FINAL: MSU 22, MTSU 20 

Middle Tennessee (1-5, 0-2 CUSA) fell to Missouri State (3-3, 1-1 CUSA) on the first weekday game of each team’s slate. The Blue Raiders’ defense struggled to contain freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey in his first collegiate start, while the MTSU offense fell stagnant at times. Cam’ron Lacy was the centerpiece of MTSU’s offense in the loss, tallying six receptions for 114 yards and two scores. 

Check back for more coverage postgame.

Q4 0:59 MISSED FG

A 50-yard attempt by Hathaway is no good. The low, line drive kick is wide left. Missouri State will take over on its own 32-yard line. MTSU has one timeout remaining.

Q4 2:00

At the two-minute timeout, the Blue Raiders are on offense, moving into MSU territory. After a facemask penalty against the Bears, MTSU will have 1st&10 from the Mo. State 30-yard line.

Q4 4:19 FIELD GOAL

Obeid is good from 29 yards out to give Mo. State a 22-20 lead. The near five-minute drive was supplemented by a 20-yard connection between Bailey and Johnson.

Q4 9:12 TOUCHDOWN

Vattiato finds Cam’ron Lacy for the pair’s second touchdown of the night, this time from 10 yards out. Blue Raiders finish out an 11-play, 72-yard drive by finding paydirt and taking the lead with the extra point.

MTSU leads 20-19 over MSU.

END Q3: Mo. State leads MTSU 19-13

An ugly quarter offensively for both sides outside of Mo. State’s opening drive of the quarter, which was carried by Bailey’s 76-yard pass to Branch that led to a field goal by Obeid.

MTSU is driving on offense, and will begin the last quarter with 1st&10 on its own 39-yard line.

Q3 1:55 TURNOVER ON DOWNS

MSU stops the Blue Raiders on 4th&4, forcing Middlebrook out of bounds on a speed option. The Bears’ offense will take over on its own 42.

Q3 4:11 TURNOVER ON DOWNS

MTSU forces a turnover on 4th&2 after Bailey fumbles and recovers for a loss of one. The Blue Raider offense will take over on the Mo. State 49-yard line.

Q3 9:25 TURNOVER ON DOWNS

A Vattiato pass intended for Kason Stokes is incomplete on 4th&2. Mo. State’s offense will take over on its own 38-yard line.

Q3 12:33 FIELD GOAL

Obeid is good from 25 yards to give Mo. State a 19-13 lead after its first drive of the second half. The score was set up by a 76 yard pass from Bailey to running back Reggie Branch II.

HALFTIME- MSU 16, MTSU 13

After trailing 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, Missouri State’s offense came alive, putting up 16 points in the second. With a rushing and passing touchdown under his belt, true freshman Deuce Bailey is settling in against the Blue Raiders in his first collegiate start in place of starter Jacob Clark. 

MTSU’s offense has found three scores in the first half. After a 48-yard field goal by Jacob Hathaway in the first quarter, Nick Vattiato found Cam’ron Lacy for a 52-yard touchdown. Hathaway was also good from 39 yards as the clock in the first half expired to cap off a 59 yard drive in 59 seconds. 

Missouri State will receive to begin the second half after deferring the opening kickoff.  

MTSU Stats 

Total yards- 219 

Pass yards- 167 

Rushing yards- 52 

Turnovers- 1 

Sacks- 2 

MSU Stats 

Total yards- 213 

Pass yards- 154 

Rushing yards- 59 

Turnovers- 0 

Sacks- 1 

Q2 0:00 FIELD GOAL

Hathaway’s kick is good from 39 yards out to finish off a nine-play, 56-yard drive in 59 seconds. MTSU heads to the locker room trailing MSU 16-13.

Q2 1:05 FIELD GOAL

Obeid is good from 40 yards out to extend MSU’s lead to 16-10.

The score comes after Bailey found fellow freshman Tristan Gardner for what was called on the field as a 69-yard touchdown, but official review overturned the call after finding evidence of Gardner’s knee being down at the MTSU 27.

MTSU’s defense rallied for a stop inside the redzone, as Damonte Smith brought Bailey down in the backfield.

Q2 5:29 TOUCHDOWN

Bailey finds wideout Ronnel Johnson for a 20-yard touchdown pass to finish off a 10-play, 79-yard drive. Mo. State was aided by a targeting penalty assessed to MTSU’s Kalen Woods.

Obeid’s extra point is good and the Bears lead 13-10.

Q2 8:54

Blue Raiders’ Kason Woods has been ejected for a targeting personal foul.

Mo. State will have 1st& 10 ten from the 50 yard line.

Q2 10:06 TOUCHDOWN

Nick Vattiato finds Cam’ron Lacy deep down the field for a 52-yard score. The explosive score gives the Blue Raiders the lead back after a three-play drive.

MTSU leads 10-6 over Mo. State.

Q2 11:27 TOUCHDOWN

Deuce Bailey runs it in from five yards out, capitalizing on the turnover deep in Blue Raider territory. Bailey found MSU’s top target, Dash Luke, for a 19-yard pass to set themselves up in the red zone.

Extra point by Obeid is no good, and MSU leads 6-3.

Q2 12:23 FUMBLE RECOVERY

After a fumbled snap, MSU’s Jalen Brooks recovers the ball. The Bears’ offense will take over on its own 24-yard line.

MTSU leads 3-0 over Mo. State.

Q2 13:36 FIELD GOAL NO GOOD

Missouri State’s Yousef Obeid is no good from 48 yards out. The Blue Raiders’ defense forced the long attempt after a five-yard sack by Christofer Noble.

MTSU’s offense will take over on its own 31-yard line.

END Q1, MTSU 3, MSU 0

After MTSU opened the game with a 38-yard drive to set up a field goal by Hathaway, both offenses have gone silent with four straight drives ending in punts. Middlebrook has been the highlight of the Blue Raider offense with 43 yards in the opening quarter. 

MTSU’s defensive line has been making noise early, with a sack and three hurries against Mo. State’s freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey. The Bears will begin the second quarter with the ball on the MTSU 34-yard line, following a 15-yard run by Bailey. 

Q1 8:47

MTSU forces a punt on Mo. State’s opening drive after allowing one first down. Reggie Johnson supplemented the defensive effort with a nine-yard sack of Deuce Bailey. The Blue Raiders’ offense will take over on its own 22-yard line.

Q1 10:42 3-0 MTSU

MTSU’s Jacob Hathaway is good from 45 yards out to give the Blue Raiders an early lead. Jekail Middlebrook carried the offense down the field on the opening drive, picking up 28 yards on four carries.

Pregame: Missouri State has won the toss and defers to the second half. MTSU is set to receive the opening kickoff.