Middle Tennessee State football and first-year coach Derek Mason will try to bounce back from last year's 4-8 season when the Blue Raiders open the season at home Saturday against old rival Tennessee Tech.
The Blue Raiders, who were picked to finish fourth in the preseason Conference USA poll, will have a lot of new faces on the field this season, but so will several of their CUSA counterparts.
MTSU went to back-to-back bowl games prior to last year's subpar season.
Following are game-by-game previews and predictions by The Daily News Journal's Cecil Joyce for MTSU's 2024 season:
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Aug 31 vs. Tennessee Tech
Time: 6 p.m., ESPN+
This was once each team's biggest rival, as the two played for the Totem Pole back during their Ohio Valley Conference days, but the Blue Raiders and Golden Eagles haven't played since 2006 (a 44-0 MTSU win). Under first-year coach Bobby Wilder, Tech is picked to finish seventh in the Big South-OVC. Former Nolensville DB Tim Coutras had 55 tackles and four interceptions last season after transferring from Liberty and is a third-team preseason FCS All-American. His former Nolensville teammate, sophomore DL Daniel Rickert (49 tackles, nine sacks) is also back, along with junior LB Aaron Swafford (72 tackles, three sacks).
Prediction: MTSU 38, Tennessee Tech 14.
Sept. 7 at Ole Miss
Time: 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
MTSU's third SEC opponent in two seasons, the Lane Kiffin-led Ole Miss squad is coming off a program-record 11 wins and Peach Bowl win last season and also had big wins in the transfer portal, including former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen and former Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen. Ole Miss also returns a wealth of talent on offense, including quarterback Jaxson Dart (a three-year starter after transferring from USC), wide receiver Tre Harris and tight end Caden Prieskorn.
Prediction: Ole Miss 42, MTSU 13.
Sept. 14 vs. Western Kentucky
Time: 6 p.m., ESPN+
MTSU's biggest rival has gotten the better of the Blue Raiders in each of the past five seasons, including a 31-10 victory in Bowling Green last year. The Hilltoppers, who are picked to finish second in CUSA, lost star QB Austin Reed, but added talented Texas State transfer T.J. Finley (3,439 yards, 24 TDs). Wide receivers Dalvin Smith and Easton Messer return after combining for 997 yards and 10 TDs. Defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, a second-team all-conference selection, had 42 tackles and two sacks in 2023.
Prediction: Western Kentucky 31, MTSU 28.
Sept. 21 vs. Duke
Time: 6 p.m., ESPN Platforms
MTSU's second power conference opponent has a new coach as Manny Diaz, a former MTSU assistant, took the Blue Devils' reigns in the offseason. Duke is coming off an 8-5 season and will have a lot of new faces, including redshirt sophomore QB Maalik Murphy, a Texas transfer. Duke lost its leading rusher to the transfer portal and graduated two offensive linemen to the NFL (including former Ravenwood star Graham Barton). The team's defense is coming off an ACC-leading 19 points allowed per game and return LB Tre Freeman (106 tackles).
Prediction: MTSU 20, Duke 17.
MORE: What Derek Mason has already changed about MTSU football recruiting
Sept. 28 at Memphis
Time: TBA
There's high expectations for the Tigers this season, coming off last year's 10-3 campaign that included a Liberty Bowl win over Iowa State. Senior QB Seth Henigan (3,883 yards, 32 TDs in 2023) returns, along with a host of talented skill players around him on an offense that was sixth in the nation in scoring last season. The Memphis defense wasn't as good, being ranked 111th in total defense, but LB Chandler Martin (95 tackles, three sacks) and some key transfers should help in 2024.
Prediction: Memphis 31, MTSU 20.
