Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Looking ahead to MT at FIU
10/12/2018 1:19:00 PM | Football
MIAMI, Fla. – First place in the Conference USA East Division will be on the line Saturday in Miami when Middle Tennessee travels to FIU for a homecoming showdown.
The home Panthers (3-2, 1-0) haven't beaten the Blue Raiders (3-2, 2-0) since 2014. That doesn't mean the road team can take things lightly, though, because second-year head coach Butch Davis' squad hasn't held a division lead this late in a season since moving to C-USA in 2013. They'll surely come out firing.
"As we evaluate FIU, I think it's probably the best FIU team we've played in a long time," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said at Monday's weekly press conference. "Going down there, we've got our work cut out for us. We have to have a great week of preparation, because this is a really good football team … they make you earn everything you get, so it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us but one that we're going to be excited and ready for."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: beIN Sports & beIN Connect
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Series history
History has not been kind to FIU in the 13-game series, which has been dominated by MT 9-4. The teams have squared off every season since the Panthers joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2005, then both moved to C-USA in 2013.
While the Blue Raiders have a decided advantage in the wins column, the games have usually been close. Eight of the 13 contests have been settled by 10 points or less, including three of the last four.
Middle Tennessee has won three in a row over FIU and five of the last six dating back to 2012, when the Blue Raiders traveled to Miami for the Panthers' homecoming and spoiled the events 34-30.
Last meeting
In 2017, FIU hit the road to Murfreesboro with a new coach to square off with a Blue Raider team missing its starting quarterback.
Brent Stockstill wouldn't return for three more games for Middle Tennessee, but it didn't seem to matter against the Panthers. Backup John Urzua had one of the best games of his short career, leading MT to a 37-17 win.
Urzua was 25 of 31 through the air, racking up 250 yards and a touchdown while orchestrating the offense. Sophomore running back Brad Anderson also had a whale of a game, rushing for 112 yards and catching six passes for another 47 yards and a TD.
A key 21-point Middle Tennessee run over the second quarter and beginning of the third put the game out of reach. When it was over, the Blue Raiders held a 24-3 advantage early in the second half, and they cruised from there.
The 21-point explosion was led by two rushing touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation by newly turned running back Tavares Thomas, who added another score in the fourth quarter to account for three in his first game as an offensive player.
Middle Tennessee's defense was also tough against the Panthers, with Khalil Brooks racking up team-highs with eight tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.
Who wins the run game?
Just like last year's matchup, the Blue Raiders will again try to establish its running game. Thomas may have more of a say in that this time around.
The senior missed MT's second and third games with a leg injury, but he's responded the last two weeks with 116 total yards (72 rushing and 44 receiving) and two TDs apiece rushing and receiving.
While Thomas has started to come around the last two games, Middle Tennessee has actually been led in the rushing department by its quarterback.
Brent Stockstill has helped add another element to the offense by leading the team with 87 rushing yards and a touchdown the last two weeks combined.
He'll have to watch the running lanes Saturday against talented Panther linebackers, led by current C-USA tackles-per-game leader Sage Lewis (12.2, seventh in the nation).
"They're led by their linebackers and do a great job with their zone coverage," Brent Stockstill said. "As always, we'll have to have a great plan and execute it to be successful."
On the flip side, FIU has established itself as one of the better rushing teams in the league, while MT has struggled at times the past few weeks against other good ground attacks.
The loss of starter Anthony Jones after week one has created a running back committee for the Panthers, who'll trot out a three-headed ground game with Shawndarrius Phillips, Napoleon Maxwell and D'Vonte Price.
Losing Jones to unfortunate circumstances hasn't derailed FIU on the ground, as Phillips (274), Maxwell (257) and Price (198) have combined for 729 yards and 10 TDs. The Panthers are third in C-USA averaging 185 yards per game rushing.
Middle Tennessee will have to keep all three in check, as each has rushed for over 100 yards in a game this year. The Blue Raiders haven't been particularly great the last two games against the run, giving up 240.5 yards per game, but only 65 of those yards per game came in the second half.
"It's going to come down to tackling," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "Their running backs are good, but we need to do a better job at tackling. We had a lot of missed tackles this past week, and we need to get that cleaned up."
Battle of the QBs
Both teams' rushing attacks will be aided by the threat of talented quarterbacks going over the top.
Middle Tennessee's Brent Stockstill was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after his 317-yard, three-touchdown (one rushing) performance against Marshall, and FIU graduate player James Morgan currently leads the league in passer efficiency (171.66) this season.
