Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, September 15
Athens, GA
11:00 AM
Middle Tennessee
at
Georgia
Looking ahead to MT at #3 Georgia
9/14/2018 11:28:00 AM | Football
ATHENS, Ga. – Middle Tennessee will face its toughest test of the season Saturday when it travels to Athens, Georgia to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
The defending national runners-up Bulldogs (2-0) have gotten off to a strong start this season, with wins over Austin Peay and at the time No. 24 South Carolina in their Southeastern Conference opener. They've outscored opponents 86-17 through two games.
The Blue Raiders (1-1) will have their work cut out for them between the hedges.
"Obviously, everybody knows the challenge that this [Georgia] team presents," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "But it's a challenge that we're looking forward to. I know our players are excited.
"[UGA head coach] Kirby Smart has done a great job since being there. It's a great environment … it's always a great crowd there, and it will be a great college atmosphere."
It'll be the first time MT has played a game in Georgia since the 2012 season, when it took down Georgia Tech in Atlanta 49-28. Overall, the Raiders are just 4-5 since 1979 playing in the Peach State, and they're 0-1 all-time against UGA.
The game has been moved from its original start time of 6:15 p.m. CT to 11 a.m. due to weather threats from Hurricane Florence. It's also changed from ESPN2 to ESPN News.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: ESPNews or the ESPN app
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, XM station 191
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Last meeting
If the game Saturday goes like it did during the teams' only other meeting, the Blue Raiders could count it as a win even if the scoreboard doesn't agree.
In 2003, Middle Tennessee traveled to Athens as a big underdog against the eighth-ranked Bulldogs. While they weren't supposed to even sniff a victory, the Blue Raiders had a chance, trailing just 10-3 at halftime before eventually losing 29-10.
The story of that contest was the 18 penalties for 129 yards UGA accrued. That is still a program record in both categories for Georgia.
Quarterback Andrico Hines led MT that day, accounting for 173 passing yards and another 39 rushing. He threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Kerry Wright in the fourth quarter; the wideout had five catches for 103 yards and the score.
Defensively, Middle Tennessee had two sacks against the Bulldogs but were eventually overwhelmed by quarterback David Greene and receivers Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson. Greene finished with 267 yards passing, while Brown and Gibson both went over the 80-yard mark receiving.
MT defense fighting a three-headed monster
Georgia has another good quarterback this season in sophomore Jake Fromm, who has a career 27:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 15-2 record.
Fromm isn't the focal point of the Bulldog offense, however. That belongs to a three-headed running back monster that's doing an admirable job filling in for the NCAA's all-time leading running back duo.
The Bulldogs may have lost NFL backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb after last season, who finished with a combined 8,407 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns in their UGA careers. They've got another wave of talented youngsters, though, in sophomore D'Andre Swift and juniors Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien.
Led by Swift's 107 total rushing yards, Georgia ranks 22nd in the country with a 277.5-yard-per-game average on the ground, and it's scored six rushing TDs in two games. Swift and Holyfield have found pay dirt twice apiece, while Herrien has scored once.
Middle Tennessee has had some trouble stopping the run through two games, giving up an average of 139 yards per game. The Blue Raiders allowed Vanderbilt 176 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Week 1, then gave up 102 yards and one score against UT Martin in Week 2.
"We'll definitely need to do better tackling," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "We did a good job against UT Martin, but we had a lot of missed tackles and gave up a lot of explosive plays.
"To have any chance of winning this week, we have to do a better job of tackling and limiting explosive plays."
Offense faces one of nation's best
While its defense needs to do a better job stopping the run, Middle Tennessee's offense also needs to focus on the ground game against the Bulldogs, especially if the weather makes it tough to pass.
Through two games, the Blue Raiders have only rushed for 193 total yards, 77 of them coming against UT Martin. Senior running back Tavares Thomas missed Week 2 and could be in jeopardy of missing his second straight game with a leg injury.
Redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill had a bounce-back performance against UT Martin, throwing for 407 yards and five touchdowns. But, he'll have a tough time against a good Georgia secondary featuring NFL prospects Deandre Baker (Preseason All-American) and J.R. Reed (2017 Second Team All-SEC).
The Bulldogs have been dominant with their defense through two games, giving up an average of just 72.5 yards rushing and 171.5 yards passing per game. Their 8.5-point-per-game average given up is also ranked tied for seventh in the country.
"We have to play perfect," Brent Stockstill said. "It's really not an exaggeration. If you want to hang with a team like that, you have to play perfect. You have to have a great plan going in, have the ball bounce your way sometimes, have guys make plays and hopefully you'll have a chance in the fourth to put one in the end zone and have a chance to win.
"Hopefully we'll have a great week of practice and play perfect this weekend."
Hurricane effects
Hurricane Florence has caused multiple games along the Carolinas to be moved or cancelled, and even some games inland have been affected.
Middle Tennessee and Georgia is one of those that had to make an adjustment.
With heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds expected to roll through the Athens area Saturday night, the original game time of 6:15 p.m. CT had to be moved up to 11 a.m. CT.
"After extensive evaluation involving the uncertainly of weather conditions on the east coast, and consideration of all constituencies involved including fans, support staff, and law enforcement, the Saturday Georgia-Middle Tennessee game has been moved from 7:15 p.m. (EST) to a 12 noon (EST) kickoff in Sanford Stadium," the University of Georgia Athletic Association said in a statement.
