Raiders hit the road to Alabama

MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee will hit the road for the first time in 2015 as it travels to Tuscaloosa, AL to take on the No. 2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Kickoff is set for 3:01 PM on the SEC Network.

The Blue Raiders and Tide have met twice on the gridiron. UA won the first meeting in 2002 in Birmingham, 39-34, and then downed MT 26-7 in 2005.

Alabama, fresh off a win over No. 20 Wisconsin, moved up to No. 2 in the latest polls. It will equal the highest ranked opponent the Blue Raiders have faced in the Rick Stockstill era. LSU was also ranked No. 2 when the Blue Raiders went to Baton Rouge in 2007.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

(GAMEDAY CENTRAL)

Hashtag: #MTvsBama, #BlueRaiders
Twitter: MT_FB
Instagram: @MTAthletics
Facebook: Blue Raider Athletics

Game Captains: WR Christian Collis, DT Pat McNeil, and RB Jeremiah Bryson

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 3:01 PM
Teams: Middle Tennessee (1-0) vs Alabama (1-0)
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Stadium: Denny (101,821)
Weather Forecast: Mostly Sunny, 80°
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WMOT-FM (89.5), WGNS (1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM), Game 2 (102.5/94.9/95.1)
Play-by-Play: Chip Walters
Analysis: Dennis Burke

Live Audio | Live Stats

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Alabama leads 2-0
At Middle Tennessee: 0-0
At Floyd Stadium: 0-0
At Alabama: 0-1
At Denny Stadium: 0-1
At Neutral Site: 0-1 (Birmingham)
Rick Stockstill vs UA: 0-0
Nick Saban vs MT: 1-0
Last MT Win: NA
Last UA Win: 2005

QUICK HITTERS

MT's 70 points scored in the opener against JSU matched the second most in school history, the most ever in a season opener for the Raiders and went down as the third most in the NCAA for week one.
MT has played in front of 100,000 fans just once in its history and that occurred in 2002 at Tennessee (107,672). The second most was 92,058 at Georgia in 2003.
When Brent Stockstill started against JSU, he became just the second head coaches son in C-USA history to start at quarterback. In 1997-98, Tyson Helton started at Houston when his dad, Kim Helton, was the head coach.
MT has been bowl eligible six times in nine years under Rick Stockstill.
In their last 24 conference games, MT has a mark of 17-7.
Kevin Byard is 2nd among NCAA's active players in interceptions per game at 0.39. He also ranks tied for 1st in total interceptions with 15.
RB Shane Tucker has scored at least one touchdown in 12 of his last 16 regular season games.
Over the last 31 games, the Blue Raider defense has come up with 38 interceptions. The team had 15 picks in 2013 by eight different players and had 13 in 2014.
Kevin Byard has 327 career interception return yards to own the MT record and rank first on the NCAA active list. The NCAA all-time record is 501 by FSU's Terrell Buckley.
Consecutive Starts Leaders: Kevin Byard 38 and Darius Johnson 37.
Under Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders have been involved in 16 games that were decided in the final minute of regulation or overtime. The team is 10-6 in those games and have won six in a row.
Head Coach Rick Stockstill is third on the school's all-time wins list with 58 victories.
MT has scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game 27 times under Stockstill.
In 113 games under Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders are +25 in turnover margin.
The longest offensive drive in the Rick Stockstill era was 9:33 at North Texas in 2006. It resulted in a TD.
Middle Tennessee has scored 30 or more points 47 times under Rick Stockstill. The most 30-point games in a season under Stockstill is nine (2009).

RAIDERS VS THE SEC
When Middle Tennessee kicks off against Alabama it will mark the 23rd game against the SEC since the Blue Raiders moved to FBS (I-A) status in 1999 and its first since 2012. The Blue Raiders have three victories during that span with each coming on the road against Vanderbilt (2001, 2002, 2005). Since 1999, the Blue Raiders have faced every team in the SEC at least once except for Auburn.

RAIDERS VS RANKED TEAMS
Since joining the FBS ranks in 1999, the Blue Raiders have faced 14 teams ranked in the nation's Top 25. Alabama enters Saturday's game ranked No. 2/2 nationally. Middle Tennessee is 0-14 in those games with losses to No. 19 Arizona (1999), No. 21 Illinois (2000), No. 8 Florida (2000), No. 20 Mississippi State (2000), No. 4 Tennessee (2002), No. 8 Georgia (2003), No. 23 Missouri in overtime (2003), No. 22 Florida (2004), No. 24 Alabama (2005), No. 16 Oklahoma (2006), No. 8 Louisville (2006), No. 8 Louisville (2007), No. 2 LSU (2007) and No. 15 Mississippi State (2012). The highest rated foe the Blue Raiders have ever faced was Florida State in 1991 when the Seminoles were ranked No. 1.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Middle Tennessee's 70 points in the opener matched the second most ever scored in a game in 101 seasons of Blue Raider football. It was also the most points scored at home since MT put up 70 in a win over Idaho in 2001. After piling up the fourth 600-yard plus game of the Rick Stockstill era, the Blue Raiders also notched the 13th 70 or more point game in C-USA history.

FIRST TIME NUMBERS
There were a lot of firsts in MT's season opening win and here are a few: Five players made their first career start and 16 players competed in their first collegiate game ... Brent Stockstill threw his first TD pass and TE Lucas Hamilton caught his first TD pass ... LB DJ Sanders scored his first TD ... CB Jeremy Cutrer blocked his first FG as a Raider ... DE Justin Akins registered his first career sack.

BIG OPENER FOR BRENT
Redshirt freshman Brent Stockstill was named the MT starter at quarterback about 10 days before the opener. The lefthander seized the moment in his debut by completing 24 of 30 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns. The passing yards were the most every by a freshman, and the fourth most ever by a lefthander. The four touchdowns equalled the fourth most in a game and went down as the most ever by a MT QB in his first start. Stockstill's 80.0 completion percentage was 12th best at MT and best ever by a freshman.

NEXT UP
Middle Tennessee will return home to open its conference season against C-USA newcomer Charlotte. Kickoff is set for 6 PM next Saturday from Floyd Stadium and it will be the first-ever league game for the 49ers.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Justin Akins

Jeremiah Bryson

Kevin Byard

Christian Collis

Jeremy Cutrer

Lucas Hamilton

Darius Johnson

Brent Stockstill

Shane Tucker

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics