The Liberty Flames (5-2, 3-2 CUSA) are back in action against Middle Tennessee (3-6, 2-3 CUSA). The Flames and Blue Raiders are scheduled to meet in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Saturday, October 30 at 1 PM. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

It will be the first trip for the Flames to MTSU and Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in 42 years. Liberty lost, 27-7, during its only previous contest at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 18, 1982. The Flames are 2-1 all-time against the Blue Raiders with the home team winning all three contests. Liberty won a 42-35 midweek shootout with Middle Tennessee last season at Williams Stadium.

But that contest featured two vastly different teams. After 18 years under the direction of Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee is being led by first year head coach Derek Mason. Mason comes to Murfreesboro after spending the 2022 season as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator and the 2021 campaign as Auburn’s defensive coordinator. He was Vanderbilt’s head coach from 2014-2020, posting a 27-55 record.

Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell and Mason have squared off once before as head coaches. Mason, in his first year as head coach at Vanderbilt, led his Commodores to a 21-20 win over Chadwell’s Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Oct. 11, 2014.

Mason and MTSU has its slim hopes for bowl eligibility still alive, though they would have to win out to get back to a bowl game for the first time since 2022. After the Flames, the Blue Raiders conclude the season by hosting New Mexico State and then playing at FIU. This past Saturday, MTSU picked up their first win away from home this season by defeating UTEP, 20-13.

Nicholas Vattiato is one of the more veteran quarterbacks in the conference. The redshirt-junior has started 26 games for Middle Tennessee during his career. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. Behind Vattiato, the Blue Raiders rank second in the conference for passing yards per contest (259.7). Vattiato and MTSU threw for 332 yards against the Flames in last season’s contest. Vattiato ranks 25th nationally in passing yards per game and 24th in completions per game.

Omari Kelly, who entered this season with just five career receptions, has been one of the hottest receivers in the country. In the last seven games, Kelly has hauled in 43 receptions for 765 yards and 3 touchdowns. Currently, Kelly ranks 12th nationally and 2nd in CUSA in receiving yards with 811. Kelly has also made an impact on special teams, including a 61 yard punt return for touchdown, a decisive score in a win over Kennesaw State.

“They do a great job,” Chadwell said of Middle Tennessee. “They play hard. They’re very physical. The quarterback’s a really good player. They got a great tight end who’s been out, but he’ll be back for us, is our assumption. They got a really good receiver. They’ve struggled to score consistently, but as we’ve seen with the quarterback, he lit us up last year.”

It has been a challenge for MTSU on the ground though. They are only averaging 78.6 yards rushing per game and 2.8 yards per carry. They currently rank 130th in the FBS in rushing. Some of that can be attributed to the constant changing of offensive linemen. MTSU has had eight different starting lineups among its offensive line unit in nine games, the most in the country.

“They’re young, but they play hard,” said Chadwell. “They’re hungry and the thing that I’ve noticed is that they necessarily don’t beat themselves, which is opposite of us. We’ve got to go play a clean game and play it well to have a chance to come out of there with a victory because they’re going to play really hard, and we need to build off of the four quarters that we just played.”

PREDICTION

Liberty 35, Middle Tennessee 24

Line: Liberty -10.5

Picks results this year:
Straight-up: 5-2
ATS: 5-2