Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
"We were tough enough to overcome it” — Thomas shows Blue Raiders how to respond against Panthers
11/27/2022 3:42:00 AM | Football
The sophomore safety came up with two huge interceptions that proved to be the difference in Florida
MIAMI, Fla. — Jakobe Thomas had gotten beat on the route that Rivaldo Fairweather ran a couple of times in the game already. A 10-yard out, splitting the coverage, it was a tough route to cover with the blitz called.
But down 28-27, with the Blue Raider offense shutout again on the previous drive, Thomas knew he had to make something happen late in the game against FIU.
"It was just one of those moments where the team needed a play," Thomas said. "Me and Tra (Fluellen) sat there and thought what the best opportunity would be for us to make a play. And we both told each other one of us was going to score on this drive."
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, as he often does, brought heat, with six Blue Raiders (well, seven if you count QB spy Devyn Curtis) bearing down on redshirt freshman quarterback Haden Carlson.
A poor decision in blitz pickup by Lexington Joseph let Drew Francis run free into the backfield. Carlson whipped one for Fairweather. Thomas cut the pass off. And sprinted, untouched, into the endzone.
Middle Tennessee had reclaimed the lead, 33-28. One that would hold until the clock hit triple zeroes.
"I saw him throw that ball, and I knew I wasn't getting hit by that turf monster two times," Thomas said, recalling when he tripped on the turf at UTEP with nothing but green in front of him.
"I was so excited,' running back Darius Bracy said. "I haven't been that excited in a long time."
The Panthers would get close on their final drive, but Francis would again come up big with two pass breakups. Thomas, however? Another star turn, easily snatching a floating fourth down pass to seal the win with FIU under three timeouts remaining, sprinting up the sideline, albeit without much care for how he held the ball in his left hand.
"I almost dropped the ball because I was so excited," Thomas said. "Coach Shafer kind of killed me for running down the sideline."
It wasn't always pretty, but man, was it gutsy, seeing how MTSU got its seventh win of the season in Miami, going 2-0 in games played in the 305 this season. A hot start in yardage (if not in finishing drives) led to a comfortable halftime lead of 20-7, quickly added on to at the midway point of the third quarter with Chase Cunningham's second rushing touchdown of the night.
But 21 unanswered points by FIU, powered by over 400 yards of passing from Carlson on the night and an FIU record four touchdowns in his first career start, gave the Panthers a lead late, with MTSU lacking answers.
"There's going to be adversity in every game, and there was adversity in this game," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "And we were tough enough to overcome it."
Decorian Patterson, whose two first-half interceptions kept the Panthers off the scoreboard, acknowledged the halftime adjustments caught his defensive back group off guard.
"They hit us with some different things, they hit us with some stuff that they shouldn't have hit us on, but we made adjustments," Patterson said.
Thomas, meanwhile, encapsulated the trait that made the MTSU secondary so resilient this season.
"We all know that part of playing DB, you're going to get beat," Thomas said. "What makes a great DB separate from a good DB is how you react and how you respond."
The two-interception night for Thomas that led MTSU to a victory in the closing minutes occurred nearly three months to the day since he walked off the field at Hard Rock Stadium, trying his best to not let his head hang down after a game where the only note of his participation was on, well, the participation report. He played against the Hurricanes in MTSU's big win over then No. 25 Miami, but recorded no tackles, no pass breakups and certainly no interceptions.
"I talked to Ferg, and he just told me to stay down and stay ready, my name was going to be called," Thomas remembered. "To be where I am now, to be playing as much as I am, to make a play like that, I can't even explain it. It's amazing."
That mental toughness, the support Thomas got not only from Ferguson, but all of his teammates, speaks to the culture of the 2022 Blue Raiders. Tough, accountable, hardworking. Doing the little things that may-or-may not be seen. And doing it all not for one's own glory, but for each other.
"We just stay together," wide receiver Izaiah Gathings said. "We fight and stay together. We're so close as a team, we've got a bond together."
The end of the regular season, even one that will end in a bowl, brings reflection. The win over FIU gave the Blue Raiders seven wins, guaranteeing a winning record, but also opening the door to improving on last year, going out with eight wins. Some of the story is still to be written.
But the core, the spine of that book? It's already set. And that core is what helps guys like Jakobe Thomas step up and make big-time plays in big-time moments.
"The culture of this team, a lot of people don't get to see that," Thomas said. "Y'all see what we do on Saturdays. But the culture of this team in the locker room, how each and every one of us holds each other accountable, that's the thing that I love the most about this team."
