Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Looking ahead to MT and North Texas
10/16/2020 3:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — There could be plenty of offensive fireworks at Floyd Stadium Saturday as Middle Tennessee welcomes North Texas to Murfreesboro.
The Blue Raiders (1-4, 1-2) and Mean Green (1-3, 0-2) have been firing on all cylinders offensively and tend to score plenty of points when they get together.
"We're excited for another opportunity," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They have a very, very explosive offense. … We just have to do a good job of tackling in space and be disciplined."
Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: Stadium (Channel Finder); Fox Sports Go App; Fox College Sports and Stadium Plus on YouTube TV
Radio: The Game 102.5/97.5 FM, WGNS 100.5 FM/1450 AM/101.9 FM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app; go to CUSA.TV/RaiderVision for the audio stream
Coaches tale of the tape
Rick Stockstill
Record, in conference (C-USA, Sun Belt): 92-90 (15th year), 69-43
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, third all-time at MT in wins
Seth Littrell
Record, at North Texas (C-USA): 28-28, same (18-16)
Bowl appearances as head coach, record: 3, 0-3 (2018 New Mexico Bowl)
Accolades: Took North Texas to the C-USA Championship Game in 2017; nine-win season in 2017 was program's first in almost 40 years; Mean Green went to bowl games in his first three seasons; coached North Texas' all-time best statistical quarterback, Mason Fine, who won two C-USA Offensive Player of the Year awards.
Series history
The series has been marked by a couple of runs for both teams. The Mean Green started out winning the first five meetings, then the Blue Raiders followed with four in a row from 2006-09 when the teams were Sun Belt Conference foes.
Middle Tennessee has won three of the last five in the series and seven of 11, and while North Texas is 4-3 all-time in Murfreesboro, MT has won three of the last four at home in the series.
Last meeting
The 2019 matchup was one for the ages, as North Texas won 33-30 on a field goal as time expired.
After quarterback Asher O'Hara got off to a slow start for Middle Tennessee, backup Chase Cunningham entered the game in the second half and led a remarkable comeback that came up just short.
Cunningham scored on a 4-yard run with 28 seconds to go to tie the score at 30, and it looked like overtime was in store. However, North Texas returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards all the way to the MT 44, and a few plays later kicked the game winner.
Cunningham finished with 119 passing yards and two TDs, one passing and one on the ground, and the Blue Raider defense did its part in the loss, forcing three key turnovers.
Get ready for some offense
It would be a bit of a surprise if the offenses didn't dominate Saturday's game, with North Texas featuring one of the best attacks in the country and MT finding its form over the past couple of weeks.
The Mean Green go into the contest with the sixth-best offense in the country, averaging 550 yards per game. That includes 346.8 passing yards per game, good for seventh in the nation, and 203.3 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th.
Middle Tennessee has been good this season limiting opposing passing attacks, ranking ninth in the country giving up an average of 166.6 yards per game through the air and only allowing one opponent, UTSA, to break the 300-yard mark (303). The Blue Raiders have also done a good job of getting to the QB, racking up 13 sacks already after only having 11 all of last season.
North Texas will be the best offense MT has faced this season, though.
"They've got good skill players … and we're going to get challenged this week on the back end," Stockstill said. "We have to be disciplined, especially on the back end, and just do our job."
On the other side, O'Hara and the Blue Raider offense should find success of their own against one of the worst defenses in the nation.
The Mean Green rank 75th out of 76 teams who've played this season in total defense (578.8 yards per game) and scoring (46.5 points per game) and are one of just three teams giving up more than 500 yards per contest. They're 74th in passing defense and 72nd in rush defense.
O'Hara has really turned it on the last couple of weeks, currently ranking second among quarterbacks nationally with 328 rushing yards and 18th in passing yards (1,012). He's 24th in total offense (268 yards per game) and has accounted for 78% of MT's offensive yards this season.
"Turnovers and dead possessions are what we're working on this week," O'Hara said. "We really just have to get the ball in our playmakers' hands. … We feel like in the open field they'll make plays most times."
Battle of top-tier receivers
Both Middle Tennessee and North Texas can credit some of their potency on offense to two of the nation's best wide receivers.
Seniors Jarrin Pierce and Jaelon Darden have been incredible so far this season, tying for the national lead with 36 catches apiece.
Darden currently paces the country in receptions, yards (485) and touchdowns (nine). The 5-foot-9, 174-pound speedster caught 13 balls for 125 yards and a TD in last year's contest.
"We're just going to have to try and keep the ball in front of us," senior linebacker DQ Thomas said. "They have special players on that side of the ball, so it'll take two or three people getting to the ball to get them down."
Pierce is tied for 10th in the country with 366 receiving yards, and he caught his first touchdown of the season last week, a 12-yard pass with 1:20 left on the clock that proved to be the game-winner for MT.
MT's secret weapon
Part of the reason Middle Tennessee was able to capture a thrilling 31-28 win last week at FIU was the play of its punter, redshirt junior Kyle Ulbrich.
He punted seven times, averaging 50 yards and setting a new career long with a 75-yarder in the fourth quarter that rolled in for a touchback. Ulbrich also had a 66-yarder in the fourth quarter that was downed at the 8-yard line and placed two of his three punts in the final frame inside the 10.
"He was really, really special Saturday, especially in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter," Stockstill said. "Kyle had a big hand, or a big foot, in the outcome of that game."
Emotional day in store for Blankenship
Middle Tennessee's star senior safety Reed Blankenship has some extra motivation going into this week's game.
Saturday will be two days shy of the year anniversary of when Blankenship suffered a broken leg against North Texas in 2019.
