Preview For Minnesota-MTSU Season Opener

The Blue Raiders welcome just the fourth ever team from a BCS conference into Floyd Stadium when Minnesota comes tomorrow night.

The Golden Gophers may be bigger, in fact a lot bigger, at offensive line but they're greatly inexperienced compared to the Blue Raiders.

I would go as far as to make the Blue Raiders the favorite in this game if it wasn't for the unfortunate suspension of Dwight Dasher.

Here's are some things that could hinder Minnesota's chances against MTSU:

• Inexperienced, especially on defense
• On the road, not use to the humid conditions
• Third offensive coordinator in four years

Those three factors are huge for the chances at the mild upset for the Blue Raiders.

What's really going to be the true test for the Blue Raiders is stopping the run. The offensive line is way bigger than the defensive front of the Blue Riaders and Minnesota has a senior quarterback.

Even though the quarterback is experienced, he's dealing with his third offensive coordinator in his collegiate career.

It's tough to win on the road in college football no matter where you're at, but the heat and the noise will test this young Minnesota team.

The three previous times the Blue Raiders have welcomed in a BCS-conference school they have played competitive football, and they should be 2-1 in those games if not for a fourth quarter meltdown against Virginia in 2007.

This game will be similar in style to the Mississippi State game from last season. The Blue Raiders lost that game in somewhat convincing fashion because the Mississippi State players eventually just overpowered them with their size and strength.

Minnesota is in the bottom half of the Big Ten so the Blue Raiders aren't getting the cream of the crop here.

They're going to commit to the run game. Here's a stat for you: Minnesota is 11-2 in the last two seasons when they rush for at least 100 yards in a game, and 2-11 when they don't.

If the offense can put points on the board consistently and force this Minnesota offense to pass the ball rather than run it up the gut, then the Blue Raiders will have a great chance to win this game.

Dasher Could Be Out For MTSU

The Blue Raiders could be on the verge of taking a devastating blow to its hopes for the 2010 season if star quarterback Dwight Dasher is suspended by the NCAA for his possible involvement in unpaid loans.

News of this broke out yesterday when someone came out and said Dasher hasn't paid back a loan that exceeds $1,000.

Shortly after that a teammate of Dasher came out and said he is missing money as well and is not sure what could have happened to the money.

This is all under current investigation by multiple organizations including police authorities and the NCAA.

It's important to note that nothing has been proven yet so there should be no judgment placed on Dasher until something is proven.

If Dasher is indeed found guilty and suspended by the NCAA then the Blue Raiders can pretty much kiss their chances goodbye of winning another bowl game this season.

The man that would replace Dasher if he was suspended from playing would be Sophomore Logan Kilgore. He was rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com so the Blue Raiders do have talent to fall back on.

As good as Kilgore may be, I'm not sure he would even do half of what Dasher is capable of doing.

There's little time for all of this to be cleared up as the season opener is just 11 days away against Minnesota.

With the the Blue Raiders being at home, if Dasher is able to play then I give them a decent chance at pulling off a major upset over the Big Ten opponent.

However, if Dasher is forced to miss the game then the Blue Raider almost have no chance at winning with an inexperienced quarterback.

If Kilgore becomes the regular starter then I could see the Blue Raiders saving face in the Sun Belt schedule with the exception of those pesky Trojans from Troy.

Stockstill Turns Down East Carolina Opportunity

During a year that has been showered by shady head coaching changes, it's good to see that there's still some very classy coaches left in college football.

One of those coaches resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and that coach is Rick Stockstill.

Stockstill was given the opportunity to possibly take the head coaching job at East Carolina, which is a very respected program. Unlike so many other coaches, however, Stockstill withdrew his name citing reasons of it being so late in the recruiting process.

"I have decided I will remove my name from consideration at ECU. I could not look into the eyes of these recruits and their families and tell them the things I believe in and then leave Middle Tennessee with only two weeks left in the recruiting process," Stockstill said in a statement that was released earlier today.

