MTSU football (1-8, 0-5 CUSA) dropped its sixth-straight game on Saturday, falling to Florida International University (4-5, 2-3 CUSA) 56-30.
Three critical turnovers doomed the Blue Raiders, as short field situations allowed a FIU offense averaging 22 points per game to drop 56 points in Floyd Stadium. In the 26-point defeat, Middle Tennessee surrendered 17 points off of true turnovers alone.
“I still believe this group isn’t far [away],” head coach Derek Mason said. “We’ve just got to make sure we take care of the ball because tonight, way too many turnovers.”
Quarterback Nick Vattiato opened the scoring with a 48-yard strike down the middle of the field to running back Jekail Middlebrook to give Middle Tennessee a 7-0 lead in the middle of the first quarter.
In a bit of a surprise, FIU quarterback Keyone Jenkins missed Saturday’s game due to a lingering injury, and backup Joe Pesansky stepped into the starting role. MTSU’s defense held strong against the redshirt senior early, with sophomore linebacker Korey Smith picking off a tipped Pesansky pass late in the first quarter.
The Blue Raiders couldn’t capitalize on the turnover though, as running back DJ Taylor fumbled three plays later, giving the Panthers possession right back. FIU held onto the ball until the quarter’s end and punched it in early in the second with a six-yard Pesansky run.
First-half momentum shifted following Taylor’s turnover as FIU forced a punt on the ensuing Middle Tennessee possession, and marched the ball 90 yards in five plays, capped off with a 49-yard strike from Pesansky to JoJo Stone to give FIU a 14-7 lead.
Taylor’s turnover troubles continued on the offense’s next trip out as the Riverdale High School alum coughed it up once more inside the Blue Raiders’ own 20-yard line. The Panthers scored five plays later as running back Kejon Owens barreled in from the one-yard line to extend the Panthers’ lead to 21-7.
A Riverdale High School graduate, Taylor’s two fumbles proved costly for Middle Tennessee on Saturday, but fellow his fellow running back Middlebrook offered words of encouragement following the game.
“I told him to forget about it,” Middlebrook said. “There ain’t nothing you can do about it. It’s football at the end of the day. Mistakes happen. I told him to forget about it and wash it away. He’s gonna make up for it though.”
Following four straight possessions with no points, the Blue Raiders’ offense responded with an eight-play, 68-yard drive. Vattiato found redshirt junior AJ Jones from six yards out to bring the score to 21-14.
Middle Tennessee’s defense forced a quick FIU three-and-out soon after, and the Blue Raiders drove into field goal range with 42 seconds to go in the second quarter. Jacob Hathaway converted from 48 yards out to make the score 21-17 going into halftime.
Despite allowing 10 unanswered points to end the first half, FIU’s offense came out firing in the third quarter. Pesansky’s Panthers marched 75 yards in nine plays to extend the lead to 27-17. FIU challenged the MTSU defense to end the drive with three straight passing plays to the deep left side.
After FIU regained control, MTSU took it back on the Panthers’ next offensive possession, as Pesansky tossed an interception to redshirt freshman Jackson Lowe. Lowe’s first career pick propelled Middle Tennessee’s offense as Vattiato hit wide receiver Myles Butler from five yards out to bring the score to 27-24.
FIU’s ferocious offense struck right back, though, as Pesansky led a four-play, 75-yard drive to extend MTSU’s deficit to 34-24.
The game’s back-and-forth scoring ended with a failed fake punt from MTSU as referees ruled Ashton Logan’s pass to De’Arre McDonald incomplete after review. Middle Tennessee’s defense held FIU to a field goal but gave up a touchdown on the next drive after Vattiato threw an interception in his own end.
Following the interception, MTSU turned to backup QB Roman Gagliano to close out team’s seventh straight home loss. Leading by 10 points to start the fourth quarter, FIU outscored Middle Tennessee 22-6 in the game’s final frame in what Mason said was a “lapse in focus” from his Blue Raiders.
“I’m not going to make any excuses for it … you can’t check out,” Mason said. “I don’t think they did, but I’m just saying the focus part of what you’ve got to do is still playing.”
Middle Tennessee will be back on the road next week as the Blue Raiders head 100 miles north to face archrival Western Kentucky University (7-2, 5-1 CUSA) on Saturday, Nov. 15.
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