Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Looking ahead to MT and Charlotte
11/1/2019 5:00:00 PM | Football
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A strange, rain-filled homecoming victory has given Middle Tennessee some momentum as it readies for another tough road game.
The Blue Raiders (3-5, 2-2) will travel to Charlotte (3-5, 1-3) Saturday to do battle with the 49ers and first-year head coach Will Healy.
"I think Charlotte is a really good football team," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said at Monday's weekly press conference. "The staple of their program for a long time since we started playing them is that they play hard, and that's the same now.
"We've got to make sure we're ready mentally and physically from a toughness standpoint and a preparation standpoint. We'll get Charlotte's best effort Saturday."
The game is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Richards Stadium.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: ESPN3, watchespn.com
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): 90-83 (14th year), 67-38
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
Will Healy
FBS record, at Charlotte: 3-5 (first season), same
Bowl appearances as head coach: 0
Accolades: Signed FCS's No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2017 at Austin Peay, No. 5 in 2016; went 8-4 overall, 7-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, in 2017 after the Governors had gone 1-45 over the previous four seasons, including a 29-game losing streak, the longest in the nation; 2017 Eddie Robinson Award winner as the National FCS Coach of the Year; second-youngest FBS coach in the country when he was hired at Charlotte (33); all-state QB at Chattanooga's Boyd-Buchanan High School; won FCS national title while starting QB at Richmond
Series history
Though it's been a short series, since Charlotte's program has only been around since 2013 and in C-USA since 2015, the Blue Raiders have been the far superior team.
Middle Tennessee is 4-0 against the 49ers, including two wins in Charlotte, and the Raiders have scored at least 35 points in three of the four matchups. In total, the blue-clad men have outscored Charlotte 167-79.
Last meeting
Not every game in the series has been close, but last year's in Murfreesboro certainly wasn't a blowout. Middle Tennessee won 21-13 on homecoming, despite gaining only 144 total yards.
It was the defense that guided the Blue Raiders to victory. The stop squad forced two interceptions and came up with four sacks while holding the 49ers to six points for most of the game before they scored a touchdown with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter to pull within eight.
MT quarterback Brent Stockstill, who was injured the week before against FIU and didn't practice much in the week leading up to the game, threw for 111 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the second quarter to favorite target Ty Lee, who finished with 66 yards on six catches.
Defensively, linebackers Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks led the way, Harris with six tackles and a sack and Brooks with six tackles, 2.5 going for loss.
Let's run
It's been rough sledding for Middle Tennessee's running backs for much of the season, but two broke out in a big way on homecoming against FIU.
Joining quarterback Asher O'Hara — who had 159 yards on 22 carries — in topping the century mark on the ground were senior Terelle West (130 yards on nine carries) and junior Jayy McDonald (138 yards on nine carries). All three had career highs in rushing yards.
It marked the first time in program history three players each had over 100 yards on the ground in the same game. The Blue Raiders are hoping the momentum carries over to Charlotte, where they've historically been able to run with relative ease.
In the four meetings all-time, MT has averaged 433 yards per game, 184 coming on the ground. This season, the 49ers rank 11th in C-USA in rushing defense, giving up 199.5 yards per outing.
"Yeah, this gives us some momentum, but we just have to go back to work on us," redshirt junior offensive lineman Will Gilchrist said. "Like Coach [Stockstill] said, we just have to go back to the fundamentals and know we have to build on this and know teams are going to see that and go against our weaknesses. We just have to prepare for anything."
Middle Tennessee better bring their hard hats and get things going in the run game, because Charlotte has been good against the pass this season, thanks in large part to its ability to get to the quarterback.
The 49ers have the fifth-ranked pass defense in the league, and they rank 14th in the nation and tied for second in C-USA with a program-record 26 sacks. Senior end Alex Highsmith, a former walk-on and the school's all-time sacks leader (14.5), leads the way with 8.5.
Stopping LeMay
Not only will MT have to work hard in the rushing game on offense, but it will also have to do the dirty work in the trenches defensively to slow down the Charlotte running game.
Senior back Benny LeMay is having a big last season in the green and white, ranking first in C-USA in all-purpose (1,064) and rushing yards (822). He's also second with 11 touchdowns.
