Middle Tennessee State’s soccer workforce blew a 20-point second-half lead however rallied late to keep away from an upset and knock off host Florida International 33-28 on Saturday in a Conference USA regular-season finale.
The Blue Raiders (7-5, 4-4 C-USA) have received three in a row and 4 of 5 as they may finish the season in a bowl recreation. Florida International (4-8, 2-6) misplaced its last three video games.
Here are 5 takeaways from MTSU’s victory:
More:How MTSU soccer earned bowl eligibility for the second season in a row
Where do the Blue Raiders go from right here?
Next up for MTSU shall be a second consecutive bowl recreation, however what are the seemingly locations for the 7-5 squad?
Here are some projections coming into Saturday’s win:
USA Today: Camelia Bowl (Dec. 27) vs. Marshall
CBS Sports: Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24) vs. San Diego State.
Sports Illustrated: Hawaii Bowl vs. Fresno State.
247Sports: Hawaii Bowl vs. San Diego State.
Athlon: Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 19) vs. UConn.
Yahoo: Hawaii Bowl vs. San Jose State.
MTSU offense does its harm early
MTSU jumped everywhere in the Florida International protection, which was ninth out of 11 groups in C-USA coming into the sport, early to achieve 281 yards within the first half. The Blue Raiders added an 89-yard scoring drive early within the third quarter.
However, the Blue Raiders struggled offensively from there, gaining simply 86 yards the remainder of the best way.
MTSU had one in every of its greatest video games on the bottom, speeding 41 occasions for 168 yards, led by Darius Bracy’s 91 yards and a landing. Quarterback Chase Cunningham was environment friendly, finishing 29 of 42 makes an attempt for 279 yards with no TDs nor interceptions. He did have two speeding TDs.
FIU entered the sport having allowed 38 factors and 452 yards a recreation.
Thomas salvages MTSU’s shaky day on protection
The MTSU protection, significantly the secondary, struggled stopping the league’s worst offense.
FIU, which entered the sport averaging simply 17.8 factors and 308 yards a recreation − each final in C-USA, put up 497 yards, together with 414 by way of the air.
Florida International redshirt freshman quarterback Haden Carlson, who entered with simply 55 passing yards in a reserve position this season, was 29-of-52 for 414 yards and 4 TDs.
He was, nevertheless, picked off 4 occasions, together with a 28-yard interception return for a landing by Jakobe Thomas with lower than three minutes remaining to provide MTSU the lead. Thomas then picked off a cross on fourth-and-10 on the MTSU 22 with 39 seconds left, returning it 59 yards to seal the win.
Patterson helps preserve FIU out of finish zone
Another brilliant spot on a tricky day for MTSU’s secondary was Decorian Patterson. He already had an enormous day by the point the second quarter acquired began.
Patterson picked off two Carlson passes, one halfway by way of the primary quarter and the opposite firstly of the second interval, and each thwarted FIU scoring alternatives.
Patterson’s first interception got here in the long run zone and began a Blue Raiders drive that led to a area aim. His second got here on the MTSU 2, returning it to the 11 to arrange an 89-yard landing drive that gave the Blue Raiders a 13-0 lead.
Replay not sort to Blue Raiders early
MTSU had a landing referred to as again and an interception overturned within the first quarter after official evaluations.
A 40-yard TD strike from Cunningham to Izaiah Gathings early within the recreation went to evaluation, and it was decided Gathings was down on the 34. MTSU settled for a 31-yard Zeke Rankin area aim on the drive to take a 3-0 lead.
Teldrick Ross then appeared to have picked off a Carlson cross at midfield on FIU’s ensuing drive, however that play went beneath evaluation and was overturned.
The Blue Raiders did, nevertheless, get an interception on the drive, as Patterson intercepted Carlson in the long run zone.