But down 28-27, with the Blue Raider offense shutout again on the previous drive, Thomas knew he had to make something happen late in the game against FIU.
"It was just one of those moments where the team needed a play," Thomas said. "Me and Tra (Fluellen) sat there and thought what the best opportunity would be for us to make a play. And we both told each other one of us was going to score on this drive."
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, as he often does, brought heat, with six Blue Raiders (well, seven if you count QB spy Devyn Curtis) bearing down on redshirt freshman quarterback Haden Carlson.
A poor decision in blitz pickup by Lexington Joseph let Drew Francis run free into the backfield. Carlson whipped one for Fairweather. Thomas cut the pass off. And sprinted, untouched, into the endzone.
Middle Tennessee had reclaimed the lead, 33-28. One that would hold until the clock hit triple zeroes.
"I saw him throw that ball, and I knew I wasn't getting hit by that turf monster two times," Thomas said, recalling when he tripped on the turf at UTEP with nothing but green in front of him.
"I was so excited,' running back Darius Bracy said. "I haven't been that excited in a long time."
The Panthers would get close on their final drive, but Francis would again come up big with two pass breakups. Thomas, however? Another star turn, easily snatching a floating fourth down pass to seal the win with FIU under three timeouts remaining, sprinting up the sideline, albeit without much care for how he held the ball in his left hand.
"I almost dropped the ball because I was so excited," Thomas said. "Coach Shafer kind of killed me for running down the sideline."
It wasn't always pretty, but man, was it gutsy, seeing how MTSU got its seventh win of the season in Miami, going 2-0 in games played in the 305 this season. A hot start in yardage (if not in finishing drives) led to a comfortable halftime lead of 20-7, quickly added on to at the midway point of the third quarter with Chase Cunningham's second rushing touchdown of the night.
But 21 unanswered points by FIU, powered by over 400 yards of passing from Carlson on the night and an FIU record four touchdowns in his first career start, gave the Panthers a lead late, with MTSU lacking answers.
"There's going to be adversity in every game, and there was adversity in this game," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "And we were tough enough to overcome it."
Decorian Patterson, whose two first-half interceptions kept the Panthers off the scoreboard, acknowledged the halftime adjustments caught his defensive back group off guard.
"They hit us with some different things, they hit us with some stuff that they shouldn't have hit us on, but we made adjustments," Patterson said.
Thomas, meanwhile, encapsulated the trait that made the MTSU secondary so resilient this season.
"We all know that part of playing DB, you're going to get beat," Thomas said. "What makes a great DB separate from a good DB is how you react and how you respond."
The two-interception night for Thomas that led MTSU to a victory in the closing minutes occurred nearly three months to the day since he walked off the field at Hard Rock Stadium, trying his best to not let his head hang down after a game where the only note of his participation was on, well, the participation report. He played against the Hurricanes in MTSU's big win over then No. 25 Miami, but recorded no tackles, no pass breakups and certainly no interceptions.
"I talked to Ferg, and he just told me to stay down and stay ready, my name was going to be called," Thomas remembered. "To be where I am now, to be playing as much as I am, to make a play like that, I can't even explain it. It's amazing."
That mental toughness, the support Thomas got not only from Ferguson, but all of his teammates, speaks to the culture of the 2022 Blue Raiders. Tough, accountable, hardworking. Doing the little things that may-or-may not be seen. And doing it all not for one's own glory, but for each other.
"We just stay together," wide receiver Izaiah Gathings said. "We fight and stay together. We're so close as a team, we've got a bond together."
The end of the regular season, even one that will end in a bowl, brings reflection. The win over FIU gave the Blue Raiders seven wins, guaranteeing a winning record, but also opening the door to improving on last year, going out with eight wins. Some of the story is still to be written.
But the core, the spine of that book? It's already set. And that core is what helps guys like Jakobe Thomas step up and make big-time plays in big-time moments.
"The culture of this team, a lot of people don't get to see that," Thomas said. "Y'all see what we do on Saturdays. But the culture of this team in the locker room, how each and every one of us holds each other accountable, that's the thing that I love the most about this team."
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ FootballDerek Mason LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille Week 3 (Video)
Monday, September 08
MTSU Football Weekly Press Conference 9/8/25
Monday, September 08
MTSU Football Postgame Press Conference @ Wisconsin on 09-06-25
Saturday, September 06
Raider Report Week 2 - MTSU vs. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Friday, September 05
