booth by former Blue Raider linebacker Dennis Burke.
In his inaugural season, Stockstill wasted no time in beginning to establish his team's reputation as strong closers. Middle Tennessee posted four wins in their last six games in 2006, including three on the road, and earned a spot in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, the first bowl game for the Blue Raiders at the FBS level. Ironically, the first win for Stockstill in that inaugural season was a 7-6 squeaker over FIU in the season opener.
With four games left on the 2014 schedule, Middle Tennessee is in position to control its own destiny. The Blue Raiders are sitting in second place in Conference USA's Eastern Division, one game behind unbeaten and nationally-ranked Marshall. Marshall is 5-0 in C-USA games, while Middle Tennessee is 4-1 with the only league loss being at Marshall. UAB is third at 3-3, with FIU being one of four Eastern Division teams with 2-4 league records.
Louisiana Tech sits atop the Western Division in C-USA with wins in all six of their leagues games. By winning the rest of their games, the Blue Raiders would have only one league loss, and likely have their choice of bowl games that are affiliated with Conference USA.
All of this is what makes the game with FIU so critical to the Blue Raiders post-season hopes.
Like most every football coach that has ever been in a title race, Stockstill insists that his team is taking the situation one game at a time.
"That has always been our approach from Day 1," declared Stockstill. "We try to keep an even keel and not let ourselves look ahead to other games. We can only control what we are a part of. We cannot control what other teams are doing in other games.
"Our focus is always on us, and what we need to do as a team to accomplish our goals."
One thing that Middle Tennessee can expect from FIU on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 PM in Miami is an all-out effort from the home-standing Panthers. The Blue Raiders handed FIU a 48-0 thumping last year in Murfreesboro, one that the Panthers have not likely forgotten.
Panther Head Coach Ron Turner has a very young, but talented team that has gotten better with each game as their experience level has risen.
True-freshman running back Alex Gardner has given the Panther rushing attack a shot in the arm with three games in which he has rushed for 100 yards or more. His most recent performance was a 100-yard effort against Marshall.
Senior wide receiver Glenn Coleman is having a banner year. He caught two passes for 101 yards for his second 100-yard game of the season last week against Old Dominion.
Defensively, the Panthers lead the nation in fumble recoveries with 17 so far this season. Individually, four of the recoveries have been made by redshirt junior Richard Leonard, who leads the nation in individual fumble recoveries.
"Obviously, one of the things we have to do on Saturday is protect the football," noted Stockstill. "Turnovers will get you beat quicker than anything else."
In addition to the motivation of revenge that will be on the side of the Panthers for the one-sided loss in Murfreesboro last year, it will be senior day for FIU. FIU will recognize a dozen seniors prior to the game.
Following the FIU game, Middle Tennessee will return home for its final home game of the season against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 22.
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