Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, November 17
Lexington, KY
11:00 AM
Middle Tennessee
at
Kentucky
Looking ahead to MT and UK
11/16/2018 11:30:00 AM | Football
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With Conference USA championship dreams on its mind, Middle Tennessee will step out of conference on Saturday.
The Blue Raiders (7-3, 6-1), who currently own a half-game lead over FIU in the C-USA East Division standings, will travel to Southeastern Conference foe No. 20/21 Kentucky (7-3, 5-3).
Middle Tennessee might be more concerned about the outcome in the regular-season finale against UAB next week, but head coach Rick Stockstill reiterated on Monday how much his team wants to win in Lexington Saturday.
"We need to have a great week of preparation," he said. "When you play teams like this, there isn't much margin for error … but we're going to be excited and ready to play this game.
"We're going to try to win this game and worry about next week next week."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: SEC Network Alternate
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, Sirius XM 191 and 962
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Series history
The Wildcats and Blue Raiders have painted the field blue twice before, in 2002 and 2008.
Both games were played in Kentucky, and the home team took both, by a 44-22 score in 2002 and a much-closer 20-14 in 2008. They were also both played in Week 3 of each season, making this year's matchup the latest the two teams have ever met.
Last meeting
While it's been a decade since the two teams last met, Blue Raider fans should have some fond memories from the last matchup, though not the final score.
Going into the week fresh off an upset of Maryland, Middle Tennessee played a great game for three quarters, taking a 14-10 lead into the final frame on the back of two touchdown passes from quarterback Joe Craddock.
Kentucky managed 10 points on a rushing touchdown and field goal in the final quarter, pushing ahead 20-14 before drama broke out in the final seconds.
The Wildcats lined up for a 33-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining, but Middle Tennessee's Alex Suber busted through the line to block it and give the visitors a chance.
Ted Riley scooped up the block and returned it into Kentucky territory, but a block in the back was called on the return, giving Middle Tennessee the ball at its own 38 with eight seconds left on the clock.
Craddock launched a Hail Mary pass just shy of the end zone, where it bounced off the hands of a few players before falling into the lap of Blue Raider Eldred King at the 3-yard line.
King tried to shake off two defenders, but he was brought down at the 1 as time expired, crushing MT's upset hopes by a yard.
Craddock finished with 352 passing yards and two touchdowns against an interception while Middle Tennessee out-gained Kentucky 383-356.
NFL-caliber pass rusher could wreak havoc
The Blue Raiders will have to get a similar day from its passing game as it did in 2008 to pull the upset on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee's offense has been on the uptick of late, leading C-USA in scoring (32.7 per game) in conference-only games while ranking fifth in both passing and rushing yards.
Redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill has reconnected with his top wideout junior Ty Lee in the last seven games, hitting the small speedster 41 times for 571 yards and five touchdowns in that span. Lee has scored at least once in four straight games and last week set season highs against UTEP with 10 catches and 158 yards, while his QB threw for 352 yards and four TDs.
The Blue Raiders have also been steady in pass protection this season, allowing Brent Stockstill to get sacked just over two times per game on average. They likely haven't seen anything like Kentucky's prized pass rusher, though.
Senior linebacker Josh Allen has terrorized offenses all year long, racking up an SEC-best 11 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. The 2017 All-SEC Second Team member is also one tackle off the team lead with 65.
Allen anchors a defense that's third in the SEC and ninth in the country in scoring (16.9 allowed per game). The Wildcats will surely give the Blue Raiders all they can handle, and it starts with the future NFL Draft first-rounder.
"Obviously, he's an outstanding player and the heart of their defense," Brent Stockstill said. "Any time you play a guy like that, you have to have a great plan and figure out a way to slow him down. We'll have to have success with the run, and it's my job as the quarterback to get the ball out of my hands faster and get the protection set up right."
Snell no snail
Allen isn't the only Kentucky player who's fighting to lead the SEC in statistical categories.
On the offensive side, junior running back Benny Snell Jr. has paced the Wildcat offense with 1,086 rushing yards, ranking second in the SEC.
The 5-foot-11, 223-pound bruiser has also racked up 10 rushing scores this season, fourth in the SEC, and he has 1,194 all-purpose yards.