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 defending national runners-up Bulldogs (2-0) have gotten off to a strong start this season, with wins over Austin Peay and at the time No. 24 South Carolina in their Southeastern Conference opener. They've outscored opponents 86-17 through two games.
The Blue Raiders (1-1) will have their work cut out for them between the hedges.
"Obviously, everybody knows the challenge that this [Georgia] team presents," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "But it's a challenge that we're looking forward to. I know our players are excited.
"[UGA head coach] Kirby Smart has done a great job since being there. It's a great environment … it's always a great crowd there, and it will be a great college atmosphere."
It'll be the first time MT has played a game in Georgia since the 2012 season, when it took down Georgia Tech in Atlanta 49-28. Overall, the Raiders are just 4-5 since 1979 playing in the Peach State, and they're 0-1 all-time against UGA.
The game has been moved from its original start time of 6:15 p.m. CT to 11 a.m. due to weather threats from Hurricane Florence. It's also changed from ESPN2 to ESPN News.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: ESPNews or the ESPN app
Radio: 102.5 FM, 89.5 FM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, XM station 191
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Last meeting
If the game Saturday goes like it did during the teams' only other meeting, the Blue Raiders could count it as a win even if the scoreboard doesn't agree.
In 2003, Middle Tennessee traveled to Athens as a big underdog against the eighth-ranked Bulldogs. While they weren't supposed to even sniff a victory, the Blue Raiders had a chance, trailing just 10-3 at halftime before eventually losing 29-10.
The story of that contest was the 18 penalties for 129 yards UGA accrued. That is still a program record in both categories for Georgia.
Quarterback Andrico Hines led MT that day, accounting for 173 passing yards and another 39 rushing. He threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Kerry Wright in the fourth quarter; the wideout had five catches for 103 yards and the score.
Defensively, Middle Tennessee had two sacks against the Bulldogs but were eventually overwhelmed by quarterback David Greene and receivers Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson. Greene finished with 267 yards passing, while Brown and Gibson both went over the 80-yard mark receiving.
MT defense fighting a three-headed monster
Georgia has another good quarterback this season in sophomore Jake Fromm, who has a career 27:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 15-2 record.
Fromm isn't the focal point of the Bulldog offense, however. That belongs to a three-headed running back monster that's doing an admirable job filling in for the NCAA's all-time leading running back duo.
The Bulldogs may have lost NFL backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb after last season, who finished with a combined 8,407 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns in their UGA careers. They've got another wave of talented youngsters, though, in sophomore D'Andre Swift and juniors Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien.
Led by Swift's 107 total rushing yards, Georgia ranks 22nd in the country with a 277.5-yard-per-game average on the ground, and it's scored six rushing TDs in two games. Swift and Holyfield have found pay dirt twice apiece, while Herrien has scored once.
Middle Tennessee has had some trouble stopping the run through two games, giving up an average of 139 yards per game. The Blue Raiders allowed Vanderbilt 176 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Week 1, then gave up 102 yards and one score against UT Martin in Week 2.
"We'll definitely need to do better tackling," redshirt senior linebacker Darius Harris said. "We did a good job against UT Martin, but we had a lot of missed tackles and gave up a lot of explosive plays.
"To have any chance of winning this week, we have to do a better job of tackling and limiting explosive plays."
Offense faces one of nation's best
While its defense needs to do a better job stopping the run, Middle Tennessee's offense also needs to focus on the ground game against the Bulldogs, especially if the weather makes it tough to pass.
Through two games, the Blue Raiders have only rushed for 193 total yards, 77 of them coming against UT Martin. Senior running back Tavares Thomas missed Week 2 and could be in jeopardy of missing his second straight game with a leg injury.
Redshirt senior quarterback Brent Stockstill had a bounce-back performance against UT Martin, throwing for 407 yards and five touchdowns. But, he'll have a tough time against a good Georgia secondary featuring NFL prospects Deandre Baker (Preseason All-American) and J.R. Reed (2017 Second Team All-SEC).
The Bulldogs have been dominant with their defense through two games, giving up an average of just 72.5 yards rushing and 171.5 yards passing per game. Their 8.5-point-per-game average given up is also ranked tied for seventh in the country.
"We have to play perfect," Brent Stockstill said. "It's really not an exaggeration. If you want to hang with a team like that, you have to play perfect. You have to have a great plan going in, have the ball bounce your way sometimes, have guys make plays and hopefully you'll have a chance in the fourth to put one in the end zone and have a chance to win.
"Hopefully we'll have a great week of practice and play perfect this weekend."
Hurricane effects
Hurricane Florence has caused multiple games along the Carolinas to be moved or cancelled, and even some games inland have been affected.
Middle Tennessee and Georgia is one of those that had to make an adjustment.
With heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds expected to roll through the Athens area Saturday night, the original game time of 6:15 p.m. CT had to be moved up to 11 a.m. CT.
"After extensive evaluation involving the uncertainly of weather conditions on the east coast, and consideration of all constituencies involved including fans, support staff, and law enforcement, the Saturday Georgia-Middle Tennessee game has been moved from 7:15 p.m. (EST) to a 12 noon (EST) kickoff in Sanford Stadium," the University of Georgia Athletic Association said in a statement.
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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