Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Looking ahead to MT and FIU
10/25/2019 5:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Navigating a tough stretch of three away games in four weeks took its toll on Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders are back at home, though, for a much-needed homecoming weekend.
While usually good on homecoming, owning a 53-24-2 all-time record, 24-7 in the last 31 years, MT has a tough opponent coming to Murfreesboro this year.
FIU (4-3, 2-2) is on a hot streak after a 1-3 start, winning three games in a row by an average of 28 points. Middle Tennessee (2-5, 1-2) is going the other way, falling on a heartbreaking last-second field goal at North Texas last week for its second straight defeat.
"This is a really talented team coming in here … but as we look forward — again, I said it last week — it's about us," Blue Raiders head coach Rick Stockstill said. "We've got to get ourselves corrected."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: NFL Network
Radio: The Game 102.5/97.5 FM, WGNS 100.5 FM/1450 AM/101.9 FM, WDUC 93.9 FM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Coaches tale of the tape
Rick Stockstill
Record, in conference (C-USA, Sun Belt): 89-83 (14th year), 66-38
Bowl appearances, record: 8 (2018 New Orleans Bowl), 2-6
Accolades: 6-time coach of the year, 2018 C-USA COY, sixth-longest tenured coach in the country, 3rd all-time at MT in wins
Butch Davis
Record, at FIU: 84-55 (13th season), 21-12 (3rd season)
Bowl appearances as head coach (last), record: 9 (2018 Bahamas Bowl), 6-3
Accolades: Set school record with 9 wins in 2018, most wins by any coach in program history in first two seasons (17), set FIU single-season records in points and yards in 2018, has coached 35 first-round draft picks, two-time Super Bowl winning assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys
Series history
Middle Tennessee has been dominant in the series at times, especially at home.
The Panthers have only won once in seven tries at Floyd Stadium, where the Blue Raiders hold an average margin of victory of 24 points. All-time, MT is 9-5 in the series, outscoring FIU 465-322.
Last meeting
The Raiders had won three in a row against their C-USA foe from Miami until last season.
After back-to-back emotional wins over East Division rivals Florida Atlantic and Marshall, MT traveled to FIU looking to take a big step towards a division title.
The Panthers had other ideas, especially after Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill was forced out of the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter. Not to mention, three other MT starters — Jovante Moffatt, Brad Anderson and Chandler Brewer — were sidelined at times.
Trailing 21-13 in the fourth quarter, FIU found success against the stingy Raider defense, first with a field goal with just over 10 minutes left and then on a touchdown and two-point conversion.
Middle Tennessee got the ball back with 3:55 remaining, down 24-21, and Asher O'Hara, filling in for Brent Stockstill, tried to play hero. He marched the offense all the way inside the red zone, but was picked off with 34 seconds left in the end zone, ending the last-second comeback.
It was the only C-USA loss in the regular season for the Blue Raiders, who would go on to win their next four before falling in the conference championship.
Searching for offensive spark
Last year, MT went into the matchup with FIU on a high note, a winner of two in a row against FAU and Marshall.
This year, the Blue Raiders are going in on the opposite trajectory, losers of two in a row.
Their defense has played admirably since C-USA play started, holding high-powered offenses Marshall, FAU and North Texas to below their season averages in points while forcing seven turnovers in three games. Offensive consistency has been a struggle at times, though.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Asher O'Hara, the same guy who filled in for a hurt Brent Stockstill last year against FIU and valiantly led the team with 85 rushing yards and a TD, was pulled in favor or Chase Cunningham last week against North Texas.
O'Hara completed 16-of-32 passes for 136 yards and ran for another 82 yards. Cunningham, also a redshirt sophomore, was good in relief, throwing for 119 yards on nine completions and running for the game-tying touchdown with 28 seconds left. Coach Stockstill's confidence in his backup nearly paid off.
"If you look at it, we had a couple of shots in those first few drives that we had to settle for field goals on that we didn't take advantage of. Then, that third quarter we had guys open, and we just missed them … so we decided to go with Chase," Stockstill said. "Chase came in and did a nice job. He led us to two scores … I was really proud of Chase and the job that he did.
"Moving forward the rest of this week, Asher will be the quarterback, but I'm not afraid to play Chase if the opportunity presents itself."
Whether it is O'Hara or Cunningham under center for the Blue Raiders, he'll have to deal with a good defense this week.
FIU currently ranks third in scoring defense and fourth total defense in C-USA, including a fourth-place ranking in pass defense.
