Most Anticipated Game Ever In 1A For Muts

MeanGreen61 · September 5, 2005

Blue Raiders turn focus to North Texas

By ADAM SPARKS

sparks@dnj.com

MTSU football coach Andy McCollum likes to say his team knows how to turn the page.

Last week the Blue Raiders lost respectably to Alabama, 26-7, and collectively opened a new book they had been itching to read for quite some time.

MTSU plays host to four-time defending Sun Belt champion North Texas Saturday in perhaps the most anticipated game in the Division I-A era for the Blue Raiders.

So when did the focus shift from a moral victory at Alabama to a hopeful win in a Sun Belt tilt?

"Now," said McCollum abruptly after the Alabama game Saturday night. "It started five minutes ago."

Indeed, the Blue Raiders understand the magnitude of a matchup with the Mean Green, who tout a 25-game conference winning streak.

MTSU has its best roster since splitting the conference title with North Texas in 2001, a year when the Mean Green's head-to-head win over MTSU earned the first of four trips to the New Orleans Bowl.

McCollum's squad has been an upper-echelon squad in the Sun Belt since that first season in league play. However, an outright crown has never been in the Blue Raiders' grasp, and this meeting appears to be their best opportunity to sit atop the conference.

The game kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. at MTSU's Floyd Stadium, and the Blue Raiders aren't hiding their anticipation of the meeting.

"We know how important this next one is," said senior defensive lineman Jeff Littlejohn, who has played in three previous losses to North Texas.

"As soon as (the Alabama) game ended, it was in the past. We start thinking about North Texas now, and we start working for that game every day."

The coupling of a rare early season matchup and the destruction of Hurricane Katrina make for an interesting situation for Saturday's Sun Belt showdown.

North Texas' season-opener at LSU was postponed due to hurricane effects, and MTSU revealed its new squad for the Mean Green to evaluate in the loss to Alabama.

The Blue Raiders were fortunate to survive the Alabama game without serious injuries.

McCollum said he now must focus his team's energy on building off scattered success against the Crimson Tide.

"We'll be banged up a little bit, and maybe our feelings are hurt a little bit because we know that if we would've done some things different here or there, we could've changed things for us (against Alabama)," McCollum said. "But we saw some things we can sure build on, and that's a good feeling, especially with some of the young ones we're putting out there.

"We'll watch the film and see what things need to be fixed, but we feel pretty good about our effort right now. We've just got to improve on some things before this next one."

Originally published September 5, 2005

0footballfan0 · September 5, 2005

Last week the Blue Raiders lost respectably to Alabama, 26-7, and collectively opened a new book they had been itching to read for quite some time.
So when did the focus shift from a moral victory at Alabama to a hopeful win in a Sun Belt tilt?
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????? "Lost respectably" and "moral victory"

Only 157 yards of total offense and 9 first downs. 123 yards passing and 34 rushing.

That would be almost 100 yards less than ULL had against UT, so I guess that ULL has a "moral victory" against UT.

I would say that if MTSU has only 157 yards and 9 1st downs against any SBC team they will not win a game, and this was a 6-6 Alabama team last year, with a losing record in conf.

I am glad; however, that it is showing in articles that it was "respectable'. People believe what they read if they dont look at the stats the belt will look better, and that is always good for the belt.

Edited September 5, 2005 by 0footballfan0

Brandon · September 5, 2005

I'm scared to death of this game...

NT91 · September 5, 2005

I'm scared to death of this game...
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ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eagle91Gator95 · September 5, 2005

Here's my take on this game......

MUTS' vaunted offense did exactly squat against Bama.....

The Bama score wasn't very lop-sided, but Bama is notorious for playing down to their competition, especially in the first game of the season......

Their offense will perform better against our D than Bama's, so I expect this game to be high scoring.......

The biggest deciding factor will be squarely between the MUTS players ears. They have no confidence in their ability to beat us. If the game comes down to the wire and is close, they fold in crunchtime (as always)!

TheColonyEagle · September 5, 2005

Here's what worries me about this game:

1) Dickey's teams seem to run around lost for the first 3 or so games every year.

