Like the South Carolina Gamecocks in the game we attended the week before, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders took advantage of an early WKU Hilltopper fumble and turned it into points. Unlike the Gamecocks against Kentucky, the Blue Raiders (3-4, 0-3) could generate very little offense. The Hilltoppers (4-3,2-1) rolled right past them with 21 unanswered points in the second half for a 35-17 ConferenceUSA victory. Three fumbles and an INT turned back the Hilltoppers from scoring more. The outcome disappointed the MTSU homecoming crowd under the blue-gray, and sometimes rainy, October sky.
Battle brewing
Guest Game Analyst and new resident of Murfreesboro, TN following us from NJ, Ed Mainardi (former Brown Bruin student football manager), hoped the turnover and 14-yard TD run by QB Chase Cunningham were signs of things to come. We both hoped the quick 7-0 lead indicated that the Blue Raiders showed up to give the favored Hilltoppers a competitive battle. The two rivals 100 miles apart went back and forth through the first without scoring. Two fights had to be broken up on consecutive plays as the first ended. Regarding the rivalry sometimes referred to as “100 miles of hate”, Ed commented, “Well, they seem up to it!”
Four seconds into the second, the Hilltoppers finally unleashed their damage completing a 62-yard scoring drive. On a three-yard TD pass from QB Austin Reed (32/49, 278 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) to Malachi Corley, they tied the game, 7-7. The rivals exchanged punts on three consecutive drives. One frustrated Blue Raider fan nearby loudly begged, “Throw the ball!” WKU responded on the ensuing drive with a pass. Blue Raider S Tra Fluellen halted the punting monotony with an interception taking over at the MTSU 13. They went nowhere, but the Hilltoppers took the next punt to start a scoring drive from their 16. RB Kye Robichaux (8 rushes, 78 yards, 1 TD) who fumbled on the initial drive, ran it in from the 14 to give WKU a 14-7 lead.
For King and Queen
With 2:39 left in the half, QB Chase Cunningham (32/51, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; led all Blue rushers with only 29 yards) went to the air. A 32-yard pass got them to the Hilltopper 17. However, the Blue Raiders could only come away with a 41-yard FG by Zeke Rankin. The teams went into intermission and a Middle Tennessee Homecoming presentation of the new King and Queen’s team trailing, 14-10.
WKU gets hopping in second half; MTSU sputters
Starting from their 27, WKU got down to the one on its opening series. He tossed a 26-yard pass to TE Joey Beljan (Frenchtown, NJ, Delaware Valley HS). Reed took it over from the one to go up by eleven. Ed noted that MTSU seemed to be on a roll on their ensuing drive. However, on fourth and seven, despite a 12-yard pass completion to Yusuf Ali, he fumbled. However, a tripping penalty nullified the play for a turnover on downs. Desperate to score, MTSU’s next series ended on downs again. With an incomplete pass on fourth and five at the WKU 47, the Toppers took over.
The Hilltoppers went right to work from there. Reed connected with Corley (10 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD) with a 47-yard pass to the six. RB Davion Ervin-Pointdexter ran it to the one. The Blue Raider defense stuffed Reed twice for no gains. On fourth and goal, Reed hit WR Joshua Simon on a one-yard slant pass for the score. The Hilltoppers extended their lead, 28-10.
WKU ruins Raider runners
We noted earlier in the first half that Blue Raider RB Darius Bracy sat alone suited up on folding chair rarely standing. We watched him on a 53-yard TD jaunt against UTSA two week ago. In the fourth, we noted other RBs Frank Peasant limping badly along the sideline and Joe Ervin who taken a hard shot on a short yardage play join Bracy somewhat shaken up. With QB Cunningham leading all rushers, the Hilltoppers, through decimation, held the Blue Raiders to 63 yards on 29 carries. When it came to rushing, The Blue Raiders seemed to have no legs left to stand on. R-Fr. Terry Wilkins carried four times for -1 yard.
Down 28-10, the Blue Raider defense halted WKU and took over on downs. MTSU had little choice but to go through the air. The effort turned futile. Freshman DB Darius Thomas swiped Cunningham’s pass and raced 42 yards to put the Hilltoppers up, 35-10, with 9:44 left to play. Later in the period, WKU fumbled and MTSU took over at the Hilltopper 38. Cunningham’s 12-yard TD pass to WR Izaiah Gathings cut the lead, 35-17. Again, the Blue Raider defense stopped a Topper drive on downs. Time expired as MTSU had the ball for the last time. The Hilltoppers defeated the Blue Raiders for the fourth year in a row.
Coming up!
The WKU Hilltoppers sit right in the middle of the ConferenceUSA pack with a 2-1 record. They continue into the thick of things with UAB (2-1) coming to Bowling Green next Saturday followed by North Texas (3-0) the following week. The MTSU Raiders have big hole to climb out of tied for last at 0-3 with Charlotte who they entertain on November 12. They go on the road to UTEP (1-2) next Saturday.
Next weekend, Collegefootballfan.com starts our nostalgic eastern swing attending Houston (3-3, 1-1) at Navy (2-4, 2-2) in their final American Athletic clash. The Cougars move on the Big Twelve in 2023. From Annapolis, we head back through State College on October 29 where the Happy Valley is not so happy. The No. 16 Nittany Lions got manhandled and out-coached by No. 4 Michigan, 41-17. We will see them host No. 2 Ohio State with QB CJ Stroud and company after the Lions meet Minnesota in their traditional “white-out” game next Saturday.
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Ed. by Steve Koreivo, Author of Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ‘em all! If you like this story, read all our tales when we saw all 120 FBS teams (at the time of publication) play for the first time. We also encourage you to submit a review when you do. Please click on the title or copy of the cover on our right sidebar to go to our Amazon page to buy and review. Thanks!