The Panthers do give up nearly 180 yards per game rushing, so if MT wants to find success offensively, it might be on the ground. O'Hara currently leads the team with 450 rushing yards this season.
FIU balance helping Morgan
Middle Tennessee has played its fair share of talented quarterbacks this season, and this week is no different.
Redshirt senior James Morgan is as experienced as they come, a 32-game starter who seems to always make the right decision leading FIU's fifth-ranked scoring offense. He's fifth in C-USA in pass efficiency (143.5), thanks in part to a collection of talented receivers. Austin Maloney, Tony Gaiter IV and Shemar Thornton are all over 260 yards receiving, Maloney serving as the big-play threat with an average of almost 20 yards per reception.
"As far as their quarterback, he can run a little bit, good arm, a lot of power," MT senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "They can get the ball moving from sideline to sideline against us, that was the main thing. … We're going to be expecting a lot of stuff like that this week."
When Morgan and his receivers are at their most dangerous, it's when running back Anthony Jones is leading a stable of good running backs. Jones is sixth in the conference in rushing with 512 yards, and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied for second.
Slowing down Jones — as well as complimentary back Napolean Maxwell — will be a key for MT's defense.
Time to rebound
The last time Middle Tennessee lost three games in a row was 2015, a season in which it started 3-5 then won four games in a row before heading to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.
When the Blue Raiders were 2-4 that season and riding three straight losses, things weren't looking good with a home game against FIU upcoming.
They found a way to win a close contest 42-34.
Stockstill is hoping something similar happens with this year's club. He's praised their toughness and resiliency this season, and now is time to show it.
"We just have to be mature about it and just keep going," redshirt junior offensive lineman Will Gilchrist said. "It's really comfortable coming home to homecoming and just knowing that we have to go 1-0 … it's a must-win this week, and we're going to give it our all of course and leave it all on the field and see how it goes."
Lee nearing another record
Senior receiver Ty Lee continues to climb the record books for Middle Tennessee.
With four more catches, he'll move past Richie James into first in career receptions (245). He's also just 478 yards away from the receiving yards mark, and one more touchdown will tie him with James' career high of 23.
While usually good on homecoming, owning a 53-24-2 all-time record, 24-7 in the last 31 years, MT has a tough opponent coming to Murfreesboro this year.
FIU (4-3, 2-2) is on a hot streak after a 1-3 start, winning three games in a row by an average of 28 points. Middle Tennessee (2-5, 1-2) is going the other way, falling on a heartbreaking last-second field goal at North Texas last week for its second straight defeat.
"This is a really talented team coming in here … but as we look forward — again, I said it last week — it's about us," Blue Raiders head coach Rick Stockstill said. "We've got to get ourselves corrected."
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: NFL Network
Radio: The Game 102.5/97.5 FM, WGNS 100.5 FM/1450 AM/101.9 FM, WDUC 93.9 FM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app.
Coaches tale of the tape
Rick Stockstill
Record, in conference (C-USA, Sun Belt): 89-83 (14th year), 66-38
Bowl appearances, record: 8 (2018 New Orleans Bowl), 2-6
Accolades: 6-time coach of the year, 2018 C-USA COY, sixth-longest tenured coach in the country, 3rd all-time at MT in wins
Butch Davis
Record, at FIU: 84-55 (13th season), 21-12 (3rd season)
Bowl appearances as head coach (last), record: 9 (2018 Bahamas Bowl), 6-3
Accolades: Set school record with 9 wins in 2018, most wins by any coach in program history in first two seasons (17), set FIU single-season records in points and yards in 2018, has coached 35 first-round draft picks, two-time Super Bowl winning assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys
Series history
Middle Tennessee has been dominant in the series at times, especially at home.
The Panthers have only won once in seven tries at Floyd Stadium, where the Blue Raiders hold an average margin of victory of 24 points. All-time, MT is 9-5 in the series, outscoring FIU 465-322.
Last meeting
The Raiders had won three in a row against their C-USA foe from Miami until last season.
After back-to-back emotional wins over East Division rivals Florida Atlantic and Marshall, MT traveled to FIU looking to take a big step towards a division title.
The Panthers had other ideas, especially after Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill was forced out of the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter. Not to mention, three other MT starters — Jovante Moffatt, Brad Anderson and Chandler Brewer — were sidelined at times.
Trailing 21-13 in the fourth quarter, FIU found success against the stingy Raider defense, first with a field goal with just over 10 minutes left and then on a touchdown and two-point conversion.
