2024 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team

The 2024 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blue Raiders are led by Derek Mason in his first year as the head coach. The Blue Raiders will play home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium, located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[1]

2024 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football
ConferenceConference USA
Record3–9 (2–6 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBodie Reeder (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorBrian Stewart (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumJohnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
Seasons
← 2023
2025 →
2024 Conference USA football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Jacksonville State y$   7 1     9 5  
Western Kentucky y   6 2     8 6  
Sam Houston   6 2     10 3  
Liberty   5 3     8 3  
Louisiana Tech   4 4     5 7  
UTEP   3 5     3 9  
FIU   3 5     4 8  
New Mexico State   2 6     3 9  
Middle Tennessee   2 6     3 9  
Kennesaw State*   2 6     2 10  
Championship: Jacksonville State 52, Western Kentucky 12
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules
As of December 20, 2024

Preseason

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C-USA media poll

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The Conference USA preseason media poll was released on July 19. The Blue Raiders were predicted to finish fourth in the conference.[2]

Media poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Liberty 197 (18)
2 Western Kentucky 173 (2)
3 Jacksonville State 166
4 Middle Tennessee 98
5 New Mexico State 97
Sam Houston
7 Louisiana Tech 88
8 FIU 81
9 UTEP 76
10 Kennesaw State 27

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 316:00 p.m.Tennessee Tech*ESPN+W 32–2516,000
September 73:15 p.m.at No. 6 Ole Miss*SECNL 3–5266,427
September 146:00 p.m.Western Kentucky
ESPN+L 21–4912,227
September 213:00 p.m.Duke* 
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
ESPNUL 17–4515,209
September 286:30 p.m.at Memphis*ESPNUL 7–2425,266
October 107:00 p.m.at Louisiana TechCBSSNL 21–4815,072
October 157:00 p.m.Kennesaw State
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
CBSSNW 14–510,200
October 236:30 p.m.at Jacksonville StateESPN2L 20–4217,988
November 22:30 p.m.at UTEPCBSSNW 20–1314,775
November 912:00 p.m.Liberty
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
CBSSNL 17–3713,500
November 231:30 p.m.New Mexico State
  • Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
  • Murfreesboro, TN
ESPN+L 21–3610,123
November 301:00 p.m.at FIUESPN+L 24–3514,686

[3]

Game summaries

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Tennessee Tech

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1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Eagles 0 5 6 14 25
Blue Raiders 7 14 0 11 32
Statistics TNTC MTSU
First downs 21 20
Total yards 341 328
Rushing yards 67 118
Passing yards 274 210
Turnovers 1 1
Time of possession 27:09 32:51
Team Category Player Statistics
Tennessee Tech Passing Jordyn Potts 27/38, 256 yards, 3 TD
Rushing Jalen Mitchell 11 rushes, 52 yards
Receiving D. J. Linkins 7 recptions, 61 yards
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiao 20/35, 210 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Frank Peasant 10 rushes, 49 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Omari Kelly 4 receptions, 47 yards

At No. 6 Ole Miss

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 0 3 0 0 3
No. 6 Rebels 17 14 14 7 52
Statistics MTSU MISS
First downs 18 34
Total yards 278 655
Rushing yards 28 258
Passing yards 250 397
Turnovers 2 0
Time of possession 33:03 26:57
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 21/33, 209 yards, INT
Rushing Terry Wilkins 7 rushes, 19 yards
Receiving Holden Willis 6 receptions, 93 yards
Ole Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 25/27, 377 yards, TD
Rushing Henry Parrish Jr. 14 rushes, 165 yards, 4 TD
Receiving Tre Harris 9 receptions, 130 yards

Western Kentucky (100 Miles of Hate)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 14 7 21 7 49
Blue Raiders 0 0 14 7 21
Statistics WKU MTSU
First downs 30 21
Total yards 631 514
Rushing yards 150 58
Passing yards 481 456
Turnovers 0 1
Time of possession 31:22 28:38
Team Category Player Statistics
Western Kentucky Passing Caden Veltkamp 27/30, 398 yards, 5 TD
Rushing L. T. Sanders 8 rushes, 54 yards
Receiving Kisean Johnson 8 receptions, 129 yards, 2 TD
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 24/31, 456 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing Nicholas Vattiato 9 rushes, 21 yards
Receiving Omari Kelly 9 receptions, 239 yards, 3 TD

