Where new coach Derek Mason's MTSU football team is predicted to finish in 2024 CUSA poll

Middle Tennessee State football is picked to finish fourth in the 2024 Conference USA preseason poll, the league announced Friday.

Liberty was picked first, receiving 18 of the 20 first-place votes (197 points). Western Kentucky was picked second, receiving the other two first-place votes (173 points) while Jacksonville State (166) was third, followed by the Blue Raiders (98).

Conference USA football media voted on the predicted order of finish.

Liberty (13-1, 8-0 CUSA) is coming off last year's regular-season title. New Mexico State, which finished second at 7-1 in league play and fell to Liberty 49-35 in the conference championship game, was picked to finish tied for fifth with Sam Houston State. The league's newest member, Kennesaw State, was picked to finish 10th.

The Blue Raiders are in their first season under coach Derek Mason, who was hired in December after the team fired longtime coach Rick Stockstill.

MTSU is coming off a 4-8 season in 2023 after having won bowl games (Bahamas 2021, Hawaii 2022) the previous two seasons.

The Blue Raiders begin the season Aug. 31 at home against former OVC rival Tennessee Tech (6 p.m., ESPN+). MTSU will begin conference play Sept. 14 at home against rival Western Kentucky (6 p.m., ESPN+).

Conference USA football predicted order of finish

1. Liberty 197 (18)
2. Western Kentucky 173 (2)
3. Jacksonville State 166
4. MTSU 98
5. (tie) New Mexico State 97
6. (tie) Sam Houston State 97
7. Louisiana Tech 88
8. Florida International 81
9. UTEP 76
10. Kennesaw State 27