Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
4-5 , 3-2
Marshall University + (FSN)
8-2 , 5-1
Team Stats
MARSHALL 7, MT 0
MARSHALL - BYRD, Emanuel 1 yd pass from LITTON, Chase (SMITH, Nick kick) 11 plays, 88 yards, TOP 4:18
MARSHALL 7, MT 7
MT - PETTIS, Terry 13 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (CLARK, Cody kick) 6 plays, 67 yards, TOP 1:59
MARSHALL 7, MT 14
MT - JAMES, Richie 12 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (CLARK, Cody kick) 5 plays, 64 yards, TOP 1:48
MARSHALL 7, MT 17
MT - CLARK, Cody 19 yd field goal 6 plays, 57 yards, TOP 2:11
MARSHALL 10, MT 17
MARSHALL - SMITH, Nick 37 yd field goal 6 plays, 19 yards, TOP 2:08
MARSHALL 17, MT 17
MARSHALL - YURACHEK, Ryan 15 yd pass from LITTON, Chase (SMITH, Nick kick) 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 2:34
MARSHALL 17, MT 24
MT - BATTIES, Ed 27 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (CLARK, Cody kick) 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
MARSHALL 24, MT 24
MARSHALL - ALLEN, Davonte 19 yd pass from LITTON, Chase (CURRAJ, Amoreto kick) 3 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
MARSHALL 24, MT 27
MT - CLARK, Cody 46 yd field goal 4 plays, -4 yards, TOP 0:00
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Raiders win triple-OT thriller
11/7/2015 8:42:00 PM | Football
Turn back Marshall, 27-24
Junior kicker Cody Clark nailed a career-long 46 field goal on Middle Tennessee's third overtime possession, and junior Jeremy Cutrer blocked a potential game-tying field goal on Marshall's possession to seal the thrilling victory.
The game was competitive from the outset and records were set as the Blue Raiders (4-5, 3-2) battled to the key victory.
Freshman quarterback Brent Stockstill continued his season-long assault of opposing defenses. He completed 21-of-34 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He set the single-season passing yardage record and now has 2,798, besting the previous mark of 2,789 by Dwight Dasher in 2009. Stockstill also passed Logan Kilgore and tied Mickey Corwin for touchdown passes in a season with 21. The record is 23, set by Dasher in 2009.
Senior receiver Ed Batties also got in on the record-breaking act. Batties' touchdown in the first overtime was his 12th of the season, setting a new single-season touchdown record and breaking the previous mark of 11 set by Kerry Wright in 2004.
Freshman Richie James was not to be left out. James set a new freshman receiving record with eight receptions against the Herd (8-2, 5-1). James now has 73 catches to break the previous mark of 65 by Tyrone Calico in 1999.
It was a great day overall for the Blue Raiders.
Freshman running back Desmond Anderson rushed for 101 yards on 25 carries, while James, Batties and Terry Pettis were outstanding pass catchers. James' eight catches covered 74 yards and a score, Pettis hauled in five grabs for 126 yards and a touchdown, and Batties had four catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.
In all, Middle Tennessee outgained Marshall 554 to 515. The Blue Raiders rushed for 201 yards and passed for 353 more.
The defense was also solid. Michael Minter led the stop squad with 16 tackles, including 13 solo stops, but the key defender was linebacker T.T. Barber, who had 13 tackles, a career-high three tackles for loss and an interception in the win. Quay Watt finished with nine tackles.
The Blue Raiders won despite turning the ball over three times, including two in the red zone, but the defense rose to the occasion after each miscue. The game was tied 17-17 at the end of regulation.
Middle Tennessee got the ball first in overtime and scored when Stockstill connected with Batties for 27 yards, and Clark added the extra point to provide a 24-17 lead. Marshall tied it again when quarterback Chase Litton tossed a 19-yard pass to Davonte Allen.
Both teams failed to score in the second overtime. Marshall back-up kicker Amoreto Curra missed a 38-yard field goal on the Herd's possession in the second overtime. Middle Tennessee had a chance to win it at the end of the second overtime but Clark's 31-yard field goal was wide left, setting the stage for a thrilling third overtime.
Middle Tennessee got the ball the ball first in the third overtime. After losing a net four yards on the drive, Clark came on and nailed a career-long 46-yard field goal to stake the Blue Raiders to a 27-24 lead.
Marshall took over for its possession and the Blue Raider defense held to force a field goal. Curra's 39 yard field goal attempt was blocked by Cutrer as Middle Tennessee players jubilantly celebrated the victory.
Middle Tennessee fell behind 7-0 early but scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-7 with 10 points in the pivotal third quarter. Marshall erased a 17-10 deficit when Chase Litton found receiver Ryan Yurachek for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 1:06 remaining to tie the game 17-17. The Herd had a chance to kick a potential game-winning field goal with five seconds remaining but Nick Smith's 32-yard attempt was wide left.
Middle Tennessee appeared to be driving for the first score of the game on its second offensive possession and had the ball inside the Marshall 20 when Anderson fumbled. The Herd recovered to thwart the scoring attempt and what had been a promising drive with two big third-down conversions, as well as a fourth-down conversion.