LeMay is second all-time for the 49ers in rushing yards and touchdowns, trailing only Kalif Phillips, and he's had some big performances against the Blue Raiders. Last season, he took 19 carries for 129 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
"He is a tough [running back]," MT redshirt senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "He isn't going to shy away from contact … he's a guy you're going to have to wrap up, and that's going to be a big thing we teach this week going into the game. You have to wrap him up and get him down on the ground."
Last week in a comeback victory against North Texas, LeMay finished with a season-high 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He's scored in three straight games.
Charlotte coming in hot
Speaking of LeMay's big day against North Texas last week, the come-from-behind win was an all-timer for Charlotte.
The 49ers found themselves trailing by 14 points entering the fourth quarter at home, but clawed all the way back thanks to a rushing and receiving touchdown from LeMay in the final frame.
A North Texas field goal with just over a minute left gave the Mean Green a 38-33 advantage, but quarterback Chris Reynolds orchestrated a beautiful last-minute drive for Charlotte, ending with a 34-yard pass to Victor Tucker with just 18 seconds left to win the game.
It was the first time in program history the 49ers came from down 14 points in the fourth quarter and won. Their 589 total yards were a school record against FBS opponents, and Reynolds also set a new program high with 432 total yards (336 passing, 96 rushing).
November to remember
November is generally the most important month of the season for college football teams, because it's the last month of the regular season. That's no different for the Raiders this year.
Middle Tennessee has historically been great in the month, winning 20 of its last 27 — and 12 of the last 16 — November games and owning a 32-17 mark since Stockstill was hired in 2006.
"You hope your team is improving as the season progress," the head coach said. "There's a saying, 'You remember November.' When you get to the last month of the season, there's always a lot on the line. We take pride in how we play in November, and it goes back to finishing. You have to finish what you started. I'm proud of our teams. We'll always fight and compete all the way to the end."
If the Blue Raiders want to reach bowl eligibility for the 11th time in 14 years — and extend their program record four straight bowl appearances to five — they'll have to be good again in November. At 3-5, they have to finish 3-1 over the final four games to reach the coveted six-win mark.
The Blue Raiders (3-5, 2-2) will travel to Charlotte (3-5, 1-3) Saturday to do battle with the 49ers and first-year head coach Will Healy.
"I think Charlotte is a really good football team," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said at Monday's weekly press conference. "The staple of their program for a long time since we started playing them is that they play hard, and that's the same now.
"We've got to make sure we're ready mentally and physically from a toughness standpoint and a preparation standpoint. We'll get Charlotte's best effort Saturday."
The game is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Richards Stadium.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: ESPN3, watchespn.com
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): 90-83 (14th year), 67-38
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
Will Healy
FBS record, at Charlotte: 3-5 (first season), same
Bowl appearances as head coach: 0
Accolades: Signed FCS's No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2017 at Austin Peay, No. 5 in 2016; went 8-4 overall, 7-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, in 2017 after the Governors had gone 1-45 over the previous four seasons, including a 29-game losing streak, the longest in the nation; 2017 Eddie Robinson Award winner as the National FCS Coach of the Year; second-youngest FBS coach in the country when he was hired at Charlotte (33); all-state QB at Chattanooga's Boyd-Buchanan High School; won FCS national title while starting QB at Richmond
Series history
Though it's been a short series, since Charlotte's program has only been around since 2013 and in C-USA since 2015, the Blue Raiders have been the far superior team.
Middle Tennessee is 4-0 against the 49ers, including two wins in Charlotte, and the Raiders have scored at least 35 points in three of the four matchups. In total, the blue-clad men have outscored Charlotte 167-79.
Last meeting
Not every game in the series has been close, but last year's in Murfreesboro certainly wasn't a blowout. Middle Tennessee won 21-13 on homecoming, despite gaining only 144 total yards.
It was the defense that guided the Blue Raiders to victory. The stop squad forced two interceptions and came up with four sacks while holding the 49ers to six points for most of the game before they scored a touchdown with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter to pull within eight.