Middle Tennessee got the ball back with 3:55 remaining, down 24-21, and Asher O'Hara, filling in for Brent Stockstill, tried to play hero. He marched the offense all the way inside the red zone, but was picked off with 34 seconds left in the end zone, ending the last-second comeback.
It was the only C-USA loss in the regular season for the Blue Raiders, who would go on to win their next four before falling in the conference championship.
Searching for offensive spark
Last year, MT went into the matchup with FIU on a high note, a winner of two in a row against FAU and Marshall.
This year, the Blue Raiders are going in on the opposite trajectory, losers of two in a row.
Their defense has played admirably since C-USA play started, holding high-powered offenses Marshall, FAU and North Texas to below their season averages in points while forcing seven turnovers in three games. Offensive consistency has been a struggle at times, though.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Asher O'Hara, the same guy who filled in for a hurt Brent Stockstill last year against FIU and valiantly led the team with 85 rushing yards and a TD, was pulled in favor or Chase Cunningham last week against North Texas.
O'Hara completed 16-of-32 passes for 136 yards and ran for another 82 yards. Cunningham, also a redshirt sophomore, was good in relief, throwing for 119 yards on nine completions and running for the game-tying touchdown with 28 seconds left. Coach Stockstill's confidence in his backup nearly paid off.
"If you look at it, we had a couple of shots in those first few drives that we had to settle for field goals on that we didn't take advantage of. Then, that third quarter we had guys open, and we just missed them … so we decided to go with Chase," Stockstill said. "Chase came in and did a nice job. He led us to two scores … I was really proud of Chase and the job that he did.
"Moving forward the rest of this week, Asher will be the quarterback, but I'm not afraid to play Chase if the opportunity presents itself."
Whether it is O'Hara or Cunningham under center for the Blue Raiders, he'll have to deal with a good defense this week.
FIU currently ranks third in scoring defense and fourth total defense in C-USA, including a fourth-place ranking in pass defense.
The Panthers do give up nearly 180 yards per game rushing, so if MT wants to find success offensively, it might be on the ground. O'Hara currently leads the team with 450 rushing yards this season.
FIU balance helping Morgan
Middle Tennessee has played its fair share of talented quarterbacks this season, and this week is no different.
Redshirt senior James Morgan is as experienced as they come, a 32-game starter who seems to always make the right decision leading FIU's fifth-ranked scoring offense. He's fifth in C-USA in pass efficiency (143.5), thanks in part to a collection of talented receivers. Austin Maloney, Tony Gaiter IV and Shemar Thornton are all over 260 yards receiving, Maloney serving as the big-play threat with an average of almost 20 yards per reception.
"As far as their quarterback, he can run a little bit, good arm, a lot of power," MT senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "They can get the ball moving from sideline to sideline against us, that was the main thing. … We're going to be expecting a lot of stuff like that this week."
When Morgan and his receivers are at their most dangerous, it's when running back Anthony Jones is leading a stable of good running backs. Jones is sixth in the conference in rushing with 512 yards, and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied for second.
Slowing down Jones — as well as complimentary back Napolean Maxwell — will be a key for MT's defense.
Time to rebound
The last time Middle Tennessee lost three games in a row was 2015, a season in which it started 3-5 then won four games in a row before heading to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.
When the Blue Raiders were 2-4 that season and riding three straight losses, things weren't looking good with a home game against FIU upcoming.
They found a way to win a close contest 42-34.
Stockstill is hoping something similar happens with this year's club. He's praised their toughness and resiliency this season, and now is time to show it.
"We just have to be mature about it and just keep going," redshirt junior offensive lineman Will Gilchrist said. "It's really comfortable coming home to homecoming and just knowing that we have to go 1-0 … it's a must-win this week, and we're going to give it our all of course and leave it all on the field and see how it goes."
Lee nearing another record
Senior receiver Ty Lee continues to climb the record books for Middle Tennessee.
With four more catches, he'll move past Richie James into first in career receptions (245). He's also just 478 yards away from the receiving yards mark, and one more touchdown will tie him with James' career high of 23.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
QB
/ FootballBlue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - October 8th
Thursday, October 09
MTSU Football vs. Missouri State post-game press conference – 10/8/25
Thursday, October 09
MTSU Football vs. Missouri State post-game press conference – 10/8/25
Wednesday, October 08
Raider Report Game 6 - MTSU vs. Missouri State University
Tuesday, October 07
