Sports
BLUE RAIDERS
O’Hara at FIU
Asher O’Hara #10 at Rice PHOTOS BY NATHAN WALLACH
Blue Raiders Earn a Couple of Wins at FIU, Rice AFTER A TOUGH START TO THE 2020 FOOTBALL SEASON, the MTSU Blue Raiders got some wins in October. The month began with the Blue Raiders dropping a close call to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Oct. 3. Another rivalry matchup between WKU and MTSU went down to the wire, but the Raiders couldn’t find enough big plays in the second half, scoring only once after halftime and losing to the Hilltoppers 20–17. It was the eighth time in the last 10 meetings between the teams that the final was decided by less than a touchdown. “It was a hard-fought ballgame,” MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill said. “I thought our defense played well, we just have to find a way to make more plays and get the ball in the end zone.” The game was knotted at 10 at the break, but MTSU couldn’t get anything going offensively in the second half. The Raiders punted on their first three possessions of the second half despite making it into Hilltopper territory twice. WKU added a third-quarter field goal and widened the lead to 20–10 with 6:04 remaining. Middle Tennessee added a touchdown with 2:07 left to pull within three points when quarterback Asher O’Hara hit C.J. Windham in the corner of the end zone, but the Hilltoppers recovered the subsequent onside kick and iced the game. O’Hara completed 23 of 33 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown and added 98 more
yards on the ground and another score on the game. Senior Jarrin Pierce was again O’Hara’s favorite target. He caught nine of 11 targets for 65 yards. The following week, Oct. 10, MTSU finally got a win as it came back at FIU to win 31–28 comeback win in Miami. The Blue Raiders scored a last-minute touchdown to shock the Panthers and go ahead 31–28, clinching their first win of the season. “This one had nothing to do with anything but toughness and our competitive spirit,” Stockstill said. “We didn’t start out all that hot . . . but we kept battling. I’m just really proud of our mental toughness.” Down 28–24 with time running out, O’Hara and the MTSU offense finally found momentum. O’Hara hit Yusuf Ali for 17 yards to get a drive going, then connected for 13 yards to Pierce. O’Hara later hit Pierce with an over-theshoulder throw in the end zone to snatch the late lead. “We just had heart,” O’Hara said. “I saw the safety roll to the other side of the field, so it was a really easy decision and throw for me. I just put my decision in Jarrin and of course knew he was going to come down with it. He’s a playmaker.” All that was left to do after the touchdown was hold off FIU’s last attempt, and it was Miami native Gregory Grate Jr. who intercepted a pass to effectively end the game with 35 seconds left.
The Blue Raiders defense forced eight time. It was a new career long for Holt. punts in the game and got in the backfield Holt had a chance to extend his new cafor five sacks. reer long to 50 yards on MT’s opening drive On Oct. 17 MTSU fell victim to an of overtime, but he missed short right. onslaught from the North Texas offense, The Owls were then set up to win it falling 52–35 at Floyd Stadium. twice with field goals, but the first from 44 Middle Tennessee surrendered 768 total yards bounced off both uprights and the yards, including 462 rushcrossbar and missed, and ing, which was the most the second from 40 yards total yards the Blue Raiders was blocked by redshirt have ever allowed in a freshman Jalen Jackson. single game. O’Hara would then end “Give North Texas credit, the contest with a gametheir skill on offense was winning 14-yard rushing CHARLOTTE really good,” Stockstill said. touchdown. The final was Saturday, Nov. 7 “In the first half, we started 40–34. 2:30 p.m. out and did a lot of good “That was a fantastic Murfreesboro things on both sides of the win,” Stockstill said. “I’m ball . . . I’m just disappointjust really proud of our MARSHALL ed in how we played in the team for how we hung Saturday, Nov. 14 second half.” in there and battled the 11 a.m. The Blue Raiders used Huntington, West Virginia whole time. I can’t tell you three Mean Green turnovers enough how much fight, to take a 28–14 lead in the grit, determination, comTROY Saturday, Nov. 21 game. However, North petitiveness, toughness this 2:30 p.m. Texas proceeded to score 35 team showed here tonight. Troy, Alabama unanswered points. To come back and win “We just didn’t tackle very the way we did was pretty FLORIDA ATLANTIC good at all,” Stockstill said. special.” Saturday, Nov 28 The next week MTSU Blue Raider defense 2:30 p.m. traveled to Texas for its first forced three turnovers in Murfreesboro ever game at Rice, and the the game and held Rice first game of the season for the Owls. The out of the end zone on a critical two-point game turned out to be a double-overtime conversion attempt in the second half. thriller. Things looked dire for MTSU in Offensively, O’Hara finished with 333 the game’s final minute, as Rice scored a yards passing and four total touchdowns miracle of a touchdown with 34 seconds left (two passing). to take a 34–31 lead. MTSU will try to build on that emotional But O’Hara orchestrated a five-play, win when it hosts Charlotte on Nov. 7. 35-yard drive to set MT up with a chance at a game-tying field goal from 48 yards as For tickets, videos, news and more details time expired, and MTSU kicker Crews Holt on MTSU athletics, visit banged it home to send the game to overgoblueraiders.com.
COMING UP IN NOVEMBER FOR THE BLUE RAIDERS
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