2018 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team

Last updated

2018 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football
Middle Tennessee MT Logomark.svg
C-USA East Division champion
C-USA Championship Game, L 25–27 vs. UAB
Conference Conference USA
DivisionEast Division
Record8–6 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin (3rd season)
Offensive scheme Air raid
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer (2nd season)
Base defense Multiple 4–3
Home stadium Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
Seasons
  2017
2019  
2018 Conference USA football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Middle Tennessee x  7 1   8 6  
Marshall  6 2   9 4  
FIU  6 2   9 4  
Charlotte  4 4   5 7  
Florida Atlantic  3 5   5 7  
Old Dominion  2 6   4 8  
Western Kentucky  2 6   3 9  
West Division
UAB x$  7 1   11 3  
North Texas  5 3   9 4  
Louisiana Tech  5 3   8 5  
Southern Miss  5 3   6 5  
UTSA  2 6   3 9  
UTEP  1 7   1 11  
Rice  1 7   2 11  
Championship: UAB 27, Middle Tennessee 25
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions

The 2018 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as a member of the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by 13th-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled an overall record of 8–6 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the C-USA's East Division title. Middle Tennessee represented the East Division in the Conference USA Football Championship Game, falling to West Division champion, UAB. The Blue Raiders were invited to the New Orleans Bowl, where they lost to Appalachian State. The team played home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Contents

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

AwardPlayerPositionYear
Maxwell Award [1] Brent Stockstill QBSR
Davey O'Brien Award [2] Brent StockstillQBSR
Doak Walker Award [3] Tavares ThomasRBSR
Fred Biletnikoff Award [4] Ty LeeWRJR
Butkus Award [5] Darius Harris LBSO
Ray Guy Award [6] Matt BonadiesPSR
Wuerffel Trophy [7] Brent StockstillQBSR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award [8] Brent StockstillQBSR
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award [9] Tavares ThomasRBSR

Preseason All-CUSA team

Conference USA released their preseason all-CUSA team on July 16, 2018, with the Blue Raiders having four players selected. [10]

Preseason media poll

Conference USA released their preseason media poll on July 17, 2018, with the Blue Raiders predicted to finish in third place in the East Division. [11]

East Division
Predicted finishTeam
1Florida Atlantic
2Marshall
3Middle Tennessee
4FIU
5Western Kentucky
6Old Dominion
7Charlotte

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 16:30 p.m.at Vanderbilt * SECN L 7–3525,348
September 86:00 p.m. UT Martin * ESPN+ W 61–3716,227
September 1511:00 a.m.at No. 3 Georgia * ESPNews L 7–4992,746
September 296:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
Stadium W 25–2417,299
October 56:30 p.m.at Marshall CBSSN W 34–2425,979
October 136:30 p.m.at FIU beIN L 21–2416,002
October 202:00 p.m. Charlotte
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
ESPN3 W 21–1313,102
October 272:30 p.m.at Old Dominion ESPN+W 51–1719,725
November 27:00 p.m. Western Kentucky
CBSSNW 29–1016,617
November 102:00 p.m.at UTEP ESPN+W 48–329,690
November 1711:00 a.m.at No. 20 Kentucky * SECN L 23–3447,535
November 242:00 p.m. UAB
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
ESPN3W 27–314,411
December 11:30 p.m.UAB
CBSSN L 25–2715,806
December 158:00 p.m.vs. Appalachian State * ESPN L 13–4523,942
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[12]

Game summaries

At Vanderbilt

1234Total
Blue Raiders70007
Commodores7771435

UT Martin

1234Total
Skyhawks71071337
Blue Raiders1412211461

At Georgia

1234Total
Blue Raiders07007
No. 3 Bulldogs14287049

Florida Atlantic

1234Total
Owls1473024
Blue Raiders0107825

At Marshall

1234Total
Blue Raiders37141034
Thundering Herd3140724

At FIU

1234Total
Blue Raiders0147021
Panthers31001124

Charlotte

1234Total
49ers600713
Blue Raiders0140721

At Old Dominion

1234Total
Blue Raiders171414651
Monarchs737017

Western Kentucky

1234Total
Hilltoppers307010
Blue Raiders10103629

At UTEP

1234Total
Blue Raiders141371448
Miners01002232

At Kentucky

1234Total
Blue Raiders0106723
No. 20 Wildcats1777334

UAB

1234Total
Blazers30003
Blue Raiders0137727

UAB (C-USA Championship game)

1234Total
Blazers3210327
Blue Raiders1336325

Vs. Appalachian State (New Orleans Bowl)

1234Total
Mountaineers02414745
Blue Raiders337013

References

  1. "2018 Maxwell Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  2. "Davey O'Brien Award Watch List includes 26 players". July 17, 2018. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  3. "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  4. "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List". July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  5. "Butkus Award - 2018 Collegiate Watchlist". The Butkus Award. July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  6. "Ray Guy Award preseason watch list unveiled". July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  7. "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  8. "Watch List for 2018 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award ® Presented by A. O. Smith Announced". August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  9. "2018 Nominations The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award" (PDF). August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  10. "FB: 2018 Preseason Awards". July 16, 2018.
  11. "FB: Preseason Media Poll". July 17, 2018.
  12. "2018 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 24, 2018.