September 4th, 1999 was the dawn of a new era in the Middle Tennessee football program.

After having made the commitment to move up to Division 1-A and pouring millions of dollars into a massive renovation of Floyd Stadium, the day had finally arrived for the Blue Raiders to make their debut at college football's highest level.

The site was Scott Field in Starkville, Miss., as Middle Tennessee took on an SEC foe.

The game itself was an inauspicious beginning to the 1-A era, but the fact that it was the first time the Blue Raiders took the field as a 1-A program makes it our choice as 1999's most memorable game.

September 4, 1999

The setting: The 1999 season opener was a first for Middle Tennessee in several ways. It was the program's first game as a Division 1-A member, the first game for new coach Andy McCollum, and the first time the Blue Raiders played as a non-OVC team for the first time since the early 1950's. Middle Tennessee didn't exactly arrive in 1-A on a roll. The Blue Raiders went 5-5 in 1998 and had a losing record in 1997. Mississippi State entered the contest with a strong returning nucleus from a team that won the 1998 SEC West division championship and nearly upset '98 national champion Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game.

What happened: Middle Tennessee hung tight for the first 15 minutes as the Blue Raiders benefited from a missed Mississippi State field goal and ended the first quarter still deadlocked in a 0-0 tie. The wheels began to fall off a bit in the second quarter though as the Bulldogs struck for 23 straight points and Middle Tennessee couldn't get its offense on track. By the early portion of the fourth quarter, Mississippi State's lead had grown to 40-0. Middle Tennessee avoided a shutout by scoring on the game's final play when Wes Counts connected with Hansford Johnson on a 7-yard touchdown pass to make the final margin 40-7.

The ramifications: Middle Tennessee's first season at the 1-A level proved to be a rocky one. The Blue Raiders closed the year 3-8 but none of their three wins came against a 1-A opponent. However, the building blocks starting to fall into place for a turnaround over the next two seasons. Middle Tennessee won six games in 2000 and played much more respectably in a 2000 rematch against Mississippi State, losing to the Bulldogs that year 61-35. Mississippi State took its season opening win over Middle Tennessee and parlayed into another successful season, finishing the year 10-2.

Did you know?: Despite allowing 40 points against Mississippi State, the Middle Tennessee defense surrendered just 3.5 yards per rush to the Bulldog ground game.

2007: Middle Tennessee 21, Memphis 7

2006: Central Michigan 31, Middle Tennessee 14

2005: Middle Tennessee 17, Vanderbilt 15

2004: Middle Tennessee 31, Akron 24

2003: Missouri 41, Middle Tennessee 40

2002: Alabama 39, Middle Tennessee 34

2001: Middle Tennessee 37, Vanderbilt 28

2000: Middle Tennessee 49, Louisiana Tech 21

1999: Mississippi State 40, Middle Tennessee 7