This all comes less than a week after Lane Kiffin ditched Tennessee after one just one year, leaving their program scrambling for a new head coach during such a crucial time.

Kiffin could learn a thing or two about how you conduct yourself in a classy manner.

In the long run I think this decision will benefit Stockstill. The Middle Tennessee football program is growing in a substantial way right now. He's taken this program farther than was ever imaginable in just four years at the helm.

Recruiting is only going to get better now that the program has gotten some national exposure over the past two seasons.

As big of a surprise as this success has been, it should've been perceived. Stockstill comes from a great coaching tree that includes Steve Spurrier and Lou Holtz.

Eventually Stockstill will probably leave Middle Tennessee for a bigger program, and you can't blame him for that. As long as the Middle Tennessee football program continues to grow, the demand for Stockstill will grow even greater.

Whether that happens or not, we do know that Stockstill will leave in a classy manner that has almost been abandoned in the rest of college football.

The Blue Raiders Are Heading to the Big Easy!

We finally found out this past Sunday where in the heck the Blue Raiders would be playing their bowl game, and of the five possibilities the New Orleans Bowl was one of the better destinations.

I would've preferred to see them go to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL due to the fact that it's the night before the national championship game and everyone will be eager to watch some football on that day.

The New Orleans Bowl is December 20th and I'm not sure how many people will be watching football on a Sunday night. They'll have to compete with the NFL that night so the Blue Raiders probably won't get as much exposure in the New Orleans Bowl. That's probably why Troy opted for the GMAC Bowl and you can't blame them. They're the champs so they deserve to choose where they want to play.

The Blue Raiders will take on Southern Miss who is very experienced in bowl games. They've gone to a bowl game 12 of the last 13 seasons. They definitely have the Blue Raiders in that category.

Southern Miss hails from Conference USA, a mediocre conference much like the Sun Belt.

Both of these offenses are ranked in the top 40 in total offense with the Blue Raiders having a one yard advantage in average offensive yards a game. Pretty bizarre.

This game will come down to who's defense shows up and slows the opposing offense down enough to pull out a win. I like the Blue Raiders and their defense who leads the nation in tackles for loss with over eight a game. Not to mention they're fourth in sacks averaging over three a game in that department.

In reality the Blue Raiders have already prepared themselves for this game by playing against some good offenses in the regular season. The most notable one being Clemson which they lost to by 17 to start the season.

I'm just not that impressed with Southern Miss's defense that got smoked in their five losses. They gave up 30 to UAB, 34 to Tulsa, and 34 to Virginia, 35 to Kansas, and 25 to East Carolina.

It will be a very close game and both offenses will score a lot of points. In the end I think MT's defense will step up and make a few key stops to bring home the bowl win.

Blue Raider Bowl Watch

There's no question about it. The Blue Raiders will definitely be going to only their second bowl game in school history. They finished the season 9-3 which is the best record ever since joining the FBS in 2001.

Now the question is where in the heck are the Blue Raiders going for their bowl game. As of right now there are five possibilities: Humanitarian Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, GMAC Bowl, EagleBank Bowl, and the New Orleans Bowl.

You may be wondering how it's still possible for the Blue Raiders to get the New Orleans Bowl since they can't win the Sun Belt championship. Basically, if Troy agrees to another bowl game then the New Orleans Bowl could invite the Blue Raiders.

This is all speculation, but it seems like the Humanitarian Bowl and the Little Caesars Bowl is unlikely compared to the other three. The main reason for that is the geographic purposes. However, ESPN's bowl projections have the Blue Raiders going to the Little Caesars Bowl to take on the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC.

There are two very intriguing possible matchups that the Blue Raiders could end up being paired with. If the Blue Raiders get an invite to the GMAC Bowl then there's a remote possibility that Notre Dame would get the other invitation. More than likely Notre Dame would decline the invitation, so don't get your hopes up on that one.