The Blue Raiders have been good against the pass the past two games, allowing 163.5 yards per outing and intercepting two passes. They'll have to find a way to get to Morgan, a Bowling Green transfer who's only been sacked five times this year (second best in C-USA) and thrown 12 touchdowns (second in C-USA) against four interceptions.
"He throws the ball really well," Rick Stockstill said. "He moves around in the pocket well, but he doesn't present that threat of pulling the ball down and running. I'm very impressed with what he's done this year."
Brent Stockstill should be able to move the ball against an FIU defense giving up 245.4 yards per game through the air. The Panthers have also had issues forcing pressure, getting to opposing QBs nine times.
The southpaw signal caller would do well to try and keep building chemistry with All-C-USA receiver Ty Lee. The junior made a move from the slot to the outside this season, and after having just 50 receiving yards in the first three games, he's responded by catching 10 balls for 129 yards in the last two combined. He hasn't gotten into the end zone yet this year.
"When you move a guy from the inside to the outside, it's harder to give him those easy touches," Brent Stockstill said. "He may not have as many catches, but he's getting the big 15- and 20-yard explosive plays. I just need to continue to get him the ball, because he's doing a good job at getting open."
Punt return prowess
Redshirt junior wide receiver Maurice Alexander has been explosive in the punt return game for FIU this season, and an injury to MT senior punter Matt Bonadies could make Saturday interesting in the punt game.
Bonadies has put up solid numbers so far this season, leading Middle Tennessee to a 38.6-yard net punt average, but he suffered an injury against Marshall and may have to hand punting duties to redshirt sophomore Matthew Stephenson.
The Blue Raiders will need whoever is punting to try and limit Alexander, who averages 23.6 yards per return to lead C-USA.
Getting out of the gates
In its two C-USA wins the past two weeks, MT was fantastic in the second half on both sides of the ball, outscoring FAU and Marshall 39-10. The problem was the first half, when it fell into holes of 11 and seven at halftime, respectively.
If the Blue Raiders fall down in the first half against the Panthers, things could get dicey. FIU has been good in the second half and hasn't allowed a touchdown in the fourth quarter this season.
"It's starts with our preparation," Harris said. "We have to learn the game plan and just come out with more focus and more energy so we don't have to play from behind."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
The home Panthers (3-2, 1-0) haven't beaten the Blue Raiders (3-2, 2-0) since 2014. That doesn't mean the road team can take things lightly, though, because second-year head coach Butch Davis' squad hasn't held a division lead this late in a season since moving to C-USA in 2013. They'll surely come out firing.
"As we evaluate FIU, I think it's probably the best FIU team we've played in a long time," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said at Monday's weekly press conference. "Going down there, we've got our work cut out for us. We have to have a great week of preparation, because this is a really good football team … they make you earn everything you get, so it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us but one that we're going to be excited and ready for."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: beIN Sports & beIN Connect
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Series history
History has not been kind to FIU in the 13-game series, which has been dominated by MT 9-4. The teams have squared off every season since the Panthers joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2005, then both moved to C-USA in 2013.
While the Blue Raiders have a decided advantage in the wins column, the games have usually been close. Eight of the 13 contests have been settled by 10 points or less, including three of the last four.
Middle Tennessee has won three in a row over FIU and five of the last six dating back to 2012, when the Blue Raiders traveled to Miami for the Panthers' homecoming and spoiled the events 34-30.
Last meeting
In 2017, FIU hit the road to Murfreesboro with a new coach to square off with a Blue Raider team missing its starting quarterback.
Brent Stockstill wouldn't return for three more games for Middle Tennessee, but it didn't seem to matter against the Panthers. Backup John Urzua had one of the best games of his short career, leading MT to a 37-17 win.
Urzua was 25 of 31 through the air, racking up 250 yards and a touchdown while orchestrating the offense. Sophomore running back Brad Anderson also had a whale of a game, rushing for 112 yards and catching six passes for another 47 yards and a TD.
A key 21-point Middle Tennessee run over the second quarter and beginning of the third put the game out of reach. When it was over, the Blue Raiders held a 24-3 advantage early in the second half, and they cruised from there.
The 21-point explosion was led by two rushing touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation by newly turned running back Tavares Thomas, who added another score in the fourth quarter to account for three in his first game as an offensive player.
