Tearing their hearts out on The Murfreesboro Post

Sidebar Ads

Tearing their hearts out

Related Articles

Murfreesboro Baseball Association crowns champs

Upcoming Etowah festival created by MTSU student

Small-business center partners with bank to boost state exports

Pitcher's dream comes true at College World Series

FirstSTEP seeds help students grow

INSIDE MTSU: Women to take flight of their lives

Blackman standout makes national basketball team

HUNTER: Celebrate Father's Day with variety of sports

WOODY: Could spitting be national pastime?

Family promotes pastime for community

View All

By: JOSH EZZELL, Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, November 25, 2006 7:33 pm

MTSU came so far this season.

The Blue Raiders finished the regular season 7-5 for their first winning season since 2001. They even had a chance to win their first outright Sun Belt Conference title in school history.

With everything on the line, though, MTSU broke its fans' hearts like it has so many times in recent seasons. Troy scored two touchdowns in the last 2:19, overcoming a 13-point deficit en route to a 21-20 win over MTSU in front of 17,812 Saturday at Floyd Stadium

A win would've clinched MTSU's first bowl game since 1964 when it played in the Grantland Rice Bowl.

"Disappointing," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said of the game. "The guys fought their guts out."

MTSU (6-1 in the SBC) clinches at least a share of the SBC, but its hopes of playing in the New Orleans Bowl hinge on what happens this week when Troy meets Florida International.

A Troy win puts it in the New Orleans Bowl because it would have the tiebreaker over MTSU. A Troy loss would give MTSU the outright title and its first berth in the New Orleans Bowl.

"It was a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss," Stockstill said. "I told them I was so proud of them. This senior class is walking out with seven wins, and from where we came from they should be proud of their accomplishments."

This is the second time MTSU has split the conference title with another school. The Blue Raiders split the SBC title with North Texas in 2001, but the Mean Green made the New Orleans Bowl because it beat the Blue Raiders 24-21.

Prior to this season, 2001 was the last time MTSU had a winning season, as it went 8-3 during that campaign.

"We just didn't finish like we have in the past," said MTSU senior quarterback Clint Marks, who was 12-of-20 for 111 yards. "It's just tough right now. It really is."

The Blue Raiders saw their 20-7 lead sliced to 20-14 when junior quarterback Omar Haugabook hit senior wide receiver Smokey Hampton for a 19-yard touchdown pass.

Troy (6-5, 5-1 in the SBC) recovered the onside kick at the MTSU 42. The Blue Raiders forced Troy into a fourth-and-17 situation in the last minute, but Haugabook, the SBC leader in total offense, hit Hampton for 19 yards
.
"I couldn't even tell you what formation Middle Tennessee's defense was in (on fourth and 17)," said Haugabook, who was 30-of-40 for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. "I think they drew it in the sand."

On the next play Haugabook hit junior wide receiver Gary Banks for a 3-yard score.

"They had a great game plan, and they executed," said MTSU senior linebacker Justin Rainey, who blocked a field goal and intercepted a pass. "There are no excuses. They came back and made the plays. That's the bottom line. They had great play calling on their side.

"We had a couple of mistakes, and they took advantage," Rainey added. "That's what great teams do."

MTSU took advantage of a Rainey interception — his first career pick — to build a 3-0 lead when Colby Smith hit a 26-yard field goal.

The Blue Raiders increased their lead to 10-0 when Gee scored on a 4-yard run with 7:08 remaining in the first half. The run capped a 66-yard drive that lasted 6:07.

MTSU had two big conversions on the touchdown drive. The first conversion came on third and 10 when Marks hit senior wide receiver Luke Paschall for a 30-yard gain. The second big play came on fourth and inches when Marks gained two yards on a sneak.

Troy cut MTSU's lead to 10-7 when Haugabook scored on an 8-yard run.

MTSU responded by kicking a 48-yard field goal — Smith's career long — as time expired.

The Blue Raiders increased their lead to 20-7 when Gee hit junior tight end Stephen Chicola for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 11:19 left in the game.

"It was all right," Gee said of his touchdown pass.

With 6:11 remaining to play MTSU appeared to knock out Troy when senior linebacker J.K. Sabb held Haugabook on fourth and one from the MTSU 3.

"The defense played well the whole game," said Stockstill, whose defense didn't surrender on second-half first down until the 10:27 mark of the fourth quarter. "We have up a couple of plays there in the end."

Gee rushed for 16 yards on three carries, while junior running back DeMarco McNair added 62 yards on 15 carries.

Tagged under Blue Raiders, Football, MTSU, Sports, Troy

Member Opinions:

By: DMW37128 on 11/25/06
Congratulations to the LOCAL university's football team. The odds were against them this year with lack of scholarships, some players kicked off the team, a new coach, a new offensive scheme, a new defensive program.
Picked to finish fourth and ends up with such a chance.
Heartbreaking loss. Bear Bryant once said he would rather loose by a 100 than one point because with a 100 point loss you know your weakness.
Thanks coaches - maybe more of the LOCALS will support the LOCAL team (Middle Tennessee State Unversity - supporting the LOCAL economy since 1911).

By: Oblio on 11/25/06
Great game! Great atmosphere! Great crowd! Pleased to see so many students. Many must have cut their Thanksgiving break short to return to campus and the game.

Salute to veterans terrific, as usual.

We are getting mighty close to what Jim Walker had in mind when he called for upgrading the MTSU athletic program.