Raiders open 2015 season Saturday

Saturday, September 5

Murfreesboro, TN

6:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Jackson State University

9/4/2015 10:32:00 AM | Football

Kickoff set for 6 PM vs JSU

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee will kick off its 10^th season under Head Coach Rick Stockstill on Saturday evening at Floyd Stadium as the Blue Raiders host Jackson State. Kickoff is set for 6 PM as MT begins its 101^st season of collegiate football.

The Blue Raiders, who return 16 starters, are going for their third straight season-opening win as they begin a stretch of eight straight games before enjoying the only open date of the season on Oct. 31.

The Blue Raiders and Tigers will be meeting for just the second time on the gridiron. MT won the only other meeting, 28-7, in 1990.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

(GAMEDAY CENTRAL)

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

Game Captains: RB Jordan Parker, S Kevin Byard and CB Jared Singletary

Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 6:00 PM
Teams: Middle Tennessee (0-0) vs Jackson State (0-0)
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Stadium: Floyd (30,788)
Weather Forecast: Mostly Sunny, 94°
Raider Walk: 3:45 p.m.
Gates Open: 4:30 p.m.
TV: Webstream (GoBlueRaiders.com/Watch)
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 Streaming | Live Stats

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Middle Tennessee leads 1-0
At Middle Tennessee: 1-0
At Floyd Stadium: 1-0
At Jackson State: 0-0
At Mississippi Veterans Stadium: 0-0
At Neutral Site: 0-0
Rick Stockstill vs JSU: 0-0
Harold Jackson vs MT: 0-0
Last MT Win: 1990
Last JSU Win: NA

QUICK HITTERS

When Brent Stockstill starts against JSU, he will become 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.
Five of MT's six losses were to bowl teams last season and four wo n at least eight games.
MT has now 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 3rd among NCAA's active players in interceptions per game at 0.41. He also ranks tied for 2nd in total interceptions with 15.
Over the last 25 games, the Blue Raider defense has forced 53 turnovers. MT ranked 5th nationally in 2013 with 33 forced turnovers but only had 20 in 2014.
RB Shane Tucker has scored at least one touchdown in 11 of his last 15 regular season games.
Over the last 30 games, the Blue Raider defense has come up with 37 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: Isaiah Anderson 37, Kevin Byard 37 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 57 victories.
MT has scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game 27 times under Stockstill.
In 112 games under Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders are +26 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 46 times under Rick Stockstill. The most 30-point games in a season under Stockstill is nine (2009).

SEASON OPENERS
Middle Tennessee has an overall mark of 59-39-2 in season-opening games and has won 20 of its last 33. The Blue Raiders have won their opening game just five times since elevating to the FBS level in 1999. MT defeated SEC member Vanderbilt in 2001 on the road and then upset Akron on the road in 2004. The Blue Raiders also won the 2006 opener at home against FIU, the 2013 opener against Western Carolina and last year versus Savannah State.

RAIDERS AT FLOYD STADIUM

Since Floyd Stadium opened in 1933, the Blue Raiders have compiled an overall mark of 279-116-13 (.699), including a record 31-game win streak from 1987-94.
Under Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders are 29-18 overall at Floyd Stadium and 20-12 in conference games (5-1 vs C-USA).
Since 2007, MT has had home games against Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi State, Minnesota, Georgia Tech and BYU. MT will host Vandy in 2015, 2017 and Duke in 2019.

NEXT UP
Middle Tennessee will hit the road to take on SEC power Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Sept. 12. It will mark the third meeting all-time between the two schools and the first since 2005. The Tide own a 2-0 lead in the series. Kickoff is set for 3 PM Central and the game will be televised by the SEC Network.

Ticket Notes
The Blue Raider ticket office is located at Gate 1 and will open at 8:00 a.m. to facilitate will call pick up and season ticket reprints. Fans wishing to purchase tickets the day of the game can visit Gate 1 starting at 8:00 a.m. Blue Raider fans can also purchase tickets online 24 hours a day by visiting www.GoBlueRaiders.com/tickets.

Parking Notes
If your permit indicates Reese Smith, you should enter campus via Middle Tennessee Blvd. from Rutherford Blvd. Due to construction, access the interior lots by continuing straight through the roundabout on Middle Tennessee Blvd. and turning right onto Founders Lane. Midgett and Tower permit holders are encouraged to enter campus on Old Main Circle via East Main Street to avoid Greenland Drive congestion. You must access the Greenland Drive Lot via Middle Tennessee Boulevard or Old Lascassas Highway. Fans not destined for Greenland should avoid Greenland Drive.

The map here has identified the different parking areas available.

Lot Closures: On Friday at 6:00 p.m. all parking spaces and Faulkenberry Drive will totally shut down to the public. Any vehicles that remain after 6:00 p.m. along Faulkenberry will be towed at the owner's expense. This area will be transformed into Raider Town. Additionally, Greenland Drive parking lot will also shut down Friday night at 10:00 p.m. All non-permitted vehicles remaining in the lot after 10:00 p.m. will be towed at the owner's expense.