Duke

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Devils 28 7 3 7 45
Blue Raiders 10 0 7 0 17
Statistics DUKE MTSU
First downs 17 18
Total yards 340 295
Rushing yards 124 168
Passing yards 216 127
Turnovers 1 4
Time of possession 23:45 36:15
Team Category Player Statistics
Duke Passing Maalik Murphy 14/21, 216 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing Star Thomas 17 carries, 111 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Nicky Dalmolin 4 receptions, 100 yards, 2 TD
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 21/33, 127 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Jaiden Credle 12 carries, 125 yards, TD
Receiving Holden Willis 3 receptions, 60 yards, TD

At Memphis

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 0 0 7 0 7
Tigers 0 14 10 0 24
Statistics MTSU MEM
First downs 13 22
Total yards 312 413
Rushing yards 29 186
Passing yards 283 227
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 25:51 34:09
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 21/31, 283 yards
Rushing Jaiden Credle 10 carries, 39 yards
Receiving Omari Kelly 6 receptions, 174 yards
Memphis Passing Seth Henigan 26/41, 227 yards
Rushing Mario Anderson Jr. 18 carries, 118 yards, TD
Receiving Roc Taylor 6 receptions, 69 yards

At Louisiana Tech

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 14 0 7 0 21
Bulldogs 20 14 14 0 48
Statistics MTSU LT
First downs 17 27
Total yards 336 551
Rushing yards 60 222
Passing yards 276 329
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 25:37 34:23
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 24/39, 276 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing Jekail Middlebrook 5 carries, 30 yards
Receiving Omari Kelly 8 receptions, 103 yards
Louisiana Tech Passing Evan Bullock 18/25, 290 yards, 5 TD
Rushing Omiri Wiggins 8 carries, 49 yards
Receiving Tru Edwards 6 receptions, 127 yards, TD

Kennesaw State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Owls 2 0 0 3 5
Blue Raiders 7 0 7 0 14
Statistics KENN MTSU
First downs 10 17
Total yards 234 284
Rushing yards 131 85
Passing yards 103 199
Turnovers 2 0
Time of possession 29:48 30:12
Team Category Player Statistics
Kennesaw State Passing Khalib Johnson 5/17, 52 yards, 2 INT
Rushing Qua Ashley 11 carries, 79 yards
Receiving Carson Kent 4 receptions, 59 yards
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 19/34, 199 yards
Rushing Jaiden Credle 10 carries, 49 yards
Receiving Holden Willis 8 receptions, 92 yards

At Jacksonville State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 10 0 3 7 20
Gamecocks 14 0 21 7 42
Statistics MTSU JVST
First downs 17 30
Total yards 364 575
Rushing yards 67 438
Passing yards 297 137
Turnovers 0 1
Time of possession 29:56 30:04
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 25/36, 297 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Jaiden Credle 8 carries, 39 yards
Receiving Omari Kelly 8 receptions, 128 yards
Jacksonville State Passing Tyler Huff 10/18, 137 yards, TD
Rushing Tre Stewart 21 carries, 210 yards, TD
Receiving Cam Vaughn 4 receptions, 82 yards

At UTEP

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 3 7 3 7 20
Miners 3 7 3 0 13
Statistics MTSU UTEP
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UTEP Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Liberty

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1 2 3 4 Total
Flames 7 20 3 7 37
Blue Raiders 7 0 0 10 17
Statistics LIB MTSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Middle Tennessee Passing
Rushing
Receiving

New Mexico State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Aggies 0
Blue Raiders 0
Statistics NMSU MTSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
New Mexico State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Middle Tennessee Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At FIU

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1 2 3 4 Total
Blue Raiders 0
Panthers 0
Statistics MTSU FIU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing
Rushing
Receiving
FIU Passing
Rushing
Receiving

References

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  1. ^ "2024 Football Coaching Staff". Middle Tennessee State University Athletics. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "FB: CUSA Announces Media's Predicted Order of Finish". conferenceUSA.com. Conference USA. July 19, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  3. ^ "2024 Middle Tennessee Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.