Thoughts after MT's win over TSU

***Cover Photo: News Channel 5 (Nashville) Website***

I thought that MT signal caller Asher O'Hara played very well against the Michigan Wolverines, especially when you factor in the defense he was facing. On top of that, it was his first game, in the hostile environment of the big house.

Going into the Tennessee State game, I thought O'Hara would have another solid outing. Simply put, O'Hara blew my expectations away.

In no way, shape, or form, did I expect O'Hara to throw for 367 yards, four touchdowns, and to scramble for over 100 yards. No MTSU quarterback has ever pieced together a performance like that statistically. Dive into the MT history books and you won't find a quarterback throwing for over 350 yards to go with over 100 yards rushing in a single outing. Heck, O'Hara is the first Blue Raider to have 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in game.

It is a long, marathon season, though, and there is a ton of football to be played. That being said, I'm really interested to see O'Hara in the next two ballgames.

This upcoming game is a home contest against the Duke Blue Devils. Then there is a bye before the Blue Raiders head to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes.

If O'Hara brings his A game Saturday against Duke, I think the MT could win that sucker. Of course it is not a one man show and it will be a team effort to win games going forward.

Just like with O'Hara, the MT defense impressed me week one against the Michigan Wolverines. Despite giving up 40 points, they showed flashes of ability.

I think that the defense took another step forward this past Saturday against TSU.

Fire up the tape and just watch Reed Blankenship. Blankenship is a ball hawk who is all over the field.

Blankenship had nine tackles Saturday, and seven of those tackles were solo tackles. Blankenship had two interceptions as well. It is not a one man show on defense, though. Khalil Brooks, Jovante Moffatt and crew are flying to the ball, making plays.

This is not to suggest that there are no kinks to work out going forward. TSU's bell cow receiver, Chris Rowland, had 11 snags for 202 yards and two touchdown grabs.

The Tigers also had two tailbacks who sniffed the 100 yard rushing mark. Te'Kendrick Roberson had 98 yards while Seth Rowland had 96 yards. Both of those guys also busted a big run. Roberson had one 26 yard run while Roland had one 38 yard run.

Overall, I like what I’m seeing from the Middle Tennessee State defense.

The Tennessee State game was a good step forward for the Blue Raiders. A loss to the Tigers could have been deflating and a shot to the psyche for sure.

I stated it once, and I'll say it again, MT has a definite shot to take down Duke inside Floyd this upcoming Saturday.

It's not just about one more notch in the victory column, but the entire environment and perception surrounding Middle Tennessee State football.

Last week the MT crowd broke the 20K mark when it came to the reported attendance. That is definitely a step forward. The thing is, if MT gets throttled by Duke, you may see attendance start to dip. Couple that with the fact that MT plays Iowa next, after a bye week.

Fan frustration may start to snowball if MT gets run out of the building in both of those games.

There is a flip side to consider. A win against the Duke Blue Devils would serve as a huge springboard for the team and fan interest. Saturday is also important because it will serve as a true litmus test. If MT wins, they will know they can go toe to toe with programs from big boys conferences.

The Michigan game was a sign of that, but a win over Duke would put the college football world on notice.