Blue Raiders can’t overcome turnovers in loss to Duke

Saturday, September 21

Murfreesboro, TN

3:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

1-3 , 0-1

Duke

4-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Duke

Middle Tenn.

9/21/2024 8:19:00 PM | Football

Box Score Post Game Notes Game Book Cumulative Stats Photo Gallery

MTSU gave Duke four possessions inside the MTSU 25 on Saturday thanks to turnovers, all of which resulted in touchdowns for the Blue Devils

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee football could not overcome an inauspicious start in on Saturday, as three first quarter turnovers helped Duke jump out to an insurmountable lead that ultimately resulted in a 45-17 loss for the home team at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium.

The Blue Raiders (1-3, 0-1 CUSA) started the afternoon off with a bang, as Jaiden Credle to the handoff through a gaping hole on the left side of the Duke defense on MTSU's third play from scrimmage for a 64-yard touchdown run to give the home team an early 7-0 lead. The Blue Devils (4-0, 0-0 ACC) would quickly counter with a 71-yard touchdown pass on their ensuing drive to tie the game, then took advantage of three Blue Raider fumbles inside the MTSU 25-yard line to score three more touchdowns in the first quarter. MTSU earned a field goal on one other drive, trailing 28-10 at the end of the game's first 15 minutes.

The MTSU defense held strong for most of the second quarter, picking off Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy to end one drive, but a roughing the kicker penalty on a punt inside the Duke 10-yard line gave the Blue Devils new life on the drive, capping it off with a 34-yard touchdown pass to lead the Blue Raiders 35-10 at halftime.

The Blue Devils kicked a field goal on their first drive of the second half and kept the Blue Raiders off the scoreboard in the frame ahead of a lightning delay with 5:41 left in the third quarter. MTSU took advantage, driving down the field after a Duke punt, capping off the drive with a 15-yard strike from Vattiato to Holden Willis to cut the lead to 38-17. The Blue Devils would take advantage of a late Vattiato interception to earn a third red zone trip at the start of a drive off an MTSU turnover, converting the good field position into a touchdown three plays later to stretch the lead to 45-17, which would hold through the end of the night on Saturday.

Jaiden Credle led the Blue Raiders on offense with 12 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.4 yards per carry. Parker Hughes led all Blue Raiders with eight tackles in his first appearance of the season for MTSU.

By the Numbers

4: Number of turnovers committed by the Blue Raiders. The Blue Devils scored 28npoints of those turnovers, while MTSU failed to score off their one takeaway from Duke.

127: Passing yards for Nicholas Vattiato, his fewest in a start since he last threw for 127 yards against Alabama on Sept. 2, 2023.

1:44: Total time of the weather delay. Middle Tennessee has been delayed over four hours so far this season by lightning strikes.

Blue Raider Notes

With today's interceptions, Middle Tennessee has totaled 47 total interceptions over the last four years. They had 17 in 2021, 20 in 2022, eight in 2023 and have logged two so far in 2024.

Today's 168 rushing yards are the most by the Blue Raiders in a game this season.

Today's game featured an hour and 41-minute weather delay. In total, the Blue Raiders have faced four-hours and 21 minutes of severe weather delays at home this season.

Offensive Player Notes

#4| Terry Wilkins | RB | r-Sr.

Logged a career-high 13 carries on the day.

#22 | Jaiden Credle | RB | Jr.

Totaled a team-high 125 yards and 12 carries with a touchdown.

This marked the first time a Blue Raider has rushed for 100 or more yards since Credle tallied 132 yards against Murray State in 2023.

His 66-yard touchdown run marked the second-longest play from scrimmage of the year and was the longest rush by a Blue Raider this season.

#11 | Nick Vattiato | QB | r-Jr.

Made his team-leading 16th straight start today against Duke.

Finished 21-for-33 for 127 yards with one touchdown and an interception.

#83 | Holden Willis | TE| r-Sr.

Logged six catches for a team-high 60 yards and a touchdown.

Defensive Player Notes

#9| Parker Hughes | LB | r-Jr.

Made his 2024 season debut against Duke.

Registered eight tackles, including four solo stops and a forced fumble.

#18| Xavier Williams | QB/DB| Gr.

Made his debut on the Blue Raiders' defense this week. The former quarterback made the switch to defensive back this past week.

Posted a career-high seven tackles, including six solo stops.

#31| John Howse IV| S | r-Jr.

Totaled a career-high six tackles, including two solo stops and an interception – His second of the season.

Special Teams Player Notes

#97 | Grant Chadwick | P| Fr

Punted five times for 244 yards, including a career-long 60-yard boot. Four punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and three went for 50 or more yards.

Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Mason
"Tough game tonight. But a good game plan by Duke. I thought they were physical, they ran to the ball. They were able to cause a total of four turnovers tonight. And that's a lot of turnovers. When you look at it, three fumbles. One interception. I thought they were the aggressor, I thought they did a good job, again, of speeding our quarterback tonight. I thought we ran the ball well, it was good to see the momentum of us coming out scoring. But we found ourselves giving it right back with a busted coverage on our second play of the game defensively.

"We have to keep fighting through the errors. There's going to be some errors, but for us, we have to minimize these things. As I look at the penalties, six for 55 (yards), guys are playing hard, but we just need to play smarter. There was some progress tonight. What I told our guys in the locker room was that, for us, that we grab the get-better. I look at this team play and, you take the turnovers out of it and I think it's a different ballgame in terms of how you're competing and what it feels like. But, you don't get a chance to.

"What we have to do is eliminate the mistakes, eliminate the errors and keep pushing forward, because the breakthrough is going to come. I believe that, I want these guys to continue to believe that. They do. I saw that in their eyes in the locker room. Are they a little frustrated? Absolutely. But, you sort of keep your keel in this, you sort of get what you earn. And we haven't done enough to earn enough right now to make these things sort of go away."

Up Next

The Blue Raiders travel on the road in-state to wrap up non-conference play, heading to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to take on Memphis next Saturday, September 28. Kickoff time is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU and the Blue Raider Network.

Follow the Blue Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Football on social media on Facebook (/BlueRaiderFootball), X (Formerly known as Twitter) (@MT_FB) and Instagram (@mt_fb).