The Picks Are In: Jacksonville State
Middle Tennessee State is in disarray, as they are 1-4 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA play. They are coming off the heels of a Thursday evening road loss against the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky.
This week it is a Wednesday contest against the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State. The Blue Raiders look to get back on solid footing as they face JSU inside Floyd Stadium for the blackout game.
Here are the staff picks!
Matthew Dossett: 4-1 on the season for predictions
Make no bones about it, Middle Tennessee State is in dire need of a victory here. The wheels are already incredibly wobbly, and are on the verge of entirely falling off if they lose to Jacksonville State and drop to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in league play.
This game needs to be a "get right game" for the Blue Raiders. MT signal caller Nicholas Vattiato was running for his life against the Hilltoppers as it was jailbreak city up front for MTSU.
The fortunate news for the Blue Raiders is that I do no think that JSU is as good as Western Kentucky. I think that the Hilltoppers are the cream of the crop along with Liberty when it comes to Conference USA.
As of this publication, MTSU is currently a 3.5 point favorite against the Gamecocks. ESPN's FPI system gives MT a 44.2 percent chance to win the ballgame. I think that both of these metrics are in the neighborhood of being accurate. I think that this is the epitome of a tossup game. Yes, JSU is 4-1 while MTSU is 1-4. That being said, this is a gut check game for the Blue Raiders. If they want to salvage the season, they need to notch one in the win column Wednesday night inside Floyd.
Look for JSU to lean heavily on the ground game. This season so far they have 233 carries against 119 passing attempts. Look for the Blue Raiders to load the box, forcing JSU to go to the air attack. I think this plays into the hands of MTSU. Offensively I think that MTSU will look to get Vattiato in a groove when It comes to the passing game. Look for bubble screens and passes to running backs out of the backfield to boost Vatttiato's confidence.
This game will come down to the wire, in my opinion. MTSU has their backs against the wall and needs a victory. Something just tells me that JSU has a few more bullets in the chamber. Look for the Gamecocks to come out on top, barely.
Jacksonville State 28
MTSU 27
Rickey Fuquay Jr: 4-1 on the season
Middle Tennessee sputtered out of the gate and could not find their feet, as a poor first half proved too much to overcome on Thursday night at Houchens-Smith Stadium.
Middle Tennessee State looks to get back on track heading into week six of their season.
The Blue Raiders continue Conference USA play this Wednesday against Jacksonville State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will air nationally on ESPNU.This will be the first meeting between the two squads.The big question is can the Blue Raiders' offense get off to a hot start against the Gamecocks' defense that is second in the C-USA in yards per game with 310.8. MT desperately needs a win to keep their Bowl hopes alive. And, I think it will come in the final two minutes thanks to Redshirt Sophomore Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato.
Vattiato will prove to be the X factor in a game that should have both fanbases holding their breath as the clock ticks down.
This will be a whacky zany, tightly contested conference game. There will be a ton of ebb and flow in this game and should have fans on the edge of their seats.
Again, in the end, Vattiato will be the X-factor and the difference maker. I think that MT tacks on a late field goal to clinch the win. The Over/Under is 51.5. I'll take the over.
MTSU 31
JSU 28