GoMiddle picks 'em: Bowl edition

Well, here we are - the end of the journey.

It's been a wild ride for Middle Tennessee football this year. High hopes and expectations were smashed early on after a brash of injuries derailed the team. To their credit, though, MT battled through, winning three of their last four to reach bowl eligibility.

That's not a phrase Blue Raider fans want to hear anymore. They want results and they want to see that the program is moving forward at years end.

For Rick Stockstill and his squad, there is only one way to do that right now - and that's to take it to the Arkansas State Red Wolves Saturday in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.

But most important of all right now - this week will give us our pick 'em champion for the year! So let's see who the guys like in this one, shall we?

Some how, some way - Middle Tennessee has limped into a bowl this season. In a season to forget, a bowl win could go a long way in making this fan base feel better about the program moving forward.

Unfortunately, I don't see how the Blue Raiders win this one.

Red Wolves quarterback Justice Hansen is the Sunbelt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection. He's arguably one of the best QBs not playing for a Power 5 school. The Blue Raiders will have a very hard time slowing down him and the rest of the Arkansas St. offense that scores in bunches.

The Blue Raider offense has been better behind QB Brent Stockstill since he's been healthy, but games like this one are where you will see how much this offense hurts without its best player - Richie James.

It's Red vs Blue and the Blue Raiders will fall short again on the big stage. Go ahead and call it - five straight bowl losses.

Don't quote me on this, but Middle Tennessee doesn't do well on nationally televised games - particularly those on the mothership known as ESPN. In fact, I think the last time MT won a game on ESPN was the New Orleans Bowl. Again, don't quote me.

Okay, all jokes aside, I do think that the Blue Raiders win this game. To me, it comes down to two reasons.

Buster Faulkner and Joe Cauthen - the offensive and defensive coordinators for the Red Wolves. Nobody knows these two (and their schemes) better than Rick Stockstill. Nobody.

Sure, there are probably some wrinkles here and there that have changed, perhaps some terminology has shifted, but Stockstill should have his team ready for any and everything thrown at them on both sides of the ball.

Others will tell you that this situation favors the Red Wolves as much as it does MT, but I disagree. MT's schemes and personnel have shifted with coaching changes. Has Buster ball really changed that much?

I'd also like to point out that this game is in Montgomery, Alabama. Not Hawaii. Not the Bahamas. Distractions are limited in a place like Montgomery. MT has certainly been focused on just one thing this week. That should come into play.

Combine those things with the fact that Brent Stockstill is healthy, Richie James might play, and that MT is simply the hotter team at the moment, and I think you have a recipe for a Blue Raider win. Take MT with the points, and I think you should take the under as well.

The Camellia Bowl marks the seventh bowl appearance and fourth straight year the Blue Raiders have played in the postseason under Rick Stockstill’s leadership. However, the Blue Raiders have lost four straight bowl games by at least 14 points and I expect that trend to continue Saturday night.

Led by three former Middle Tennessee coaches - head coach Blake Anderson, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, and defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen - the Red Wolves familiarity with the Blue Raiders will be the difference in the game. I expect the Arkansas State offense to move the ball with ease between the 20 yard lines and the Arkansas State defensive line will make life difficult for the Middle Tennessee offense

If the Blue Raiders hope to pull off the upset, the Blue Raiders must win the turnover battle. Arkansas State has shown a tendency to turn the ball over in untimely situations and Scot Shafer’s defense must be on the lookout for these opportunities. Once again, Brent Stockstill will be charged with playing a near-perfect game to carry the Blue Raider offense to victory.

Ultimately, I don’t think the Blue Raiders can get it done and lose by a final score of 31-17

Prior to the season I was under the impression that Middle Tennessee would have a banner year. I believed that they would win nine, maybe ten games. The Blue Raiders are 6-6 and however you slice it, they are still putting on their bowling shoes this December. They are pitted with 7-4 Arkansas State who finished third in the Sun Belt. They will duke it out in the RayCom Media Camellia Bowl, in Alabama.

The Red Wolves of Arkansas State roll into this contest 6-2 in Sun Belt play while MT finished 4-4 in C-USA. Both teams had an ambitious out of conference schedule. This game just has all the makings of a rout in favor of the Red Wolves. They are lead by quarterback Justice Hansen. Hansen threw for 34 touchdowns opposed to 15 interceptions. He is accurate, completing 64 percent of his throws. I also fear their rushing attack will gash MT. They have a three headed monster of guys rushing the rock. They have Warren Wand and Johnston White. Justice Hansen also is a threat toting the ball.

Again, I don’t see this turning out to be pretty. Look for Arkansas to assert themselves from the jump. MT hasn’t proven to be effective trying to play catchup. Look for Hansen to air it out early and often.

Arkansas State enters this game the highest scoring team in the Sun Belt, averaging 38.5 points and 500 yards of total offense per game.

Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Justice Hansen, is fresh off being named First Team All-Sun Belt and will be one of the better QBs the MTSU defense has seen this year.

The Blue Raiders preached improved defense this year and Scott Shafer has delivered. However, this is the game they need to bring it. Arkansas State’s offense is legit and stopping Hansen will be the key for MTSU.

Unlike last year’s Hawaii Bowl, Brent Stockstill is heading into this bowl game relatively healthy. The Blue Raiders won three of their last four once Stockstill returned, and with playmaker Ty Lee and the running back by committee, this should be a high-scoring game for MTSU.

It’s no secret the Blue Raider’s record in Bowl games hasn’t been great. Will this be the year they snap their four-game losing streak in bowl games?

Brent Stockstill has looked hungrier than ever since returning to the starting lineup and I like the Blue Raiders’ chances of winning just the fourth bowl game in school history, and first since the 2009 New Orleans Bowl.