Murfreesboro, TN – It was one of those days on Saturday night at Floyd Stadium where seemingly everything went wrong, but MTSU did not give up. It started with severe weather, rain, thunder and lightning delayed the opening game for nearly three hours. Then, when Middle Tennessee built a commanding lead, things started spiraling out of control to the point where they blew a 21-0 lead.

But Coach Mason’s team didn’t blink. Instead, they welcomed the challenge and had plenty of confidence to get the job done. It was a back-and-forth game all night, but when the Blue Raiders got the ball late in the game, they wouldn’t be denied. MTSU senior running back Frank Peasant showed up when it mattered most and capped off his solid night with a 30-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left to stamp a 32-25 Blue Raider victory.

“We got it all tonight. Rain delay, playing from in front, playing from behind, I didn’t want to draw it up that way, but this team showed their character,” says MTSU head coach Derek Mason.

“Winning takes what winning takes, and it takes commitment and grit for four quarters. We needed all four quarters. A lot of improvement can be made from now to next week. However, nobody is going to remember the score in a year; all they’re going to remember is that it was a win.”

MTSU looked like a well-oiled machine on their opening drive, converting five third-down opportunities and getting inside the Tech five-yard line. Peasant then started his senior season off with a bang by punching it in from three yards out to give the Blue Raiders an early lead.

The Golden Eagles would give the MTSU defense some trouble, marching it into Blue Raider territory. But transfer safety John Howse IV fooled Dylan Laible, intercepting the quarterback and returning it to the TTU 30-yard line.

“We were in cover three, which we had been working on all week. I messed it up on the first drive and allowed a catch, but the next time around, I made a play and brought it back,” says Howse.

Nick Vattiato would lead a short but efficient drive that ended in a 7-yard touchdown pass to Myles Butler as the Blue Raiders began to flex their muscles.

After a stop from the Blue Raider defense, Jaiden “Flip” Credle would take three carries for 18 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown run to put Middle Tennessee up 21-0. After another defensive stop, it looked like they would be coming for even more, but a beautiful punt by Tennessee Tech placed MT at their 1-yard line.

On the first play of the drive, Peasant would be hammered in the endzone for a safety to get TTU their first points of the night and the ball back before halftime. Tech would get inside the Blue Raider 10-yard line, but a missed read by their quarterback and a boneheaded penalty would force them to try a field goal. Hayden Olsen would drill it to get TTU their first offensive points of the night, sending the game to halftime with the Blue Raiders leading 21-5.

Coming out of the half, neither team would be able to find their footing with six consecutive drives of punts or turnovers. Tennessee Tech did start to find consistency when they started at midfield and 3:37 on the clock in the third quarter.

Jordyn Potts came in after the injury to Laible and immediately connected with his wideouts on back-to-back plays including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ashton Maples to get within 10 points. The two-point attempt was no good, but the Golden Eagles had made things interesting.

MTSU kicker Zeke Rankin would knock down a 33-yard field goal to extend the lead, but it was not enough for what was to come. Potts went on a tear in the fourth quarter, dicing up the Blue Raider defense to the tune of 101 yards and two touchdowns. The second would come with a minute left, giving Tennessee Tech their first lead of the ballgame.

With a minute left and down by one point, the MTSU offense was forced to do something they hadn’t done a lot of on the night, air it out. Vattiato was up to the test, making clutch completions on second and fourth down, setting MT up at the TTU 30-yard line.

Peasant, who had a quiet night up to that point, got the ball on first and 10 and made the most of it. Sprinting through the front seven and into the open field with one man to beat, he beat that man by running over him and rumbling into paydirt. Putting the Blue Raiders up 32-25 following the two-point attempt.

“That’s something I’ve wanted to do for my entire career at MTSU, a walk-off touchdown,” said Peasant. “Very exciting for my teammates and I. When I hit the hole, I knew that I was going to score but after I got in the endzone and I started celebrating with my team, it was just special.”

With just 16 seconds left, it was time to see if Tech could pull a miracle out of their hat. The answer to that question was no as the MTSU defense stood tall and kept the Golden Eagles out of the endzone with a sack and two checkdowns that were swallowed up, earning the Blue Raiders their first victory of the Mason Era, 32-25.

“There’s a lot to unpack about this game and we’ll do it tomorrow," Mason said. "We missed a lot of easy things and played just good enough to win. But by doing so, we almost put ourselves in a position to be beaten, and that’s not what you want. I am proud of the guys, though, and the perseverance they showed, but we’ve got some things to work on.”

Notes

Not only was this Coach Mason’s first career win as a Blue Raider, but it was also the 300th victory at Floyd Stadium.

Frank Peasant had two rushing touchdowns tonight, bringing him to 19 overall in his MTSU career, which ranks just outside the top 10 in program history.

John Howse IV had a clutch interception that changed the outlook of the ballgame. That pick was Howse’s first as a Blue Raider and his second collegiate interception.

Looking Ahead

MTSU will face a monumental challenge next week when they travel to play the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Between a stellar defense, star quarterback Jaxson Dart, and receivers Tre Harris, Antwane “Juice” Wells, and Caden Prieskorn, the Blue Raiders have an immense challenge on their hands. Will they be able to compete with the Rebels? That question remains to be answered.