Middle Tennessee State ran into an absolute buzzsaw in week one against Alabama. This week the Blue Raiders make the trek down to Columbia, Missouri, where they will enter week two of an out of conference road trip.
On a week one Thursday night affair, Missouri defeated South Dakota 35-10.
Here are three things to look for, as the Blue Raiders square off with their SEC foe.
Can Nick Vattiato Bounce Back And Get Help From The Line?
As the opening statement of this article detailed, MTSU truly entered the lion's den in week one against the Crimson Tide of Alabama. Vattiato completed 21 passes on 32 attempts, but only mustered 127 passing yards. He did connect with Bryce Bailey for a touchdown score, but he also threw one interception.
The looming question is now, can Vattiato reverse the course of the offensive ship and get the offense heading in the right direction. Obviously he needs help from his buddies up front, considering that he was under duress against Alabama all night long.
One thing working in his favor is that Missouri's defensive front is not as stout as the one Vattiato faced against Alabama. That being said, I think that the odds are stacked against Vattiato, considering that Missouri will likely smell blood in the MT offensive line waters and bring the heat on Vattiato.
Look for the Middle offense to try and establish a rhythm early with some short, easy completions, so Vattiato can begin on the right foot. He will need to make quick, concise decisions, distributing the rock to not only his receivers but his tailbacks out of the backfield. Can he do this? Will he have the time to do this? We shall see.
What About the Ground Game?
I think it should go without saying that it will not bode well for MTSU if they become one dimensional, relying entirely too much on the passing attack. Nick Vattiato needs to command his troops and be efficient spreading the ball around, but he will need assistance from guys like: Jakail Middlebrook and Frank Peasant.
Against Alabama, MT averaged just three yards per carry, and squeezed out 78 total yards rushing. The average per carry needs to rise drastically if they want to remain balanced and keep the Missouri defensive front honest.
Play calling could be a deciding and major factor in this contest. If MTSU gets behind the eight ball in this game, will they stay persistent and stick to a balanced offensive attack? Will the outsized offensive line get ample push against a quality SEC defense? Middle Tennessee State needs to check off these boxes.
Can MTSU Hold Up For 60 Minutes?
There is a faction of Middle Tennessee fans that get irritated when Coach Stockstill talks about competing. I do this concept and thought is credible and rings true when considering MTSU's chances against the Tigers of Missouri. To stay in this ballgame, the team will need to put forth their A game from wire to wire.
Do they have the horses to do this? Will the dam break at some point? The answers to those questions will be revealed Saturday evening at Faurot Field.
Often times when a team is too outmanned to play 60 full minutes, the disparity in talent is revealed later in the game. It will be intriguing to see if Coach Stockstill can keep the train on the tracks for the entire game. Again, Missouri is not Alabama, but if you are a recruiting star gazer, you see that Missouri has the advantage with the Jimmies and the Joes.