Middle Tennessee's defense was also tough against the Panthers, with Khalil Brooks racking up team-highs with eight tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.
Who wins the run game?
Just like last year's matchup, the Blue Raiders will again try to establish its running game. Thomas may have more of a say in that this time around.
The senior missed MT's second and third games with a leg injury, but he's responded the last two weeks with 116 total yards (72 rushing and 44 receiving) and two TDs apiece rushing and receiving.
While Thomas has started to come around the last two games, Middle Tennessee has actually been led in the rushing department by its quarterback.
Brent Stockstill has helped add another element to the offense by leading the team with 87 rushing yards and a touchdown the last two weeks combined.
He'll have to watch the running lanes Saturday against talented Panther linebackers, led by current C-USA tackles-per-game leader Sage Lewis (12.2, seventh in the nation).
"They're led by their linebackers and do a great job with their zone coverage," Brent Stockstill said. "As always, we'll have to have a great plan and execute it to be successful."
On the flip side, FIU has established itself as one of the better rushing teams in the league, while MT has struggled at times the past few weeks against other good ground attacks.
The loss of starter Anthony Jones after week one has created a running back committee for the Panthers, who'll trot out a three-headed ground game with Shawndarrius Phillips, Napoleon Maxwell and D'Vonte Price.
Losing Jones to unfortunate circumstances hasn't derailed FIU on the ground, as Phillips (274), Maxwell (257) and Price (198) have combined for 729 yards and 10 TDs. The Panthers are third in C-USA averaging 185 yards per game rushing.
Middle Tennessee will have to keep all three in check, as each has rushed for over 100 yards in a game this year. The Blue Raiders haven't been particularly great the last two games against the run, giving up 240.5 yards per game, but only 65 of those yards per game came in the second half.
"It's going to come down to tackling," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "Their running backs are good, but we need to do a better job at tackling. We had a lot of missed tackles this past week, and we need to get that cleaned up."
Battle of the QBs
Both teams' rushing attacks will be aided by the threat of talented quarterbacks going over the top.
Middle Tennessee's Brent Stockstill was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after his 317-yard, three-touchdown (one rushing) performance against Marshall, and FIU graduate player James Morgan currently leads the league in passer efficiency (171.66) this season.
The Blue Raiders have been good against the pass the past two games, allowing 163.5 yards per outing and intercepting two passes. They'll have to find a way to get to Morgan, a Bowling Green transfer who's only been sacked five times this year (second best in C-USA) and thrown 12 touchdowns (second in C-USA) against four interceptions.
"He throws the ball really well," Rick Stockstill said. "He moves around in the pocket well, but he doesn't present that threat of pulling the ball down and running. I'm very impressed with what he's done this year."
Brent Stockstill should be able to move the ball against an FIU defense giving up 245.4 yards per game through the air. The Panthers have also had issues forcing pressure, getting to opposing QBs nine times.
The southpaw signal caller would do well to try and keep building chemistry with All-C-USA receiver Ty Lee. The junior made a move from the slot to the outside this season, and after having just 50 receiving yards in the first three games, he's responded by catching 10 balls for 129 yards in the last two combined. He hasn't gotten into the end zone yet this year.
"When you move a guy from the inside to the outside, it's harder to give him those easy touches," Brent Stockstill said. "He may not have as many catches, but he's getting the big 15- and 20-yard explosive plays. I just need to continue to get him the ball, because he's doing a good job at getting open."
Punt return prowess
Redshirt junior wide receiver Maurice Alexander has been explosive in the punt return game for FIU this season, and an injury to MT senior punter Matt Bonadies could make Saturday interesting in the punt game.
Bonadies has put up solid numbers so far this season, leading Middle Tennessee to a 38.6-yard net punt average, but he suffered an injury against Marshall and may have to hand punting duties to redshirt sophomore Matthew Stephenson.
The Blue Raiders will need whoever is punting to try and limit Alexander, who averages 23.6 yards per return to lead C-USA.
Getting out of the gates
In its two C-USA wins the past two weeks, MT was fantastic in the second half on both sides of the ball, outscoring FAU and Marshall 39-10. The problem was the first half, when it fell into holes of 11 and seven at halftime, respectively.
If the Blue Raiders fall down in the first half against the Panthers, things could get dicey. FIU has been good in the second half and hasn't allowed a touchdown in the fourth quarter this season.
"It's starts with our preparation," Harris said. "We have to learn the game plan and just come out with more focus and more energy so we don't have to play from behind."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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