Finding a way to slow Snell down will be a tough task for the MT defense.
"He's going to be one of the best guys we've faced this year," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "He's a tough runner and does big things with the ball in his hands. He's one of their key playmakers, and they do a lot to get him the ball. We just have to get ready to work hard and tackle well."
Since allowing Georgia, Florida Atlantic and Marshall to each rack up over 200 yards on the ground in three-straight games earlier this season, Middle Tennessee has improved against the rush.
The Blue Raiders have given up an average of 126.2 rushing yards per game in their last five contests, compared to 204 allowed on average in their first five.
With Snell in the backfield, though, MT will definitely have its hands full.
Out-of-conference game could break rhythm
Middle Tennessee hasn't played an out-of-conference game this late in the season since 2006, when it went to South Carolina and fell 52-7 to snap a four-game winning streak.
In that season, the Blue Raiders responded after the matchup with the Gamecocks with a 21-20 heartbreaking loss to Troy in the regular-season finale, giving MT a 6-1 Sun Belt Conference record and share of the league title. It was Middle Tennessee's last conference championship.
This season has played out similarly to 2006, with the Raiders riding a four-game winning streak into the non-conference contest and sitting with a chance at a conference championship game berth.
They're just hoping the break in conference play doesn't hurt their momentum built in the league.
"It kind of breaks up your rhythm a little bit," Rick Stockstill said. "I don't think it really presents anything different, but it's a little bit unique for us.
"It doesn't matter when you play them, we've got to be ready to play. This is one of the best teams in the country, so we've got to be ready to play and I know we will be."
One more for MT's seniors
After Middle Tennessee travels to Kentucky, it will return home for one more regular-season game in the 2018 campaign.
On senior day, the Blue Raiders will host UAB and honor 23 seniors. The class has been one of the best in MT football history, this year becoming the first to go to four-straight bowl games and notching historic wins over Missouri and Syracuse from the SEC and ACC.
It will be a critical matchup, with UAB sitting atop the C-USA West Division standings and having a C-USA Championship Game berth already in hand. Middle Tennessee is 6-1 in C-USA, a half-game ahead of FIU (5-1), but the Panthers own the tiebreaker thanks to a 24-21 win over MT five weeks ago.
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 Blue Raiders (7-3, 6-1), who currently own a half-game lead over FIU in the C-USA East Division standings, will travel to Southeastern Conference foe No. 20/21 Kentucky (7-3, 5-3).
Middle Tennessee might be more concerned about the outcome in the regular-season finale against UAB next week, but head coach Rick Stockstill reiterated on Monday how much his team wants to win in Lexington Saturday.
"We need to have a great week of preparation," he said. "When you play teams like this, there isn't much margin for error … but we're going to be excited and ready to play this game.
"We're going to try to win this game and worry about next week next week."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: SEC Network Alternate
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, Sirius XM 191 and 962
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Series history
The Wildcats and Blue Raiders have painted the field blue twice before, in 2002 and 2008.
Both games were played in Kentucky, and the home team took both, by a 44-22 score in 2002 and a much-closer 20-14 in 2008. They were also both played in Week 3 of each season, making this year's matchup the latest the two teams have ever met.
Last meeting
While it's been a decade since the two teams last met, Blue Raider fans should have some fond memories from the last matchup, though not the final score.
Going into the week fresh off an upset of Maryland, Middle Tennessee played a great game for three quarters, taking a 14-10 lead into the final frame on the back of two touchdown passes from quarterback Joe Craddock.
Kentucky managed 10 points on a rushing touchdown and field goal in the final quarter, pushing ahead 20-14 before drama broke out in the final seconds.
The Wildcats lined up for a 33-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining, but Middle Tennessee's Alex Suber busted through the line to block it and give the visitors a chance.
Ted Riley scooped up the block and returned it into Kentucky territory, but a block in the back was called on the return, giving Middle Tennessee the ball at its own 38 with eight seconds left on the clock.
Craddock launched a Hail Mary pass just shy of the end zone, where it bounced off the hands of a few players before falling into the lap of Blue Raider Eldred King at the 3-yard line.
King tried to shake off two defenders, but he was brought down at the 1 as time expired, crushing MT's upset hopes by a yard.
