Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, September 20
Memphis, TN
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
Memphis
Photo by: Kaitlyn Hungerford/MT Athletic Communications
Raiders, Tigers clash Saturday
9/19/2014 6:00:00 AM | Football
In-state battle huge test for MT
MURFREESBORO - Eighty-nine years ago, in 1925, Middle Tennessee State Teachers College talked Memphis, then West Tennessee State Teachers College, into coming to Murfreesboro for the first-ever football game between the two schools. The Blue Raiders, coached by Guy Stephenson, handed the Tigers a 57-7 loss.
Middle Tennessee has gone on to post a 17-8-1 series record against the Tigers, including winning five of the six games since the series resumed in 2007 after a 53-year hiatus.
On Saturday night, the Raiders and Tigers will meet again in what could be the final time, at least in the near future, as Memphis is now a member of the new American Athletic Conference, and scheduling conflicts could impact future games.
Kickoff for the game will be at 6:04 PM CDT, and it will be telecast on ESPN3. The Blue Raider Network will carry the game as well, with Chip Walters doing the play-by-play and former MT linebacker Dennis Burke providing analysis. The game will be carried on 97.5-FM, 100.5-FM, 101.9-FM, 89.5-FM and 1450-AM.
The two teams will enter the game with different degrees of rest since their last games. The Blue Raiders are coming off a thrilling, 50-47, three overtime win over rival Western Kentucky last weekend, while Memphis enjoyed the weekend off.
Blue Raider Head Coach Rick Stockstill had nothing but praise for Memphis in his weekly media gathering on Monday.
"They are a much improved team over last year when we had to kick a field goal in the last minute to go ahead, and then block a field goal attempt by them on the last play of the game to beat them.
"Memphis is a much improved team over last year. They are playing really well right now on both sides of the ball," pointed out Stockstill. "Two weeks ago, they went to the Rose Bowl to play a ranked UCLA team, and the game was tied 35-all in the 4th quarter before UCLA prevailed.
"This is a really good football team, their quarterback does a nice job in distributing the ball to their playmakers, they have some good wide receivers, their offensive line is seasoned, so they have a really good offense," continued Stockstill.
"On offense last year, we struggled against them. We only rushed the ball for 60 yards."
Middle Tennessee did manage to move the ball into field goal range late in the game, and Cody Clark kicked a 40-yard field goal with 1:42 left in the game to give the Blue Raiders a 17-15 lead. Memphis came storming back into position to try a field goal of their own to win the game, but the Raider defense rose up and sacked Tiger QB Paxton Lynch on 3rd down, then blocked a desperation FG attempt on the game's final play to preserve the victory.
Lynch, at 6-7, 230 pounds, is only a red-shirt sophomore, but his performance against UCLA in the season opener was more like that of a seasoned senior. He passed for 305 yards and ran for a touchdown, and was named the American Athletic Conference's Player of the Week.
Middle Tennessee is not without its own honored players. QB Austin Grammer was named TSWA's Player of the week and placekicker Cody Clark was honored as the C-USA Specialist of the Week.
Grammer was also selected as the Player of the Week by Athlon for his 125 yards of rushing, a personal high, along with 17 of 28 passing attempts for 218 yards and a scoring run of 59 yards.
Clark nailed three field goals, of 37 yards in the second quarter, of 29 yards just before halftime, and 42 yards to keep the Blue Raiders alive in the second overtime. His efforts won him three stars in the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-kicker Award, as well as Conference USA's Specialist of the Week Award. He was also 5-5 on extra point attempts.
MT goes to Memphis with a three-game win streak and five wins in the six games since the in-state rivalry was rekindled in 2007. This time, however, Memphis has its best team in some time, and will be the favored team by nearly two touchdowns.
After the trip to Memphis, the Blue Raiders will play four consecutive Conference USA games, then host nationally-ranked BYU on November 1st. They will close the regular season with three more Conference USA games.
Middle Tennessee has gone on to post a 17-8-1 series record against the Tigers, including winning five of the six games since the series resumed in 2007 after a 53-year hiatus.
On Saturday night, the Raiders and Tigers will meet again in what could be the final time, at least in the near future, as Memphis is now a member of the new American Athletic Conference, and scheduling conflicts could impact future games.
Kickoff for the game will be at 6:04 PM CDT, and it will be telecast on ESPN3. The Blue Raider Network will carry the game as well, with Chip Walters doing the play-by-play and former MT linebacker Dennis Burke providing analysis. The game will be carried on 97.5-FM, 100.5-FM, 101.9-FM, 89.5-FM and 1450-AM.
The two teams will enter the game with different degrees of rest since their last games. The Blue Raiders are coming off a thrilling, 50-47, three overtime win over rival Western Kentucky last weekend, while Memphis enjoyed the weekend off.
Blue Raider Head Coach Rick Stockstill had nothing but praise for Memphis in his weekly media gathering on Monday.
"They are a much improved team over last year when we had to kick a field goal in the last minute to go ahead, and then block a field goal attempt by them on the last play of the game to beat them.
"Memphis is a much improved team over last year. They are playing really well right now on both sides of the ball," pointed out Stockstill. "Two weeks ago, they went to the Rose Bowl to play a ranked UCLA team, and the game was tied 35-all in the 4th quarter before UCLA prevailed.
"This is a really good football team, their quarterback does a nice job in distributing the ball to their playmakers, they have some good wide receivers, their offensive line is seasoned, so they have a really good offense," continued Stockstill.
"On offense last year, we struggled against them. We only rushed the ball for 60 yards."
Middle Tennessee did manage to move the ball into field goal range late in the game, and Cody Clark kicked a 40-yard field goal with 1:42 left in the game to give the Blue Raiders a 17-15 lead. Memphis came storming back into position to try a field goal of their own to win the game, but the Raider defense rose up and sacked Tiger QB Paxton Lynch on 3rd down, then blocked a desperation FG attempt on the game's final play to preserve the victory.
Lynch, at 6-7, 230 pounds, is only a red-shirt sophomore, but his performance against UCLA in the season opener was more like that of a seasoned senior. He passed for 305 yards and ran for a touchdown, and was named the American Athletic Conference's Player of the Week.
Middle Tennessee is not without its own honored players. QB Austin Grammer was named TSWA's Player of the week and placekicker Cody Clark was honored as the C-USA Specialist of the Week.
Grammer was also selected as the Player of the Week by Athlon for his 125 yards of rushing, a personal high, along with 17 of 28 passing attempts for 218 yards and a scoring run of 59 yards.
Clark nailed three field goals, of 37 yards in the second quarter, of 29 yards just before halftime, and 42 yards to keep the Blue Raiders alive in the second overtime. His efforts won him three stars in the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-kicker Award, as well as Conference USA's Specialist of the Week Award. He was also 5-5 on extra point attempts.
MT goes to Memphis with a three-game win streak and five wins in the six games since the in-state rivalry was rekindled in 2007. This time, however, Memphis has its best team in some time, and will be the favored team by nearly two touchdowns.
After the trip to Memphis, the Blue Raiders will play four consecutive Conference USA games, then host nationally-ranked BYU on November 1st. They will close the regular season with three more Conference USA games.
Players Mentioned
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