Last week the Blue Raiders squeaked out a victory in El Paso against the UTEP Miners. MTSU is still on the hunt for getting bowl eligibility
Here is how the staff for GoMiddle has fared for predicting the MT games.
- Shayne Pickering. 8-1 on the season
- Rickey Fuquay. 8-1 on the season
- Connor Nute. 8-1 on the season
- Conner Smith. 8-1 on the season
- Jake Bolden. 7-2 on the season
- Matt Dosett: 7-2 on the season
- Everhette Glenn. 6-3 on the season
Connor Nute: Basketball analyst. 8-1 on the season
The Blue Raiders come back to the ‘Boro with a very tough challenge: Beat Liberty. The Flames have disappointed to some degree this year, losing matchups to Jacksonville State and of course Kennesaw State, however, match up rather favorably against Middle Tennessee. QB Kaiden Salter and RB Quinton Cooley are two of the most dynamic players in the conference and are going to have to be the main priority for the MTSU defense. If they can contain Cooley in the run game and Salter as another run threat, the Blue Raiders have a higher chance of winning. But ultimately, I think this task is just too tall for Derek Mason and company
Prediction:
Liberty 38
MTSU 17
Jake Bolden: Blue Raider Pod Host. 7-2 on the season
Could Saturday be the perfect storm for Middle Tennessee to remain in the bowl picture against an unlikely winnable opponent? Optimists would think so. Liberty, having lost two in a row after being perfect in CUSA for a season and a half, are in desperate need of wins to stay in the CUSA title picture. MTSU on the other hand needs to win out to become bowl eligible. Liberty is hurt up and down their skill positions on offense and Salter has looked more average than the CUSA Offensive Player of the Year winner he was in 2023. The margin for error is slim. I just don’t think it’s in the cards for Liberty to lose three straight games and against two of the bottom teams in CUSA. Let’s make it close!
Prediction:
Liberty 31
MTSU 13
Everhette Glenn: Recruiting analyst. 6-3 on the season
Liberty is in a spiral as their hopes to win another CUSA title have all but disappeared. They will need a lot of things fall their way for that to happen. MTSU has quietly turned in some decent performances on defense lately. However, the Flames should present a major issue on the ground. I don’t see MTSU stopping the ground game from Liberty.
Prediction:
Liberty 42
MTSU 20
Shayne Pickeing: Head football and recruiting analyst. 8-1 on the season
Liberty boasts a prolific rushing attack that can attack you in a variety of ways and that could give a Middle Tennessee defense that has struggles to set the edge all season a significant obstacle to overcome this week. Offensively, Holden Willis is back and that will give this prolific passing attack its full array of weapons to use this week. This unit has moved the ball all season, but the story has been the inability to finish drives. That can't happen this week.Liberty is in a bit of a slump dropping two games recently. They have never been one to blow out teams no matter the talent difference so if Middle can hang around they just might have the opportunity to upset the Flames at home. However, I don't think this team is one that could take advantage of that opportunity.
Prediction:
Liberty 27
MTSU 13
Rickey Fuquay: Analyst. 8-1 on the season
Redshirt Junior Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato's late touchdown with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter lifted Middle Tennessee to 20 to 13 win over Texas-El Paso this past Saturday at the Sun Bowl.The Blue Raiders continue Conference USA play with a home game against Liberty I'm the 42nd Annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces Game. Kickoff is set for NOON and will air nationally on CBS SPORTS NETWORK.The big question is can MT have an all-around performance against the Flames' team that ranks second in the C-USA in total yards per game on offense and third in C-USA in total per game given up on defense.Liberty is gonna into Murfreesboro hungry for a win after losing their two games and I expect Junior Quarterback Kaidon Salter to lead the way.
Prediction:
Liberty 31
MTSU 17
Matt Dossett: Publisher of GoMiddle. 7-2 on the season
With three ballgames left on the slate for the Blue Raiders, there is a lot to play for. MTSU needs to run the table in order to make it to bowl eligibility. The stiffest remaining text on the docket for MT is the Flames of Liberty.
The spread is currently -11 in favor of Liberty, and I think that is a bit generous to the Blue Raiders. I honestly think that Liberty will cover, and that they will cover easily. The QB at the helm of the Liberty offense is Kaiden Salter. Salter is a the definition of a gamer and is a guy that can burn you with his arm and his legs. Salter has accumulated 1,427 yards through the air to go with 11 touchdowns against three picks. Salter has also rushed the rock for 346 yards.
Liberty has lost their last two games, and I think they will be desperate to get back into winning form. Look for the game to be close at the halftime break, but in the end, Liberty makes a statement, throttling MT.
Prediction:
Liberty 45
MTSU 20
Conner Smith. Baseball and football writer. 8-1 on the season
Coming off back-to-back losses, the Liberty Flames will be out for revenge when they take on MTSU in the ‘Boro.The Flames are led by All-CUSA quarterback Kaidon Salter, running back Quinton Cooley and a defense who’s led by a stout front seven. Their secondary has been weak at times so that’s a matchup I expect MTSU to take advantage of.However, that may be the only area where the Blue Raiders can win matchups. Liberty is a good team top to bottom, especially with their lethal running attack who averages over 200 YPG. MT has struggled mightily against the run so I would expect Liberty to abuse that. Middle should score a little bit but it won’t be near enough.
Prediction:
Liberty 38
MTSU 13
