Second-half Turnovers too much to overcome for Blue Raiders against Gamecocks

Wednesday, October 4

Murfreesboro, TN

7:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

1-5 , 0-2

Jax State

5-1 , 3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Jacksonville St.

Middle Tenn.

10/4/2023 10:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score Game Book Post Game Notes Cumulative Stats Photo Gallery

Jacksonville State scored 38 unanswered points in the second half to pull away

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A strong start for Middle Tennessee football was spoiled on Wednesday night, as 31 unanswered points from Jacksonville State in the second half proved to be the difference in a 45-30 loss at Floyd Stadium.

The Blue Raiders (1-5, 0-2 CUSA) found success through the air early and often against the Gamecocks (5-1, 3-0 CUSA), passing for over 400 yards. But a poor run game on offense, plus four MTSU turnovers resulting in 28 points for JSU, soured the program's annual Blackout game.

MTSU got the first points of the night on a 25-yard field from Zeke Rankin, ending the first quarter with a 3-0 lead. An explosive QB run led JSU to score the first touchdown of the night and take the lead, but the rest of the first half was all Blue Raiders.

Responding on fourth-and-two after an injury to Kellen Stewart, who was taken off the field on a backboard on a stretcher, Nicholas Vattiato found fellow quarterback DJ Riles for 42-yard gain, setting up a one-yard touchdown run from Frank Peasant to take the lead, 10-7. After a JSU three-and-out, Vattiato only needed one play to strike again, finding Elijah Metcalf behind the Gamecock secondary. The slot receiver sprinted 71-yards for the touchdown that stretched MTSU's lead to 10 points.

Vattiato would find Metcalf for six one more time in the first half, threading a screen pass toward the MTSU sideline for the Charlotte, N.C. native, who used his blocking and his own agility to make multiple Gamecocks miss on a 19-yard touchdown catch. The missed PAT left MTSU with a 23-7 advantage that held until halftime.

The second half, however, was all Jacksonville State, with the Gamecocks scoring points on six of their eight drives in the second half, not even including the sack-fumble defensive touchdown that led to the final 45-23 margin. MTSU gave JSU short fields three different times — twice on interceptions and a third time on a muffed punt — with all three drives resulting in JSU touchdowns.

Terry Wilkins' 75-yard touchdown run with 3:29 to play provided some consolation to the Blue Raider offense, avoiding the second half shutout. But when the onside kick just carromed away from MTSU in the pileup, JSU ran out most of the rest of the clock to ice the game.

By the Numbers
408: Passing yards for Vattiato, the most passing yards from an MTSU quarterback since Chase Cunningham threw for 448 yards against FAU on November 19, 2022.

124, 115: Receiving yards for Justin Olson and Elijah Metcalf, respectively. The last time MTSU had two receivers over 100 yards receiving was at Miami on September 24, 2022.

28: Points off turnovers for Jacksonville State.

Blue Raider Notes
• Wide receiver Justin Olson logged his first start as Blue Raider against Jax State – eighth of his career.
• Defensive back Tyrell Raby made his first career start against Jax State.
• Posted a season high of 563 yards of total offensive.
• First 400-yard passing performance by a Blue Raider since Brent Stockstill threw for 407 yards against UT Martin on Sep. 8, 2018.
• First game with two 100-yard receivers by the Blue Raider since Middle Tennessee upset No. 25 Miami on Sep. 24, 2022.

Offensive Player Notes
#5 | DJ Riles | QB | r-Fr.
• Caught a career long 42-yard pass from Vattiato that set up a 1-yard TD run by Frank Peasant in the second quarter.

#9 | Elijah Metcalf | WR | r-So.
• Tallied four catches for a career high 115 yards and a pair of TDs – first multi-TD game of his career.
• Caught a career long 71-yard TD pass from Vattiato

#11 | Nicholas Vattiato | QB | r-So.
• Finished 26-for-41 with a career high 408 yards, two TDs and two INTs.
• First career 400-yard performance – seventh QB to eclipse 400 yards, ninth 400-yard performance all-time.
• Second career 300-yard passing performance – ties for eighth all-time.
• Fifth consecutive 200 or more yards passing performance – ninth of his career – ties for 11th all-time.

#15 | Justin Olson | WR | r-Jr.
• Tallied a career high nine catches for a career high 124 yards, with a long of 42 yards.
• Second consecutive game leading the team in receiving.

#39 | Terry Wilkins | RB | r-So.
• Ran for a career long 75-yard TD run – the longest play from scrimmage of the season.

Defensive Player Notes
#0 | Richard Kinley | DE | r-Jr.
• Logged five tackles, including 2.5 TFLs, two PBUs and a sack – his first sack of season.

#7 | Zaylin Wood | DE | r-Jr.
• Notched two tackles, including 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble.

#29 | Tyrell Raby | DB | r-So.
• Logged his first career start against Jax State
• Snagged his first career INT on his sixth play from scrimmage against Jax State – The team's third INT of the season.

#41 | Raquon Hartley | LB | r-Jr.
• Posted eight tackles, including five solo stops – tying his career high.

#97 | Quindarius Dunnigan | DE | r-Jr.
• Tallied three PBUs on the night – has five over the last two games.

Special Teams Player Notes
#7 | Zeke Rankin | PK | Jr.
• With his 25-yard FG in the first quarter, Rankin has connected on 30 career field goals which ranks tied for ninth all-time in program history.

Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Stockstill
"Very disappointing. Kind of a tale of two halves. We did some nice things the first half. The second half, we turned it over four times and they score 28 points off of them and that's the difference in the game. It's disappointing how we played. They whipped us up front, their defense whipped us up front offensively. Never could establish any consistency. It was a struggle all night offensively to try to make something happen."

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