Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, December 1
Murfreesboro, TN
12:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
UAB
Looking ahead to MT and UAB with CBS's Carter Blackburn
11/30/2018 9:00:00 AM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A heavyweight bout is in store for football fans at Floyd Stadium on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee (8-4) and UAB (9-3) will do battle for the second straight week in the Globe Life Conference USA Championship Game on the Blue Raiders' home field.
Before the Raiders – East Division champions – take on the West-winning Blazers, CBS Sports Network play-by-play announcer got a chance to sit down with goblueraiders.com to discuss the matchup.
It'll be the eighth time the teams have played all-time – MT has a 4-3 record – and fourth game in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee has won all three previous home matchups and has won seven in a row at home overall.
The two teams battled in the final week of the regular season seven days prior to the C-USA championship, a convincing 27-3 Blue Raider victory.
GBR: Have you ever been a part of something like this game with two teams playing two weeks in a row for a conference title?
CB: "Ironically, our crew – I didn't announce the game – but our crew, last year in the Mountain West Conference with Fresno State and Boise State, they worked at the regular season meeting prior to the championship game. I believe it's the third time it's happened since 1980, and our production crew has been on two of the games."
Teams don't generally get to play two games against each other in one season. In MT's and UAB's case, they'll play for the second time in seven days at the same venue.
The uniqueness of the back-to-back contests will be a challenge for both teams.
How do you think playing two weeks in a row will change how the second matchup plays out?
"I think UAB certainly has a lot to prove in this game. Getting dominated and playing your worst game of the year against Middle Tennessee, I think that makes them fired up and ready to prove something. I'm sure they're fired up, and I think that's a piece of the puzzle.
"I think it's all strange. Even when you look at Middle Tennessee, they have a chance to win an outright title for the first time since 1992, and in order to do that, you have to beat a team twice at the end of the year. That's very strange."
Middle Tennessee goes into the title game on a roll in C-USA games. It's won five in a row overall and six in a row at home against league opponents.
This season, the Blue Raiders finished with a 7-1 conference record thanks to its defense forcing a C-USA-high 18 turnovers, giving them a plus-10 turnover margin in league games.
The MT stoppers limited UAB to negative-1 yards rushing in the first matchup and 89 total yards, and the Raiders forced an interception. That came without Blazer star running back Spencer Brown in the game after the sophomore received only a single carry while nursing an injury. He ranks third in C-USA in rushing yards (993).
The win wasn't all on the blue defense, though.
Offensively, Middle Tennessee kept a strong streak going with 394 total yards, 261 of them coming from redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill. He connected on 22-of-29 passes with two touchdowns, giving him 103 in his career to rank 22nd all-time in the NCAA.
The offensive output was impressive against a UAB defense that went into the game ranked fifth nationally in yards allowed (277.5 per game).
How do you expect the matchup of Middle Tennessee's offense against UAB's defense to shape out?
"Middle Tennessee is a team that likes to put in a bunch of different wrinkles in between weeks. They like to put in new plays and formations to keep you guessing early on and try to jump on you while you're guessing. I'm interested as to what bag of tricks they go to a week after they just pulled a few special things out that worked the week prior."
"Brent Stockstill is incredible in this offense. He already holds a master's degree in coaching while he's playing at Middle Tennessee, and no one in college football runs their offense as well as Brent Stockstill does.
"Part of being a good defensive team is having the right offense around you, and UAB is a ground-game, run-the-football and keep-the-defense-rested type of a team. When you rush for minus-1 yard and 89 total yards of offense, that just makes you totally out of sorts. They're used to having their offense run the football, run the clock, make sure your defense is rested. When you go three and out in a hurry, that hurts your defense.
"One carry for Spencer Brown, and the offensive line was decimated. I think it was just a really bad night at the office for UAB. I would be surprised if they don't play a lot better on Saturday."
With championship dreams on the line, the game will also feature one of the best coaching matchups C-USA has to offer with Middle Tennessee's Rick Stockstill and UAB's Bill Clark.
Stockstill has been at MT for 13 seasons, making him the sixth-longest tenured coach in the country, and his teams have been bowl eligible 10 times.
Clark is in his third season at the helm of the Blazers, and he's successfully guided the program back from nothingness.
UAB announced after the 2014 season, Clark's first in Birmingham, that its football program would be disbanded. It quickly changed course, but it would cost the Blazers two seasons on the gridiron.
When the Blazers took the field in 2017 after a two-year absence, not many expected them to contend for a few seasons. They've done just that, though, racking up a 17-8 overall record and advancing to their first C-USA championship game in program history.
What impresses you most about these two coaches?
"Both are two of my favorite programs, really. If you think of what college football is at its best, it's a coach leading guys from a bunch of different backgrounds and achieving together. For Rick Stockstill, he's made Middle Tennessee football literally his family. With the Blue Raiders, it's literally family, and it's been a special program because you know how much he and his family and coaching staff put into it.
"For UAB, it's a program totally unlike any other. Coach Clark had the seasons where he was the head coach of the UAB Blazers and there was no team. He was working on UAB football from his kitchen table because he didn't have an office because there was no program.
"When you talk about backing up your words about commitment, I think these two coaches have really lived up to it. That's one of the best parts about college football."
A first-time C-USA champion will be crowned on Saturday after a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. The unique title matchup will surely keep football fans on the edge of their seats, bringing an end to a thrilling season.
Taking it all into account, what do you expect to see on the field Saturday?
"Well, I expect to see a much better football game than we saw last Saturday. I think the motivation is clear for UAB and Middle Tennessee, and they both get to play with a chip on their shoulder. For Middle Tennessee, you're trying to prove that you are a champion and an undisputed champion. If you beat UAB back-to-back weeks at the end of the year, you're the undisputed champion of the conference."