Craddock finished with 352 passing yards and two touchdowns against an interception while Middle Tennessee out-gained Kentucky 383-356.
NFL-caliber pass rusher could wreak havoc
The Blue Raiders will have to get a similar day from its passing game as it did in 2008 to pull the upset on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee's offense has been on the uptick of late, leading C-USA in scoring (32.7 per game) in conference-only games while ranking fifth in both passing and rushing yards.
Redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill has reconnected with his top wideout junior Ty Lee in the last seven games, hitting the small speedster 41 times for 571 yards and five touchdowns in that span. Lee has scored at least once in four straight games and last week set season highs against UTEP with 10 catches and 158 yards, while his QB threw for 352 yards and four TDs.
The Blue Raiders have also been steady in pass protection this season, allowing Brent Stockstill to get sacked just over two times per game on average. They likely haven't seen anything like Kentucky's prized pass rusher, though.
Senior linebacker Josh Allen has terrorized offenses all year long, racking up an SEC-best 11 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. The 2017 All-SEC Second Team member is also one tackle off the team lead with 65.
Allen anchors a defense that's third in the SEC and ninth in the country in scoring (16.9 allowed per game). The Wildcats will surely give the Blue Raiders all they can handle, and it starts with the future NFL Draft first-rounder.
"Obviously, he's an outstanding player and the heart of their defense," Brent Stockstill said. "Any time you play a guy like that, you have to have a great plan and figure out a way to slow him down. We'll have to have success with the run, and it's my job as the quarterback to get the ball out of my hands faster and get the protection set up right."
Snell no snail
Allen isn't the only Kentucky player who's fighting to lead the SEC in statistical categories.
On the offensive side, junior running back Benny Snell Jr. has paced the Wildcat offense with 1,086 rushing yards, ranking second in the SEC.
The 5-foot-11, 223-pound bruiser has also racked up 10 rushing scores this season, fourth in the SEC, and he has 1,194 all-purpose yards.
Finding a way to slow Snell down will be a tough task for the MT defense.
"He's going to be one of the best guys we've faced this year," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "He's a tough runner and does big things with the ball in his hands. He's one of their key playmakers, and they do a lot to get him the ball. We just have to get ready to work hard and tackle well."
Since allowing Georgia, Florida Atlantic and Marshall to each rack up over 200 yards on the ground in three-straight games earlier this season, Middle Tennessee has improved against the rush.
The Blue Raiders have given up an average of 126.2 rushing yards per game in their last five contests, compared to 204 allowed on average in their first five.
With Snell in the backfield, though, MT will definitely have its hands full.
Out-of-conference game could break rhythm
Middle Tennessee hasn't played an out-of-conference game this late in the season since 2006, when it went to South Carolina and fell 52-7 to snap a four-game winning streak.
In that season, the Blue Raiders responded after the matchup with the Gamecocks with a 21-20 heartbreaking loss to Troy in the regular-season finale, giving MT a 6-1 Sun Belt Conference record and share of the league title. It was Middle Tennessee's last conference championship.
This season has played out similarly to 2006, with the Raiders riding a four-game winning streak into the non-conference contest and sitting with a chance at a conference championship game berth.
They're just hoping the break in conference play doesn't hurt their momentum built in the league.
"It kind of breaks up your rhythm a little bit," Rick Stockstill said. "I don't think it really presents anything different, but it's a little bit unique for us.
"It doesn't matter when you play them, we've got to be ready to play. This is one of the best teams in the country, so we've got to be ready to play and I know we will be."
One more for MT's seniors
After Middle Tennessee travels to Kentucky, it will return home for one more regular-season game in the 2018 campaign.
On senior day, the Blue Raiders will host UAB and honor 23 seniors. The class has been one of the best in MT football history, this year becoming the first to go to four-straight bowl games and notching historic wins over Missouri and Syracuse from the SEC and ACC.
It will be a critical matchup, with UAB sitting atop the C-USA West Division standings and having a C-USA Championship Game berth already in hand. Middle Tennessee is 6-1 in C-USA, a half-game ahead of FIU (5-1), but the Panthers own the tiebreaker thanks to a 24-21 win over MT five weeks ago.
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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