Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, September 28
Iowa City, IA
11:00 AM
Middle Tennessee
1-3
3
at
48
University of Iowa
4-0 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Middle Tennessee
0
0
3
0
3
IOWA
17
7
10
14
48
Team Stats
MT
IOWA
Total Yards
216
644
Pass Yards
136
293
Rushing Yards
80
351
Penalty Yards
72
20
1st Downs
12
30
3rd Downs
3
10
4th Downs
0
3
TOP
24:03
35:57
1st Quarter
MT 0, IOWA 7
IOWA - Sargent,Mekhi 4 yd run (Duncan, Keith kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:59
MT 0, IOWA 10
IOWA - Duncan, Keith 49 yd field goal 9 plays, 44 yards, TOP 5:01
MT 0, IOWA 17
IOWA - Smith,Brandon 18 yd pass from Stanley,Nate (Duncan, Keith kick) 5 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:47
2nd Quarter
MT 0, IOWA 24
IOWA - Ross,Brady 1 yd run (Duncan, Keith kick), 9 plays, 81 yards, TOP 4:24
3rd Quarter
MT 0, IOWA 27
IOWA - Duncan, Keith 42 yd field goal 5 plays, 55 yards, TOP 1:22
MT 3, IOWA 27
MT - HOLT, Crews 43 yd field goal 13 plays, 49 yards, TOP 5:28
MT 3, IOWA 34
IOWA - Smith-Marsette 14 yd run (Duncan, Keith kick), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:05
4th Quarter
MT 3, IOWA 41
IOWA - Smith,Brandon 10 yd pass from Stanley,Nate (Duncan, Keith kick) 10 plays, 72 yards, TOP 5:34
MT 3, IOWA 48
IOWA - Petras,Spencer 1 yd run (Duncan, Keith kick), 13 plays, 79 yards, TOP 6:25
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
15
TD
0
YDS
110
INT
0
CMP
2
TD
0
YDS
26
INT
0
Blue Raiders fall at No. 14 Iowa
9/28/2019 2:43:00 PM | Football
Conclude non-conference schedule
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The nonconference slate ended in disappointing fashion for Middle Tennessee Saturday.
On the road at No. 14 Iowa (4-0), the Blue Raiders (1-3) fell down 17-0 in the first quarter and couldn't recover, losing 48-3.
"[Iowa] did a nice job; they have a great team," MT Head Coach Rick Stockstill said. "They whooped us pretty good today."
The efficient Hawkeye offense started working like an assembly line from the opening possession of the game, when they went 65 yards in nine plays for a touchdown.
It was a sign of things to come for Iowa. With behemoths on their offensive line leading the way, the Hawkeyes gashed Middle Tennessee's defense for 644 total yards, 351 coming on the ground, and scored on eight of their 10 possessions.
"We have to do a better job getting off the field," redshirt senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "Deep balls have killed us in three of our four games … just limiting the deep balls is something we'll be preaching going into next week."
Needing to show life to give their defense a break, the Blue Raider offense struggled to find footing against Iowa's stingy defense.
The Hawkeyes went into the game 11th in the country in total defense, giving up just 262.7 yards per game — 76 rushing — and proved stout again.
Middle Tennessee could only muster 211 total yards and converted three-of-12 third down attempts with an average distance-to-go of 11.8 yards.
"We didn't do anything to slow them down and couldn't get anything going offensively," Stockstill said. "I said they were going to run the ball, play action pass, take shots down the field — that's what they did."
While their 1-3 record isn't exactly what Stockstill was hoping for after four games, he has confidence in his squad heading into the Conference USA slate.
Offensively, O'Hara has done just about everything the Blue Raiders could ask for. He finished Saturday's game 15-for-22 passing for 110 yards with another 33 yards rushing, a team high.
Through four games, O'Hara has completed 70.3% of his passes for 895 yards, eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. He's also tops for MT with 235 rushing yards.
"The game was slowing down for me starting in the second half, I saw some stuff open," he said. "I just have to make [plays] happen more frequently and can't take sacks either."