MT quarterback Brent Stockstill, who was injured the week before against FIU and didn't practice much in the week leading up to the game, threw for 111 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the second quarter to favorite target Ty Lee, who finished with 66 yards on six catches.
Defensively, linebackers Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks led the way, Harris with six tackles and a sack and Brooks with six tackles, 2.5 going for loss.
Let's run
It's been rough sledding for Middle Tennessee's running backs for much of the season, but two broke out in a big way on homecoming against FIU.
Joining quarterback Asher O'Hara — who had 159 yards on 22 carries — in topping the century mark on the ground were senior Terelle West (130 yards on nine carries) and junior Jayy McDonald (138 yards on nine carries). All three had career highs in rushing yards.
It marked the first time in program history three players each had over 100 yards on the ground in the same game. The Blue Raiders are hoping the momentum carries over to Charlotte, where they've historically been able to run with relative ease.
In the four meetings all-time, MT has averaged 433 yards per game, 184 coming on the ground. This season, the 49ers rank 11th in C-USA in rushing defense, giving up 199.5 yards per outing.
"Yeah, this gives us some momentum, but we just have to go back to work on us," redshirt junior offensive lineman Will Gilchrist said. "Like Coach [Stockstill] said, we just have to go back to the fundamentals and know we have to build on this and know teams are going to see that and go against our weaknesses. We just have to prepare for anything."
Middle Tennessee better bring their hard hats and get things going in the run game, because Charlotte has been good against the pass this season, thanks in large part to its ability to get to the quarterback.
The 49ers have the fifth-ranked pass defense in the league, and they rank 14th in the nation and tied for second in C-USA with a program-record 26 sacks. Senior end Alex Highsmith, a former walk-on and the school's all-time sacks leader (14.5), leads the way with 8.5.
Stopping LeMay
Not only will MT have to work hard in the rushing game on offense, but it will also have to do the dirty work in the trenches defensively to slow down the Charlotte running game.
Senior back Benny LeMay is having a big last season in the green and white, ranking first in C-USA in all-purpose (1,064) and rushing yards (822). He's also second with 11 touchdowns.
LeMay is second all-time for the 49ers in rushing yards and touchdowns, trailing only Kalif Phillips, and he's had some big performances against the Blue Raiders. Last season, he took 19 carries for 129 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
"He is a tough [running back]," MT redshirt senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "He isn't going to shy away from contact … he's a guy you're going to have to wrap up, and that's going to be a big thing we teach this week going into the game. You have to wrap him up and get him down on the ground."
Last week in a comeback victory against North Texas, LeMay finished with a season-high 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He's scored in three straight games.
Charlotte coming in hot
Speaking of LeMay's big day against North Texas last week, the come-from-behind win was an all-timer for Charlotte.
The 49ers found themselves trailing by 14 points entering the fourth quarter at home, but clawed all the way back thanks to a rushing and receiving touchdown from LeMay in the final frame.
A North Texas field goal with just over a minute left gave the Mean Green a 38-33 advantage, but quarterback Chris Reynolds orchestrated a beautiful last-minute drive for Charlotte, ending with a 34-yard pass to Victor Tucker with just 18 seconds left to win the game.
It was the first time in program history the 49ers came from down 14 points in the fourth quarter and won. Their 589 total yards were a school record against FBS opponents, and Reynolds also set a new program high with 432 total yards (336 passing, 96 rushing).
November to remember
November is generally the most important month of the season for college football teams, because it's the last month of the regular season. That's no different for the Raiders this year.
Middle Tennessee has historically been great in the month, winning 20 of its last 27 — and 12 of the last 16 — November games and owning a 32-17 mark since Stockstill was hired in 2006.
"You hope your team is improving as the season progress," the head coach said. "There's a saying, 'You remember November.' When you get to the last month of the season, there's always a lot on the line. We take pride in how we play in November, and it goes back to finishing. You have to finish what you started. I'm proud of our teams. We'll always fight and compete all the way to the end."
If the Blue Raiders want to reach bowl eligibility for the 11th time in 14 years — and extend their program record four straight bowl appearances to five — they'll have to be good again in November. At 3-5, they have to finish 3-1 over the final four games to reach the coveted six-win mark.
Players Mentioned
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