After a 1-0 start, the Blue Raiders of MTSU turn their attention to the Rebels of Ole Miss, and a game that will be on the road in Oxford, Mississippi.
The entire GoMiddle staff picked MT to defeat Tennessee Tech, so the entire crew is off to a 1-0 start with the picks.
Here are the picks for the Ole Miss game:
Jake Bolden: Head of Blue Raider Pod. 1-0 on the season
Teams see their biggest improvement from week 1 to week 2, or so we’re told to believe. Many areas need to be corrected moving into a Top 10 matchup against a team that desperately needs blow-out wins as much as they need to be competitive in the SEC. Derek Mason has defeated Ole Miss twice in his career as a head coach (2016 and 2018) and Lane Kiffin three times as DC at Stanford in 2011 and 2012 and once at Auburn in 2021. It’s possible Mason and DC Brian Stewart can cook something up and keep this respectable, but unfortunately I think more will fall on the aggressive, or lack thereof, offensive play calling.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 56
MTSU 10
Conner Smith: Covers football and recruiting. 1-0 on the season
Between defensive minds Derek Mason and Brian Stewart, and offensive gurus Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. This game could be a good chess match.However, sometimes it’s not the X’s and O’s but the Jimmy’s and Joe’s and Ole Miss has those. Not to discredit MTSU, they have a good team but Jaxson Dart and Co. are a top 10 offense in the nation.I do expect Nick Vattiato to have a solid day as he continues to work on his chemistry with Myles Butler, Omari Kelly and Holden Willis.I do think the Blue Raiders will put together a score at the end but I have Ole Miss thumping Middle.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 55
MTSU 14
Rickey Fuquay: Analyst. 1-0 on the season
Middle Tennessee used a late rushing touchdown by Redshirt Senior Running Back Frank Peasant with 16 seconds in regulation to squeeze past Tennessee Tech 32 to 25 to kickoff the Derek Mason era.The Blue Raiders continue non-conference play with a trip to Oxford to face off against No. 6 Ole Miss. Kickoff is set for 3:15 and will air nationally on the SEC NETWORK.Head Coach Derek Mason is 2-5 against the Rebels. I expect the Rebels to cover the 40-point spread and dominate this game from start to finish.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 49
MTSU 7
Connor Nute: Analyst. 1-0 on the season
After a close call against Tennessee Tech, the Blue Raiders hit the road this week, heading to Oxford, MS to take on the Rebels of Ole Miss. To put it bluntly, I wouldn’t expect MTSU to compete with Jaxson Dart and company, however, there are a few factors working in the favor of MTSU.
The Blue Raiders are outmatched in nearly every position, particularly Quarterback. Jaxson Dart is a preseason Heisman candidate after all, and his All-American level talent receivers Tre Harris and Juice Wells make him that much more dangerous. The Blue Raider secondary must be ready for big plays, otherwise, it won’t be pretty. Countering Dart, Nick Vattiato has to be near perfect to give MTSU a shot. To at least make the game interesting and provide a jolt of energy to the offense, Nick Vattiato MUST play comfortably and go through his progressions to find his target. If there are any weaknesses to this Ole Miss defense, they lie within the secondary. Look for an air assault from Derek Mason’s offense to get some scoring underway.
The main concern for the Blue Raiders lies on the offensive line, losing offensive tackle Julius Pierce to injury against Tennessee Tech for an extended period. Ole Miss is going to come after the QB and come hard, particularly former Texas A&M standout and transfer Walter Nolan. To combat this assault, the Raider line has to double team Nolan and be ready for any other blitz attempts form the Rebel line.
Overall, I wouldn’t expect a major upset of any kind this week for the Blue Raiders. This isn’t a game of EA Sports College Football 25, after all. There is a chance the Raiders will hang close for a quarter but expect an offensive showcase from the Hotty Toddy crew.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 62
MTSU 17
Everhette Glenn: Recruiting analyst. 1-0 on the season
A win is a win but the TN Tech game doesn’t make me feel confident in this weeks matchup with Ole Miss. There are a lot of things that Derek Mason will have to correct heading into week 2. Ole Miss is an explosive team that will likely be a playoff contender. The Rebels are talented across the board and that creates a lot of issues for the Blue Raiders. If the good guys are going to keep it close they will have to create pressure on defense and get the deep ball going on offense. I do not see either of those going MTSU’s way. Ole Miss easily wins.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 59
MTSU 10
Matt Dossett: Publisher of GoMiddle. 1-0 on the season
This game strikes as one where the Ole Miss Rebels just name their score against Middle Tennessee State. Ole Miss absolutely obliterated Furman in the opener, flexing their offensive muscles. They have weapons galore surrounding stud QB Jaxson Dart.
At the point of this publication, the line is -41 in favor of the Rebels. I think that is about right and in the ball park of what I am thinking. I have personally been waffling on the amount of points the Blue Raiders will put up. I've gone from 10 to 17, and back down to 14.
Look for the Blue Raider game plan to be to get long, sustained drives, bleeding the clock and keeping Dart and that stellar offense off the field. Call me crazy but I think the strategy works, early. I think it's a one score ballgame going into the second quarter, but that Ole Miss lead will balloon as the game goes on. Look for the Ole Miss receivers to put the MT defensive backs on ice skates. I think Ole Miss covers the exact spread.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 55
MTSU 14
Shayne Pickering: Head football and recruiting analyst. 1-0 on the season
Middle Tennessee will head into Oxford, Mississippi, down a handful of key players as they take on one of the best teams in the nation. This is going to be a tough task for the Blue Raiders, and frankly, this game won't be close. If you're Middle Tennessee, you want to exit the game, having accomplished some things you want to do throughout the rest of the season and avoid any significant injuries.This is a game that the focus should be on execution rather than outcome. Can Nick Vattiato build off his strong last drive last week? Will the downfield passing attack be opened up? Can the secondary consistently tackle in space this week? While this game will not be the prettiest to watch, those are some things to watch before this teams hits the meat of their schedule.
Prediction:
Ole Miss 52
MTSU 10