The other possible matchup would be a rematch of the 2006 Motor City Bowl between the Blue Raiders and Central Michigan.

Things will gradually start to develop within the next week or so. Either way it's a good time to be a Blue Raider!

Bowl Possibilities

• Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, ID)...Possible Opponents: Idaho, Northern Illinois
• Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Detroit, MI)...Possible Opponents: Ohio
  
• GMAC Bowl (Mobile, AL)....Possible Opponents: Central Michigan, Notre Dame
• EagleBank Bowl (Washington D.C.)....Possible Opponents: Bowling Green, Marshall
• New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, LA)....Possible Opponents: Southern Miss
  

Stockstill Getting Offers From Memphis

Doesn't it always feel good when someone wants what you already have? That's the feeling I got when I found out Memphis wants coach Rick Stockstill to possibly fill their coaching vacancy.

The news leaked just recently that Memphis has contacted Stockstill to do an interview. Stockstill said that he talked with them but has not done an interview. He didn't rule out his interest but stated that he's just focused on next week's game against Arkansas State.

That's the common answer you'll get from a coach who is currently with another team.

Since Stockstill was hired in 2006 he has taken this program to a whole new level. In his first season he led the Blue Raiders to a conference championship and it's still possible that they could win one this year.

Not only has Stockstill produced in that regard, but the Blue Raiders have won some huge games under him over BCS opponents.

Hopefully Stockstill will stick around. This program has become completely his own and I can't see him leaving it just at it is on the rise.

On the other end, Memphis is a program in shambles and playing in a conference that has been stagnant for years now. He's not dumb enough to put himself in that bad of a situation.

Notable Accomplishments Under Stockstill

• School record six Sun Belt wins in 2006
• Nine national broadcasted games in his tenure
• Sun Belt Championship in 2006
• Two wins over Maryland
• Set Floyd Stadium attendence record in 2009

Offense Shines Again In Another Blue Raider Win

Nothing seems to be able to stop the offense of the Blue Raiders at this crucial point of the season. Earlier in the season Dwight Dasher seemed to be the only threat, but now some other guys have joined in on the fun.

Saturday's win over Louisiana-Lafayette marked the Blue Raiders' fourth straight game of scoring 27 points or more. On top of that, the Blue Raiders have scored 30-plus points in all but one of their seven wins this season.

The schedule get's incredibly weak for the last two games of the 2009 campaign.

Arkansas State comes to town next week for the last home game of the season, and the season finale will be at Louisiana-Monroe. Monroe barely got past the winless Hilltoppers this past weekend so that should be a fairly easy win.

The other big story outside of the Blue Raiders cruising to a bowl bid is the fact that Dasher broke the school record for total offense in a single season. Dasher has 3,040 yards of total offense on the season.

Even the ESPN guys are giving Dasher their praises. During the broadcast of a Friday night game one of the commentators announced Dwight Dasher as one of his offensive players to watch for on Saturday.

What has made the Blue Raiders so much more dangerous is that they're no longer one-dimensional in the rushing attack.

Sophomore running back D.D. Kyles has added a whole other problem for opposing defenses to worry about. Kyles now has three straight 100-yard games on the ground.

As of right now the bowl projections are putting the Blue Raiders in the PapaJohns.com Bowl or maybe the EagleBank Bowl.

It's very unlikely the Blue Raiders will get the New Orleans Bowl, which is awarded to the Sun Belt champion. Troy would have to lose their remaining two games and that probably won't happen.

Either way, the Blue Raiders are most likely going bowling for only the second time in school history.

Blue Raiders Are Bowl Eligible

The Blue Raiders officially became bowl eligible yesterday with their 27-point win over Florida International.

It should've been more like a 40-point win. The Blue Raiders dominated in every part of the game to cruise to their sixth victory of the season.

