MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Florida Atlantic University football team (5-6, 4-3 C-USA) fell to Middle Tennessee (6-5, 3-4 C-USA) by a 49-21 final on Saturday in Tennessee.
HOW IT STARTED
The FAU defense had its hands full from the opening drive of the afternoon. MT went 75 yards in six plays on the game’s first possession to open the scoring. The Owls responded with an 86-yard drive, capped off by a N’Kosi Perry sneak at the one-yard line. Perry connected with Je’Quan Burton for 43 yards earlier in the drive to set up the score.
The Blue Raiders missed a short field goal on their next drive before putting together three straight possessions that ended in touchdowns. Down 28-7 late in the first half, FAU got a big play from Jaleel McRae to flip the momentum going into the intermission. The freshman linebacker intercepted MT quarterback Chase Cunningham and returned it inside the five-yard line. A few plays later, Larry McCammon bulldozed his way into the endzone to cut the deficit in half, 28-14.
TURNING POINT
Middle Tennessee regrouped and resumed its scoring run with another TD drive to start the third quarter. FAU counterpunched when Perry found a wide-open Jahmal Edrine down the sideline. The 45-yard catch and run made it 35-21. Again though, the home side needed just seven plays on the ensuing drive to go back up by 21.
The Owl defense was able to force the first Blue Raider punt of the game late in the third quarter. Perry then hit LaJohntay Wester with a 31-yard pass that set FAU up at the one-yard line to start the fourth quarter. Two plays later, in an attempt to replicate the first quarter QB sneak from the goal line, Perry tried to punch it in, but after review, had the ball stripped and recovered by MT in the end zone for a touchback.
HOW IT FINISHEDMT delivered the dagger later in the quarter with their seventh scoring drive of the night to make it 49-21.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart
“We didn’t do anything well tonight and that starts with us as coaches. That starts with me. I need to make sure we’re prepared as coaches, and we need to have a better plan for our guys. We didn’t play smart football with all the penalties that we had. Two of their touchdown drives we had them stopped and selfish penalties extended the drive. We have no choice now. We have to put this one behind us and go play the game of our life next week.”
THE OFFENSE
- Perry finished 19-for-36 with 325 passing yards and one passing score
- Edrine pulled in six catches for a career-high 109 yards
- Burton posted 94 yards receiving followed by 74 from Wester
THE DEFENSE
- Armani-Eli Adams racked up 10 tackles – a new career-high for the redshirt junior
- Justin McKithen and Dwight Toombs tied with seven tackles each – Toombs also had two pass breakups
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls will have one more opportunity to become bowl eligible. Next Saturday, they close the regular season at home against Western Kentucky. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
