How MTSU football crushed Tennessee State in front of biggest home crowd in 5 years
Middle Tennessee State's football team built a 42-0 halftime lead en route to a 49-6 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday at Floyd Stadium before a crowd of 22,227, largest for the Blue Raiders since a 2017 season opener vs. Vanderbilt.
The win improves the Blue Raiders to 2-1, while the Tigers dropped to 0-3.
"Obviously it was a big win, a great win for us," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. "I'm really proud of our mental intensity and focus we had throughout the course of the week and throughout this game. It was 42-0 at halftime, and it's hard to maintain that in the second half. I thought our guys did a really nice job of doing that."
Here are five takeaways from the blowout win:
Heavy 'O'
MTSU scored its first touchdown thanks to a new heavy formation that included defensive linemen Zaylin Wood, Jordan Ferguson, Marley Cook and Ja’Kerrius Wyatt as blockers.
Ferguson and Wyatt were lined up as tight ends and Cook and Wood as H-backs in the set.
Frank Peasant followed the group in from the 1 to give the Blue Raiders a 7-0 lead. A 35-yard pass from Chase Cunningham to Yusef Ali, which was originally ruled a touchdown before replay determined Ali stepped out at the 1, set up the TD.
"Really, it all came from last year," Wood said. "Coach had saw that me, Marley, Ferg and J.K. were real good blockers. He gave us a chance. Me and Marley in the A gap we really got all the smoke. That was real fun. I can't wait to keep doing it."
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TSU loses starting QB
TSU lost starting quarterback Draylen Ellis was injured with 7:09 left in the second quarter. He did not return.
Ellis gained a yard on the play before being hit by MTSU's Jordan Ferguson and twisting his left ankle on the tackle.
He was helped to the sideline and unable to put any weight on his left ankle after the play.
Ellis was replaced by Chayil Garnett, who completed 6 of 10 pass attempts for 53 yards and a TD and rushed for 20 yards. Ellis was 12-of-18 for 96 yards and an interception and rushed four times for zero yards before he left the game.
Blue Raiders score on six consecutive possessions
After Cunningham threw an interception on MTSU's first drive, the Blue Raiders proceeded to score on their next six possessions, seven consecutive TDs altogether.
MTSU built a 42-0 halftime lead, thanks largely to 216 passing yards and two TDs by Cunningham.
Sophomore running back Frank Peasant, who was limited to 23 rushing yards in the first half, broke off an 85-yard scamper on MTSU's first possession of the second half to compete the scoring run. He finished with 13 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
"I really want to give all the thanks to my (offensive) line ... that's who opened it up for me," said Peasant, on the 85-yard TD run. "All I did was run."
MTSU punted for the first time with 7:44 remaining in the third quarter.
Defense, special teams set tone
Similar to a Week 2 win at Colorado State, MTSU had a big first half and cruised in the second.
Defense and special teams sparked the Blue Raiders in the first half.
The Blue Raiders had two interceptions (Deonte Stanley, Jalen Davis) and held TSU to just 21 rushing yards in the first half. After allowing 33 yards on the Tigers' first drive, TSU was limited to just 12 yards combined on their next three possessions.
Special teams accounted for an MTSU touchdown. With 15 seconds left in the first quarter, Taharin Sudderth blocked a TSU punt and Jalen Montgomery picked it up at the 19 and took it into the end zone for a 21-0 Blue Raider lead.
"I just went out there and followed what I was coached to do," Montgomery said. "I realized (Sudderth) blocked it, and I heard it and just went to find it and try to make a play for the guys."
Blue Raiders utilize QB depth
Cunningham was rested early in the third quarter, and MTSU fans got to see two of his backups during the second half.
Former Wayne County standout Preston Rice, son of longtime high school coach Rick Rice, followed Cunningham and did not attempt a pass. Rice, who played under MTSU offensive coordinator Mitch Stewart at Murray State, had five carries for six yards.
Redshirt sophomore Stone Frost also saw action, alternating with Rice. He was 1-for-1 for minus-4 yards and rushed four times for 33 yards.
MTSU sophomore Nick Vattiato, who is second on the depth chart and started five games last season, and freshmen D.J. Riles and Kyle Lowe all did not play, likely to preserve redshirt status for each.
Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU football crushes Tennessee State, Eddie George 49-6
