How many wins for MTSU football this season? Here are our game-by-game predictions
Middle Tennessee State football kicks off the season on Sept. 3 and the Blue Raiders are riding the momentum of a 7-6 record and Bahamas Bowl win last season.
Here are our predictions for every game in the 2022 season.
Sept. 3 at James Madison
Time: 5 p.m.
The Dukes are in their first year as an FBS program after being one of the top FCS teams (including two national championships) in the country and reaching the semifinals last season. Seven starters return on offense, but they will have a new quarterback and also lost star wide receiver Antwan Wells, who transferred to South Carolina. Colorado State transfer Todd Centeio is expected to step in at quarterback. JMU opened as a seven-point favorite, but MTSU has the talent to escape with the win.
Prediction: MTSU 31, JMU 28.
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Sept. 10 at Colorado State
Time: 3 p.m.
A slew of Nevada transfers, including QB Clay Millen and WR Tory Horton (who joined first-year coach Jay Norvell in the move), should make for a high-powered passing offense. But the Rams allowed 377 yards and 28 points a game on defense last season. This game could come down to who has the ball last.
Prediction: MTSU 37, Colorado State 35.
Sept. 17 vs. Tennessee State
Time: 6 p.m.
Following last year's 5-6 season, second-year coach Eddie George and the Tigers are picked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference and have eight preseason all-conference players. Among them are 2021 All-OVC selections Robert Lacey (OL), James Green (OLB) and return specialist Dayron Johnson. Linebacker K'Vaughn Pope, an Ohio State transfer, is also a player to watch. The two teams last played in 2019, a 45-26 win by the Blue Raiders.
Prediction: MTSU 41, TSU 20.
Sept. 24 at Miami (Florida)
Time: TBA
The two teams have only played twice, and not since 1931. The Hurricanes, the lone Power 5 opponent on the MTSU schedule, are coming off a 7-5 season. First-year Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has a returning QB in sophomore Tyler Van Dyke, who threw for almost 3,000 yards and 25 TDs after stepping in as an injury replacement early in the season.
Prediction: Miami 45, MTSU 16.
Sept. 30 vs. UTSA
Time: 6:30 p.m.
The defending C-USA champions are loaded again, including returning quarterback Frank Harris (3,200 yards, 27 TDs). The Roadrunners lost the league's top rusher to the NFL Draft, but added Arkansas transfer Trelon Smith, who ran for 710 yards and five TDs last season. Returning WRs Zachari Franklin, De'Corian Clark and Joshua Cephus combined for more than 2,500 yards and 25 TDs.
Prediction: UTSA 38, MTSU 27.
Oct. 8 at UAB
Time: 2:30 p.m.
The Blazers return a lot of talent from a 9-4 (6-2 in C-USA) team. Quarterback Dylan Hopkins returns after throwing for more than 2,200 yards and 18 TDs and rushing for five more TDs on an offense that averaged almost 400 yards and 30 points a game. DeWayne McBride rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 13 TDs last season. The league's top defense also returns a wealth of talent, including one of the strongest secondaries in C-USA.
Prediction: UAB 28, MTSU 21.
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Oct. 15 vs. Western Kentucky
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Gone is the program's most prolific single-season passer in Bailey Zappe and most of his top receivers. Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is also gone. But the up-tempo offense is still there and the Hilltop hope West Florida transfer Austin Reed can pick up where Zappe left off. WKU will need to run the ball better than it did in 2021. The Hilltoppers return a strong secondary.
Prediction: MTSU 41, WKU 35.
Oct. 29 at UTEP
Time: 8 p.m.
The Miners had easily their best season under fifth-year coach Dana Dimel last season (7-6, 4-4 conference) and have some talent to build on that success. Ronald Awatt (854 yards, 5.4 per carry) will have an experienced and talented in front of him and junior QB Gavin Hardison will try to improve on 13 interceptions from 2021. He threw for 3,200 yards and 18 TDs. UTEP has eight starters back from a defense that was second in C-USA at 349 yards per game.
Prediction: UTEP 27, MTSU 24.
Nov. 8 at Louisiana Tech
Time: 2 p.m.
There's a lot of improvement to be made for a team that went 3-9 last season, but first-year La Tech coach Sonny Cumbie brings a high-powered passing philosophy with him. Matthew Downing, who played for Cumbie in 2020, will start the season as the top QB. While the offense could be better, the defense (ranked 106th last season) could be a major question mark.
Prediction: MTSU 42, Louisiana Tech 31.
Nov. 12 vs. Charlotte
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Last year's game was a shootout (42-39 win by 49ers) and a coming-out party for MTSU quarterback Chase Cunningham, who threw five TDs in his first start of the season. Despite the potent offense, Charlotte went just 5-7, thanks to a defense that allowed 465 yards a game. A lot of the offense is back, including QB Chris Reynolds and the team's top two rushers. The defense lost three of its top four tacklers.
Prediction: MTSU 45, Charlotte 35.
Nov. 19 vs. FAU
Time: 2:30 p.m.
The Owls hope to improve on last year's five-win season with QB N'Kosi Perry (more than 2,700 yards, 20 TDs) returning behind an experienced offensive line. The offense is led by former MTSU coordinator Brent Dearmon. The FAU defense will have to improve, particularly in pressuring the quarterback. The secondary struggled last season, a by-product of the lack of pass rush.
Prediction: MTSU 35, FAU 22.
Nov. 26 at FIU
Time: 5 p.m.
Arguably the worst team in the conference last season (1-5, 1-11 overall), but first-year FIU coach Mike McIntyre hopes to duplicate the rebuilds he accomplished at both San Jose State and Colorado. The Panthers' offense averaged 368 yards a game and the defense allowed a league-worst 492 last season.
Prediction: MTSU 45, FIU 17.
MTSU season prediction: 8-4, bowl game.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU football game-by-game preview, predictions