The real question coming out of this game is concerning quarterback Dwight Dasher. At some points in the game he looked dominant and other times he looked like a true freshman all over again. His final stat line was 182 yards passing, two passing touchdowns, three interceptions, three rushing touchdowns, and 178 yards rushing.

Needless to say, he was busy on Saturday.

This sixth win simply isn't enough to secure a bowl game. If the Blue Raiders were to lose their last three games to finish 6-6, they wouldn't get a bowl game. When you play in the Sun Belt you have to do a little extra to get the recognition.

There's no reason why the Blue Raiders can't at least win two of their last three which would most likely give them only their second bowl game in school history.

The remaining schedule is UL-Lafayette, Arkansas State, and UL-Monroe. These teams combined record is 12-14.

As long as Dwight Dasher stays smart and continues to use those legs then the Blue Raiders will be just fine.

Hilltoppers Should Be Breath of Fresh Air

The first half of the Blue Raiders' brutal schedule is finally behind them and now nothing but Sun Belt opponents remain, which isn't necessarily a cake walk anymore.

Homecoming is tomorrow and they couldn't have picked a better opponent to bring to town for the festivities; the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. Even though the Hilltoppers are probably the worst team in the FBS, no team should ever be taken lightly in college football.

The Hilltoppers come in at 0-6 with their closest game being an 8-point loss last week against Louisiana-Lafayette. I guarantee you the Hilltoppers have upset on their minds going into the game. They definitely ruined the party two seasons ago when they defeated the Blue Raiders at Floyd Stadium as still a member of the FCS, or Division II.

That game marked Dwight Dasher's first appearance at quarterback thanks to then starting quarterback Joe Craddock going down with an injury. Dasher knew little of the offense at that point in his young career and he still looked good at many points of that game.

The Blue Raiders barely lost that game, but this year there are no excuses. The Blue Raiders should win this by multiple touchdowns. If not, then I might just throw in the towel on all my football teams from the state of Tennessee.

This season has been up and down for the Blue Raiders. They strung three consecutive wins together before firing a blank against Troy and then losing to a bigger, stronger, and faster Mississippi State team last week at home.

Look for the Blue Raiders to throw it often and don't be surprised to see Dasher rush for 100 yards or so. It's about time this offense does what it's capable of and they couldn't be going against a better opponent.

Tighten Your Chin Straps...Miss. State Is Coming to Town

There is no denying that Saturday's game against Mississippi State is the biggest game in the history of Floyd Stadium. The Bulldogs will be the first SEC team to play in Floyd Stadium and the Blue Raiders have a great chance to show the nation that we're one of the up and coming programs.

I'm not anywhere close to comparing Blue Raider football to other non-BCS teams like Boise State, but a win against Mississippi State would be a huge step in the right direction.

The problem with the national perception of MTSU is that we've never won any big games in front of a national audience. The last second touchdown to beat Florida Atlantic on ESPN2 last season was a great win for our program, but it was against another Sun Belt team, and most people give the Sun Belt no credit whatsoever.

Last Tuesday the Blue Raiders had a good chance to beat at least one team in the Sun Belt that has a little bit of national recognition against Troy on national television, but they squandered that opportunity and played poorly.

That was a tough loss, but the Blue Raiders are still 3-2 and have beaten some decent teams. By normal standards this season has exceeded expectations so far, but this isn't normal standards. Coach Rick Stockstill has this team believing they can beat anyone and that's great news for Blue Raider fans.

This game against Mississippi State is going to test the MTSU defense like it has never been tested before. The Mississippi State players are going to be bigger and faster than our guys, but sometimes the team that has the most heart pulls out the win. Plus the Blue Raiders are an excellent home team and that will push our players to go above and beyond they're normal abilities.

I can't wait to see my Blue Raiders give it everything they got on Saturday. It's going to be tough, but once again I'm going to say that a loss isn't the end of the world.

A blowout will be the closest thing to it, though. We can't be embarrassed again in front of a national audience or we can wave goodbye to any respect that we might have gained after beating Memphis and Maryland earlier this season.

