Sun Belt Adds Another Victim
Middle Tennessee State Shocks Maryland
By Carl Danbury (Posted 9-9-08)

"We've been close before, we've been right there on the edge and the fans have been there. They've wanted to rush the field, they've wanted to celebrate like that, so I am happy we gave them a reason to do that," said Blue Raiders' head coach Rick Stockstill (Left). "So I just think that it's a great night for our players, our fans, our students and anyone who came to the game."

Stockstill had just witnessed Middle Tennessee's shocking upset of ACC foe Maryland. A closer examination of the game film and statistics, however, show that like Arkansas State's win at Texas A&M, the outcome was anything but a fluke.

"I thought we dominated the game. Offensively, we dominated their defense. We're in great shape and you could see them (Maryland) getting tired. Every time they scored, we came back and answered the bell," Stockstill said.

A crowd of 22,605 saw the Blue Raiders dominate in every facet of the game. MTSU held a 39:49 to 20:11 advantage in time of possession. They picked off three passes and had just one turnover themselves. Maryland scored on two big plays, a 63-yard run by Da’Rel Scott and an 80-yard pass from Chris Turner to Darrius Heyward-Bey. But the Terps struggled the remainder of the night against a reckless MTSU defense that had three sacks and a total of five tackles for loss. Take out those two big scoring plays, and the Terps managed just 214 yards on the 52 other plays from scrimmage.

“We didn’t do a very good job coaching or playing,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. “We didn’t do a good job at all. We are embarrassed with the way we played tonight. Middle Tennessee played very well and really outplayed us.”

Stockstill put the Blue Raiders win in perspective.

"I would say that was the best win in the history of this program. We played with great emotion and passion.
It's a great feeling as a coach that our players are listening to what we say, and we were a confident football team, we finished the game and that's what I was proud of," he said.

Seior quarterback Joe Craddock completed 28-of-40 for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the 24-14 win. He started just six games as a junior.

“Our fans have wanted a big one at home for years,” said Craddock, who also plays second base for the Blue Raiders' baseball team. “They wanted to do it against Troy and in other big games, and to see them ready to tear down the goal posts before and then get their hearts broken, that was tough. But all of the sudden, it happened tonight. This is a great night for the Middle Tennessee football program.”

The Blue Raiders travel to Lexington Saturday for a 7 p.m. contest at Commonwealth Stadium against Rich Brooks' Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky has won 11 straight non-conference games.