Marshall converted the turnover into points when it drove 88 yards in 11 plays and scored on Chase Litton's 1-yard pass to Emanuel Byrd with 4:23 remaining in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
Another turnover halted another scoring opportunity early in the second quarter. Middle Tennessee had put together another impressive drive. James' 24-yard catch and run inside the red zone was the big play, but Jordan Parker fumbled and Marshall recovered at the 8 to end another great chance.
Middle Tennessee continued to move the football consistently against the Herd but this time it held on to the football and found paydirt when Stockstill connected with Terry Pettis for a 13-yard touchdown. The play came on a third-and-12 from the 13 and tied the game 7-7 following Cody Clark's point after with 7:15 remaining. The big play on the drive was a 42-yard pass from Stockstill to Desmond Anderson to the 11.
Middle Tennessee's defense got into the turnover act when it forced a Herd miscue and ended a drive in Blue Raider territory. Linebacker T.T. Barber's seventh career interception on a 2nd-and-12 at the Blue Raider 33 gave the ball back to Middle Tennessee late in the first half. The drive stalled with less than two minutes remaining and the teams headed into intermission at a stalemate, 7-7.
The Blue Raiders took the lead for the first time late in the third quarter when Stockstill connected with James for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter. Clark's point after provided the Blue Raiders with a 14-7 advantage. It was Stockstill's 20th touchdown pass of the season, which is third most for a single season.
Middle Tennessee wasn't finished. The Blue Raiders continued to add to their lead when Clark nailed a 19-yard field goal to stake Middle Tennessee to a 17-7 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Marshall finally got on the board again in the fourth quarter when Nick Smith booted a 37-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 17-10 with 10:11 remaining.
Middle Tennessee will return to action when it travels to Boca Raton, Fla., to face Florida Atlantic Saturday.
POSTGAME NOTES
CAPTAINS: Today's game captains were OL Jaylen Hunter, DT Jimal McBride and LB Trey Wafford.
GOOD IN NOVEMBER: Under Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders have enjoyed success down the final stretch of the season in November. Over its last 28 games in the month of November, the Blue Raiders are 19-9 and have won nine of its last 12. Overall under Stockstill MT carries a 21-13 mark in November.
200: Today marked the 200th FBS game for the Blue Raiders since moving to the highest level in 1999.
JAMES SETS FRESHMAN RECORD: With eight receptions today against Marshall, wide receiver Richie James set a new freshman single-season record at Middle Tennessee. James now has 73 catches on the season to break the previous mark of Tyrone Calico (65) in 1999.
BATTIES MOVES INTO TOP 10 LIST: Senior Ed Batties moved into Middle Tennessee's top 10 career list in receptions with his four catches against Marshall. Batties now has 109 career receptions to rank tied for 10th on the list.
BATTIES TD MAKER: Senior Ed Batties hauled in his 12th TD reception of the season in overtime to establish a new single-season touchdown record. Batties broke the previous mark of 11 set by Kerry Wright in 2004.
STOCKSTILL PASSES KILGORE, TIES CORWIN: With three touchdown passes against Marshall, quarterback Brent Stockstill surpassed Logan Kilgore for third place and tied Mickey Corwin for second place on the single-season list. Stockstill now has 21 touchdown passes this season and is chasing the all-time record of 23 set by Dwight Dasher in 2009.
STOCKSTILL SETS RECORD: QB Brent Stockstill broke the Middle Tennessee single-season passing yards record with 343 against Marshall Saturday. The total gives Stockstill 2,798 yards for the season and broke the previous record of 2,789 by Dwight Dasher in 2009.
CUTRER BLOCKS: Jeremy Cutrer's second FG block of the season came in dramatic fashion. The junior busted through the left side and blocked a potential game-tying field goal in the third OT to seal the Blue Raiders' victory.
ANDERSON GETS 100: Freshman running back Desmond Anderson registered his second career 100-yard rushing game today against Marshall. Anderson, who had a career-high 144 yards against FIU earlier this season, gained 101 yards against the Herd.
300 … AGAIN: Quarterback Brent Stockstill went over the 300-yard passing mark today against Marshall for the fifth time this season. The five 300-yard games is a new single-season record and puts him in second place on the all-time list. Stockstill is chasing career leader Wes Counts who had seven during his career.
KICKERS' BLOCK: Since 2013, Middle Tennessee owns nine blocked kicks which ranks 10th nationally during that span.
WORKING OVERTIME: Middle Tennessee played its eighth overtime game as a FBS member against Marshall Saturday. With the win, the Blue Raiders improved to 5-3 in overtime games, including wins in three straight.
CLARK CAN KICK: PK Cody Clark's 46-yard field goal in the third overtime was not only the eventual game-winner, but also a new career-long for the junior. The two FG effort against Marshall was also enough to push Clark past Keegan Ray for fifth-most points scored by kicking at Middle Tennessee. Clark has hit 29 career fields goals which ranks eighth on MT's all-time list. He needs one more to tie Colby Smith for seventh place (30).
QUICK HITTERS: The uniform combination of grey pants, blue jerseys and blue helmets marked the 27th different combination under Rick Stockstill … James Roberson played in his team leading 45th career game today … LB T.T. Barber made his team-high 37th straight start today … MT failed to score in the first quarter at home for the first time this season today … Desmond Anderson had a career long 42-yard reception in the second quarter … T.T. Barber's pick in the second quarter was the seventh of his career … TE Terry Pettis registered his second career 100-yard receiving game today with five catches for 126 yards.