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.
Middle Tennessee (8-4) and UAB (9-3) will do battle for the second straight week in the Globe Life Conference USA Championship Game on the Blue Raiders' home field.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, Sirius XM 203 and 968
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, Sirius XM 203 and 968
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Before the Raiders – East Division champions – take on the West-winning Blazers, CBS Sports Network play-by-play announcer got a chance to sit down with goblueraiders.com to discuss the matchup.
It'll be the eighth time the teams have played all-time – MT has a 4-3 record – and fourth game in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee has won all three previous home matchups and has won seven in a row at home overall.
The two teams battled in the final week of the regular season seven days prior to the C-USA championship, a convincing 27-3 Blue Raider victory.
GBR: Have you ever been a part of something like this game with two teams playing two weeks in a row for a conference title?
CB: "Ironically, our crew – I didn't announce the game – but our crew, last year in the Mountain West Conference with Fresno State and Boise State, they worked at the regular season meeting prior to the championship game. I believe it's the third time it's happened since 1980, and our production crew has been on two of the games."
Teams don't generally get to play two games against each other in one season. In MT's and UAB's case, they'll play for the second time in seven days at the same venue.
The uniqueness of the back-to-back contests will be a challenge for both teams.
How do you think playing two weeks in a row will change how the second matchup plays out?
"I think UAB certainly has a lot to prove in this game. Getting dominated and playing your worst game of the year against Middle Tennessee, I think that makes them fired up and ready to prove something. I'm sure they're fired up, and I think that's a piece of the puzzle.
"I think it's all strange. Even when you look at Middle Tennessee, they have a chance to win an outright title for the first time since 1992, and in order to do that, you have to beat a team twice at the end of the year. That's very strange."
Middle Tennessee goes into the title game on a roll in C-USA games. It's won five in a row overall and six in a row at home against league opponents.
This season, the Blue Raiders finished with a 7-1 conference record thanks to its defense forcing a C-USA-high 18 turnovers, giving them a plus-10 turnover margin in league games.
The MT stoppers limited UAB to negative-1 yards rushing in the first matchup and 89 total yards, and the Raiders forced an interception. That came without Blazer star running back Spencer Brown in the game after the sophomore received only a single carry while nursing an injury. He ranks third in C-USA in rushing yards (993).
The win wasn't all on the blue defense, though.
Offensively, Middle Tennessee kept a strong streak going with 394 total yards, 261 of them coming from redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill. He connected on 22-of-29 passes with two touchdowns, giving him 103 in his career to rank 22nd all-time in the NCAA.
The offensive output was impressive against a UAB defense that went into the game ranked fifth nationally in yards allowed (277.5 per game).
How do you expect the matchup of Middle Tennessee's offense against UAB's defense to shape out?
"Middle Tennessee is a team that likes to put in a bunch of different wrinkles in between weeks. They like to put in new plays and formations to keep you guessing early on and try to jump on you while you're guessing. I'm interested as to what bag of tricks they go to a week after they just pulled a few special things out that worked the week prior."
"Brent Stockstill is incredible in this offense. He already holds a master's degree in coaching while he's playing at Middle Tennessee, and no one in college football runs their offense as well as Brent Stockstill does.
"Part of being a good defensive team is having the right offense around you, and UAB is a ground-game, run-the-football and keep-the-defense-rested type of a team. When you rush for minus-1 yard and 89 total yards of offense, that just makes you totally out of sorts. They're used to having their offense run the football, run the clock, make sure your defense is rested. When you go three and out in a hurry, that hurts your defense.
"One carry for Spencer Brown, and the offensive line was decimated. I think it was just a really bad night at the office for UAB. I would be surprised if they don't play a lot better on Saturday."
With championship dreams on the line, the game will also feature one of the best coaching matchups C-USA has to offer with Middle Tennessee's Rick Stockstill and UAB's Bill Clark.
Stockstill has been at MT for 13 seasons, making him the sixth-longest tenured coach in the country, and his teams have been bowl eligible 10 times.
Clark is in his third season at the helm of the Blazers, and he's successfully guided the program back from nothingness.
UAB announced after the 2014 season, Clark's first in Birmingham, that its football program would be disbanded. It quickly changed course, but it would cost the Blazers two seasons on the gridiron.
When the Blazers took the field in 2017 after a two-year absence, not many expected them to contend for a few seasons. They've done just that, though, racking up a 17-8 overall record and advancing to their first C-USA championship game in program history.
What impresses you most about these two coaches?
"Both are two of my favorite programs, really. If you think of what college football is at its best, it's a coach leading guys from a bunch of different backgrounds and achieving together. For Rick Stockstill, he's made Middle Tennessee football literally his family. With the Blue Raiders, it's literally family, and it's been a special program because you know how much he and his family and coaching staff put into it.
"For UAB, it's a program totally unlike any other. Coach Clark had the seasons where he was the head coach of the UAB Blazers and there was no team. He was working on UAB football from his kitchen table because he didn't have an office because there was no program.
"When you talk about backing up your words about commitment, I think these two coaches have really lived up to it. That's one of the best parts about college football."
A first-time C-USA champion will be crowned on Saturday after a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. The unique title matchup will surely keep football fans on the edge of their seats, bringing an end to a thrilling season.
Taking it all into account, what do you expect to see on the field Saturday?
"Well, I expect to see a much better football game than we saw last Saturday. I think the motivation is clear for UAB and Middle Tennessee, and they both get to play with a chip on their shoulder. For Middle Tennessee, you're trying to prove that you are a champion and an undisputed champion. If you beat UAB back-to-back weeks at the end of the year, you're the undisputed champion of the conference."
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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