Oct. 10 at Louisiana Tech
Time: 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Tech had a dismal 2023 season in which it lost eight of its last nine games, including a 31-23 setback to MTSU, to go 3-9 for the second straight year under Sonny Cumbie. Bulldogs quarterback Jack Turner threw five touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games played last season. Running back Marquis Crosby, who missed the 2023 season with an injury, rushed for 918 yards and nine TDs in 2022. Tech was picked eighth in CUSA in the preseason poll.
Prediction: MTSU 34, Louisiana Tech 16.
Oct. 15 vs. Kennesaw State
Time: 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
As evidenced by the play of Sam Houston State last season, league foes can't take FBS newcomer Kennesaw State lightly. The Owls, who were picked to finish last in CUSA, made a living on the ground over the past decade in FCS, averaging almost 300 yards a game. However, that equated to just eight combined wins over the last two seasons. Running back Michael Benefield had a strong finish to the 2023 season, scoring six TDs in the final three games. Kennesaw State had to replace QB Jonathan Murphy. Davis Bryson, the only returnee with any playing time, was 2-for-11 through the air last year.
Prediction: MTSU 41, Kennesaw State 13.
MORE: Why MTSU football quarterback Nick Vattiato hasn't taken keeping starting job for granted
Oct. 23 at Jacksonville State
Time: 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
Rich Rodriguez and the Gamecocks made a big splash in their first year of FBS play last season, finishing 9-4, including a 45-30 win over MTSU. The fast-paced JSU offense lost quarterback Zion Webb and most of his running backs, but Georgia transfer Andrew Paul could step in and have a big season. The Gamecock defense was one of the best in the conference last season, particularly with the pass rush and edge rusher J-Rock Swain.
Prediction : Jacksonville State 27, MTSU 21.
Nov. 2 at UTEP
Time: 2:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Another team that struggled in CUSA in 2023 were the Miners, who finished 3-9 and are picked ninth in the preseason poll. Former Austin Peay coach Scotty Walden, in his first year at UTEP, returned only seven starters after many hit the transfer portal when Coach Dana Dimel was fired. Junior QB Cade McConnell took over midway through 2023 and finished with
Prediction: MTSU 32, UTEP 24.
Nov. 9 vs. Liberty
Time: Noon, CBS Sports Network
The Flames were the best team in the league in their first year, going 13-1, with the only loss coming in the Fiesta Bowl. And Liberty returns a bulk of talent from that team, including dual-threat QB Kaidon Salter, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and threw 32 touchdown passes last year. Running back Quinton Cooley rushed for 1,400 yards and 16 TDs. The Flames' defense ranked atop CUSA last season. MTSU competed well on the road last year before falling 42-35.
Prediction: Liberty 42, MTSU 28.
MORE: Josh Smith ignoring Derek Mason's advice at Vanderbilt pays off for new MTSU football coach
Nov. 23 vs. New Mexico State
Time: 1:30 p.m., ESPN Platforms
First-year coach Tony Sanchez inherits an Aggies team that has won 17 games over the past two years, including a 10-3 regular season last year before falling in the CUSA championship game and the New Mexico Bowl. Like MTSU, the Aggies lost several players to power conferences via the transfer portal, including QB Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt). New Mexico State averaged 200 yards rushing last year and does return one of the best offensive lines in CUSA. But there are a lot of new faces on defense as well.
Prediction: MTSU 23, New Mexico State 14.
Nov. 30 at Florida International
Time: 1 p.m., ESPN Platforms
Coach Mike MacIntyre has had back-to-back 4-8 seasons but hopes an offense that struggled to put up points last season improves behind quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who threw 11 TDs and 11 interceptions last year. The FIU offensive line will have to show dramatic improvement for the offense to show that improvement. A defense that struggled to get pass rush in 2023 is led by a strong secondary, including safeties Jamal Potts and CJ Christian and cornerback Brian Blades.
Prediction: MTSU 31, FIU 17.
MTSU season prediction: 7-5, bowl game.
Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at cjoyce@dnj.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Will Derek Mason get MTSU football back to a bowl in 2024? Game-by-game predictions
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