Stockstill also believes his defense hasn't reached its potential but showed some flashes in the first four games.
On Saturday, the Blue Raiders came up with two sacks and pressured Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley three more times. Redshirt junior tackle Rakavian Poydras broke through with his first sack of the season to go with six tackles and three TFLs.
Moffatt and fellow safety Reed Blankenship led the way Saturday with 12 and eight tackles, respectively, and pace the team on the season, Blankenship with 33 and Moffatt 20.
"We want to feel confident and feel comfortable going into conference play, making sure the whole defense is working together, working as one," Poydras said.
Middle Tennessee's C-USA schedule kicks off with Marshall. The Thundering Herd will travel to Murfreesboro next Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. start.
It'll also serve as MT's Hall of Fame Weekend.
"We know we have to be a lot better than what we've put out there," O'Hara said. "We're ready to roll."
On the road at No. 14 Iowa (4-0), the Blue Raiders (1-3) fell down 17-0 in the first quarter and couldn't recover, losing 48-3.
"[Iowa] did a nice job; they have a great team," MT Head Coach Rick Stockstill said. "They whooped us pretty good today."
The efficient Hawkeye offense started working like an assembly line from the opening possession of the game, when they went 65 yards in nine plays for a touchdown.
It was a sign of things to come for Iowa. With behemoths on their offensive line leading the way, the Hawkeyes gashed Middle Tennessee's defense for 644 total yards, 351 coming on the ground, and scored on eight of their 10 possessions.
"We have to do a better job getting off the field," redshirt senior safety Jovante Moffatt said. "Deep balls have killed us in three of our four games … just limiting the deep balls is something we'll be preaching going into next week."
Needing to show life to give their defense a break, the Blue Raider offense struggled to find footing against Iowa's stingy defense.
The Hawkeyes went into the game 11th in the country in total defense, giving up just 262.7 yards per game — 76 rushing — and proved stout again.
Middle Tennessee could only muster 211 total yards and converted three-of-12 third down attempts with an average distance-to-go of 11.8 yards.
"We didn't do anything to slow them down and couldn't get anything going offensively," Stockstill said. "I said they were going to run the ball, play action pass, take shots down the field — that's what they did."
While their 1-3 record isn't exactly what Stockstill was hoping for after four games, he has confidence in his squad heading into the Conference USA slate.
Offensively, O'Hara has done just about everything the Blue Raiders could ask for. He finished Saturday's game 15-for-22 passing for 110 yards with another 33 yards rushing, a team high.
Through four games, O'Hara has completed 70.3% of his passes for 895 yards, eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. He's also tops for MT with 235 rushing yards.
"The game was slowing down for me starting in the second half, I saw some stuff open," he said. "I just have to make [plays] happen more frequently and can't take sacks either."
Stockstill also believes his defense hasn't reached its potential but showed some flashes in the first four games.
On Saturday, the Blue Raiders came up with two sacks and pressured Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley three more times. Redshirt junior tackle Rakavian Poydras broke through with his first sack of the season to go with six tackles and three TFLs.
Moffatt and fellow safety Reed Blankenship led the way Saturday with 12 and eight tackles, respectively, and pace the team on the season, Blankenship with 33 and Moffatt 20.
"We want to feel confident and feel comfortable going into conference play, making sure the whole defense is working together, working as one," Poydras said.
Middle Tennessee's C-USA schedule kicks off with Marshall. The Thundering Herd will travel to Murfreesboro next Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. start.
It'll also serve as MT's Hall of Fame Weekend.
"We know we have to be a lot better than what we've put out there," O'Hara said. "We're ready to roll."
MTSU Football at Nevada highlights – 9/13/25
Sunday, September 14
MTSU Football at Nevada Full Game Highlights – 9/13/25
Saturday, September 13
MTSU Football Postgame Press Conference @ Nevada on 09-13-25
Saturday, September 13
Raider Report Week 3 - MTSU vs. University of Nevada
Friday, September 12