MTSU/Miss State Statistical Ranks

• Total Offense: MSU (44th), MTSU (46th)
• Rush Offense: MSU (10th), MTSU (84th)
• Total Defense: MSU (71st), MTSU (87th)
• Pass Offense: MSU (100th), MTSU (21st)
  

The Battle for the Palladium!!!

The biggest rivalry within the young Sun Belt conference has to be the battle between MTSU and Troy, also known as the Battle for the Palladium.

The nickname of the annual meeting is due to both school's connection to Greek mythology with their mascots.

This will be my first MTSU road game that I will witness in person with the exception to seeing the Blue Raiders take on Vanderbilt back in 2005 at Vanderbilt Stadium.

This game has huge implications as it usually does. Both teams are easy favorite to win the Sun Belt this year and the winner of this game will probably take the conference title.

The Blue Raiders come into this game at 3-1 and riding on a three-game winning streak. Their three wins are against Memphis, Maryland, and Sun Belt foe North Texas.

As for the Trojans, they started off the season with a huge disappointment by getting stomped by a weak Bowling Green team on the road. They then traveled to No. 1 Florida the following week and got destroyed, but no one is knocking them for that.

Since then Troy has returned back to form to get a home win over UAB and a road win over Arkansas State. You can't forget, Arkansas State only lost to Iowa by three, so that road win is actually pretty impressive.

This will not be an easy game for the Blue Raiders. In fact, it may be the toughest game they will play all year. The Trojans have only lost twice at home since 2006. They also beat Oklahoma State in 2007 at home.

Being as unbiased as possible, I believe the Blue Raiders will take this game for two important reasons.

Their offense is by far the best in the Sun Belt as they're averaging 28.5 points per game. Dwight Dasher has the offense running smoothly and he's making smart decisions with the football.

Secondly, they finally have a great kicker in Alan Gendreau. This kid is a great weapon for a team who moves the ball into the red zone a lot. Sometimes those field goals add up and in the past the Blue Raiders have never had the luxury of kicking the field goal. They've always had to go for it on fourth down or punt the ball away.

No matter which team comes out on top, the game will be close till the final whistle. The Trojans have a good offense of their own and the MTSU defense will have to show up and play a solid game.

The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 so look for me in the Blue Raiders section!!!! I'll be one of the nuts screaming their head off!

Blackout Time in the Boro

The second annual blackout game will be Saturday night for the Blue Raider football program and I have to say I'm pumped.

Last season the Blue Raiders won their first ever blackout game by defeating Sun Belt foe Florida Atlantic on a last second hail mary touchdown. Expect the attendance to be among the highest Floyd Stadium has ever seen.

Last season's blackout game was the third largest in the history of Floyd Stadium with 25,766. I expect that total to be surpassed thanks to an in-state school is coming to town, and I'm sure Memphis will have plenty of support from their fans.

All of the blackout shirts are currently sold out and I have to say I'm not one of the students who got one. I'll still be there with a black Blue Raider shirt cheering on my Blue Raiders who look to defeat a Conference USA opponent for only the second time in school history. That may sound like a bad stat but this only the third time the Blue Raider's have played a team from Conference USA.

The season opener wasn't a good one for the Blue Raiders. Dwight Dasher had a few good passes here and there, including a 18-yard touchdown pass to Chris McClover in the 3rd quarter. However, he had three interceptions and that obviously has to get better.

The Blue Raiders are getting a Memphis team that hung with No. 6 Ole Miss til midway through the 4th quarter last week. We can definitely win this game but MT has to limit their mistakes.

It should be one of the most electric games in the history of Floyd Stadium and Blue Raider football for that matter. If you're a student at MTSU you have no excuse to miss this one so be there and support your university!