He's had quite the year coming back from the injury and dealing with COVID-19. Read more about Blankenship here.
The Blue Raiders (1-4, 1-2) and Mean Green (1-3, 0-2) have been firing on all cylinders offensively and tend to score plenty of points when they get together.
"We're excited for another opportunity," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "They have a very, very explosive offense. … We just have to do a good job of tackling in space and be disciplined."
Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Where can you watch or listen?
TV: Stadium (Channel Finder); Fox Sports Go App; Fox College Sports and Stadium Plus on YouTube TV
Radio: The Game 102.5/97.5 FM, WGNS 100.5 FM/1450 AM/101.9 FM
Search 'Middle Tennessee' on the TuneIn app; go to CUSA.TV/RaiderVision for the audio stream
Coaches tale of the tape
Rick Stockstill
Record, in conference (C-USA, Sun Belt): 92-90 (15th year), 69-43
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, third all-time at MT in wins
Seth Littrell
Record, at North Texas (C-USA): 28-28, same (18-16)
Bowl appearances as head coach, record: 3, 0-3 (2018 New Mexico Bowl)
Accolades: Took North Texas to the C-USA Championship Game in 2017; nine-win season in 2017 was program's first in almost 40 years; Mean Green went to bowl games in his first three seasons; coached North Texas' all-time best statistical quarterback, Mason Fine, who won two C-USA Offensive Player of the Year awards.
Series history
The series has been marked by a couple of runs for both teams. The Mean Green started out winning the first five meetings, then the Blue Raiders followed with four in a row from 2006-09 when the teams were Sun Belt Conference foes.
Middle Tennessee has won three of the last five in the series and seven of 11, and while North Texas is 4-3 all-time in Murfreesboro, MT has won three of the last four at home in the series.
Last meeting
The 2019 matchup was one for the ages, as North Texas won 33-30 on a field goal as time expired.
After quarterback Asher O'Hara got off to a slow start for Middle Tennessee, backup Chase Cunningham entered the game in the second half and led a remarkable comeback that came up just short.
Cunningham scored on a 4-yard run with 28 seconds to go to tie the score at 30, and it looked like overtime was in store. However, North Texas returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards all the way to the MT 44, and a few plays later kicked the game winner.
Cunningham finished with 119 passing yards and two TDs, one passing and one on the ground, and the Blue Raider defense did its part in the loss, forcing three key turnovers.
Get ready for some offense
It would be a bit of a surprise if the offenses didn't dominate Saturday's game, with North Texas featuring one of the best attacks in the country and MT finding its form over the past couple of weeks.
The Mean Green go into the contest with the sixth-best offense in the country, averaging 550 yards per game. That includes 346.8 passing yards per game, good for seventh in the nation, and 203.3 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th.
Middle Tennessee has been good this season limiting opposing passing attacks, ranking ninth in the country giving up an average of 166.6 yards per game through the air and only allowing one opponent, UTSA, to break the 300-yard mark (303). The Blue Raiders have also done a good job of getting to the QB, racking up 13 sacks already after only having 11 all of last season.
North Texas will be the best offense MT has faced this season, though.
"They've got good skill players … and we're going to get challenged this week on the back end," Stockstill said. "We have to be disciplined, especially on the back end, and just do our job."
On the other side, O'Hara and the Blue Raider offense should find success of their own against one of the worst defenses in the nation.
The Mean Green rank 75th out of 76 teams who've played this season in total defense (578.8 yards per game) and scoring (46.5 points per game) and are one of just three teams giving up more than 500 yards per contest. They're 74th in passing defense and 72nd in rush defense.
O'Hara has really turned it on the last couple of weeks, currently ranking second among quarterbacks nationally with 328 rushing yards and 18th in passing yards (1,012). He's 24th in total offense (268 yards per game) and has accounted for 78% of MT's offensive yards this season.
"Turnovers and dead possessions are what we're working on this week," O'Hara said. "We really just have to get the ball in our playmakers' hands. … We feel like in the open field they'll make plays most times."
Battle of top-tier receivers
Both Middle Tennessee and North Texas can credit some of their potency on offense to two of the nation's best wide receivers.
Seniors Jarrin Pierce and Jaelon Darden have been incredible so far this season, tying for the national lead with 36 catches apiece.
Darden currently paces the country in receptions, yards (485) and touchdowns (nine). The 5-foot-9, 174-pound speedster caught 13 balls for 125 yards and a TD in last year's contest.
"We're just going to have to try and keep the ball in front of us," senior linebacker DQ Thomas said. "They have special players on that side of the ball, so it'll take two or three people getting to the ball to get them down."
Pierce is tied for 10th in the country with 366 receiving yards, and he caught his first touchdown of the season last week, a 12-yard pass with 1:20 left on the clock that proved to be the game-winner for MT.
MT's secret weapon
Part of the reason Middle Tennessee was able to capture a thrilling 31-28 win last week at FIU was the play of its punter, redshirt junior Kyle Ulbrich.
He punted seven times, averaging 50 yards and setting a new career long with a 75-yarder in the fourth quarter that rolled in for a touchback. Ulbrich also had a 66-yarder in the fourth quarter that was downed at the 8-yard line and placed two of his three punts in the final frame inside the 10.
"He was really, really special Saturday, especially in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter," Stockstill said. "Kyle had a big hand, or a big foot, in the outcome of that game."
Emotional day in store for Blankenship
Middle Tennessee's star senior safety Reed Blankenship has some extra motivation going into this week's game.
Saturday will be two days shy of the year anniversary of when Blankenship suffered a broken leg against North Texas in 2019.
He's had quite the year coming back from the injury and dealing with COVID-19. Read more about Blankenship here.
Players Mentioned
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