2) Last year MT held Jamario to one of his lowest rushing totals of the year (180 or so yards)

3) Scott Hall's career high in passing yards won the game

4) Their Offense went up and down the field on our D last year

There has never been a conference game more set up for NT to lose than this one. Looking at this objectively, MT should win. They've got their whole team coming back, at home, one game under their belt while we've got a young unproven defense, a young unproven (understatement) QB, on the road, and our first game of the year. I don't think Meager is going to throw for nearly 300 yards the way Scott did last year.

BUT, on the other hand it is MTSU. They C H O K E better than any team in the conference. We've won big game after big game, so we're used to the pressure. Plus, NT's players will put everything on the line to protect that streak. And Andy McCullum is still their coach.

The intangibles will have to win this game. No mistakes, control the clock, discipline (no stupid penalties). The X-factor may be Patrick if they put him back there to return kicks.

Man, I cannot wait to see this game.

MootPoint · September 5, 2005

2) Last year MT held Jamario to one of his lowest rushing totals of the year (180 or so yards)
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I don't know whether to laugh or LAUGH at this thought

TheColonyEagle · September 5, 2005

I don't know whether to laugh or LAUGH at this thought
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Yeah, I was thinking that was a little ridiculous as I typed it. 180 yards just doesn't cut it anymore huh. Good grief, what if in a few years we get a running back that only averages 120 yards per game?

Edited September 5, 2005 by TheColonyEagle

FirefightnRick · September 5, 2005

1) Dickey's teams seem to run around lost for the first 3 or so games every year.

That's the point of the SBC scheduling this game now. Trying to someone, anyone to finally knock us off. I'll say it again, the MUTS have 18 returning starters including their QB. We couldn't be any more vulnerable right now. With all of the holes we have had to fill this season if they can't beat us this time they might as well hang it up.

Rick

emmitt01 · September 6, 2005

I don't thiink we lose this game. Our players have something that Middle Tennessee has never shown and that's "heart." In 2001 we had no business on the same field as the Blue Raiders if you read all of the prognostications and listen to the stats. All we did was go out and hit MUTS and their prima donna running back in the mouth...24-21. Every year since (and 2 out of those 3 on the road) we've gotten the job done.

We are unproven, young, and inexperienced at key positions. But we're still hungrier than they are...I just feel it.

Not to mention we keep looking at what we DON'T have, let's look at what we DO have.

1)J-Mo and PC. You don't think this "killer" D they keep talking about will wear down just a bit getting hammered by Patrick and trying to catch Jamario?

2)Quinn. He's proven for two years now that if you'll just put the ball in his area code he'll catch it. And he's bigger than ever.

3)Linebackers who are fast and deep. Unless we go 3-4 we'll have linebackers with game experience who won't start. Thompson, Mendoza, Graves, Monroe, Holman...that's 5 guys who could play and that's if we redshirt Nwigwe.

4)Our O-Line will be ok this year. I believe in those guys and their ability to open holes.

5)We are still the champions of this league! At the risk of sounding corny I'm gonna quote Rick Flair (he's a wrestler): "To be the best you gotta beat the best!" Let's not just concede our crown because they're "sexy" AGAIN.

Coffee and TV · September 6, 2005

I don't think Meager is going to throw for nearly 300 yards the way Scott did last year.
Man, I cannot wait to see this game.
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me either, but Meager won't need to throw for 150 yards to win this game. JaMario will have 150 yards, and PC will have 120.

September 6, 2005

I'll say this again: RELENTLESS SHORT PASSING GAME. Interspersed of course with punishing running game. And I can't count how many times I saw Bama runners bouncing outside for big gains in the second half. And if they get all aggressive with the rush please set up the screen.

Many seem really worried about this MTSU. Look, the same things will determine the outcome in this game as in any other. I don't see we're any more susceptible in those various departments than any other time. Our guys are either ready or they're not. I would bet they are. Our coaches will either make good calls or they won't. I don't see any reason why they're more likely to make bad play calls in this game than any other. If our guys are ready, and the coaches call it right, we'll beat the crap out of Middle. Have faith, and don't fret, and we'll see what happens.