Dasher the New Leader for the Blue Raiders

Just two seasons ago, Dwight Dasher stepped in after an injury to Joe Craddock and led the Blue Raiders to four big wins as a true-freshman. Dasher looked like the future of Blue Raider football.

As a true-freshman, Dasher threw for over 1,000 yards, threw nine touchdown passes, and had a quarterback rating of 131.

However, last season was a huge setback for Dasher as he struggled to only complete 17 passes and lost the starting job to Craddock.

Now Craddock has graduated, and Middle Tennessee is once again looking to Dasher to lead them back into the national spotlight. He won't have to wait long to get his opportunity as the opener is against Clemson.

Coach Rick Stockstill said recently at the Sun Belt Conference Media Days that Dasher has changed a lot from last season and that he has all the tools to be a good quarterback.

Even though the overall success of a team never completely rests on one player, Dasher will still play a vital role in whether the Blue Raiders can bounce back from a disappointing 5-7 season.

What makes Dasher so dynamic is his strong arm and his ability to flush the pocket and pick up crucial yards with his feet. He did that plenty of times during his freshman season as he rushed for 530 yards.

Things for Dasher may be a little easier than last season since almost every starting receiver from last season is back again this season.

Guys like Patrick Honeycutt, Malcolm Beyah, and Sancho McDonal all had solid numbers last season.

The top three receivers all had at least 200 yards receiving last season, so there will be plenty of help out there for Dasher.

All the pieces seem to be laid out for Dasher to take over as the catalyst for Blue Raider football, and now he just has to put those pieces together.

MTSU Has Tough Schedule In Store For 09'

The Blue Raiders will have plenty of opportunities this upcoming season to prove that they are ready to make the jump to the next level in the national college football scene.

As usual, the most difficult part of the schedule will definitely be the non-conference schedule which includes three teams that all made bowl games last season. In all the Blue Raiders will play five teams that made bowl appearances last season.

There will be little time once the season starts for the Blue Raiders to make adjustments as they start off the season in extremely hostile territory by taking on Clemson.

If the Blue Raiders can figure out a way to make a game out of that to boost their confidence up, then a loss won't be the end of the world.

One great thing about the schedule is the Blue Raiders will get six home games, something they haven't enjoyed since 2003. They went 4-1 last season at home, including a win over Maryland.

Another history making moment involved in this year's schedule is Mississippi State coming to town on October 17. This will mark the first time an SEC team will make the trip to Murfreesboro.

Don't count the Blue Raiders out from winning this game at home. Last season in Starkville, the Blue Raider were neck and neck with the Bulldogs until the midway point of the 4th quarter to end up losing 31-22.

The Floyd Stadium crowd will be rocking for this game and it's very likely that the attendance record will shattered for this game.

Memphis will also visit Floyd Stadium after the Blue Raider defeated the Tigers last season at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

Even though this schedule is probably one of the most challenging this program has ever seen, a ton of great opportunities to put MTSU football in the national spotlight lies in it as well.

Some Interesting Notes About 09' Schedule

• First 6-game home schedule since 2003
• First SEC team to ever visit Floyd Stadium
• Combined 08' record of opponents: 64-76
• October 6th at Troy will be televised on ESPN.

MTSU 2009 Football Schedule

The 2009 football schedule has been released and I must say it is extremely intriguing. Here's a quick look at the schedule

1. @ Clemson


2. MEMPHIS


3. @ Maryland


4. @ North Texas


5. FIU


6. MISS. ST.


7. ARKANSAS ST.


8. @ FAU


9. @ Louisiana Monroe


10. LOUISIANA LAFFAYETTE


11. @Troy


12. WESTERN KENTUCKY

The schedule may be one of toughest schedules in the history of the program and an 0-3 start is very likely. However, if MTSU can pull out a couple wins over Miss. State, Memphis, Maryland, or Clemson then that will get them a ton of national credit.

It should be a great year with Mississippi State coming to Floyd Stadium, which will be the first SEC school to ever play at Floyd Stadium.