Posted: Sep 01, 2024
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – On Saturday night just before midnight, Tennessee Tech took the lead against Middle Tennessee. But after the clock struck 12, Middle Tennessee ended the Golden Eagles' Cinderella story.
Tech (0-1) was so close. With just over a minute to go in the game, Jordan Yates hauled in a diving connection from Jordyn Potts to tie the game, then Hayden Olsen hit the PAT to give the Golden Eagles the 25-24 lead.
Tech's first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision foe in the modern era was within the Golden Eagles' grasp. Middle Tennessee had other plans.
The Blue Raiders threw together a seven-play, 75-yard drive over 44 seconds as Frank Peasant scored on a 30-yard breakaway rush with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter, then sealed the deal with the two-point pass to give Middle Tennessee the 32-25 victory as Saturday night turned into Sunday morning.
The game became one where the Golden Eagles were overcoming adversity. After an early injury to Dylan Laible, Jordyn Potts came in and put together a great effort, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-28 passing with three touchdowns.
Those scores came as Ashton Maples hauled in two in three catches for 57 yards – the first on a 33-yard catch with 1:46 left in the third quarter, the second on a 15-yard strike from Potts with 4:38 left in the contest.
Tech was down 21-0 midway through the second quarter after the Blue Raiders scored on their first three drives with Peasant rushing for a three-yard score, Nick Vattiato throwing a seven-yard touchdown to Myles Butler, then Jaiden Credle driving into the end zone on a 10-yard rush.
The Golden Eagle defense came up big and started the momentum shifting. Aaron Swafford made a tackle to lead to a safety, then Tech added a Hayden Olsen field goal before the half. Three of Middle Tennessee's four third-quarter drives ended unsuccessfully as Caldra Williford intercepted the ball to end the first, an unsuccessful fourth-down try ended the second, then the ball was punted away on the third.
Middle Tennessee added a 33-yard field goal from Zeke Rankin between the two Maples touchdowns to make it a 24-11 Blue Raider lead at 9:04 left in the third. Maples' second touchdown and Olsen's PAT tightened the score to 24-18.
After a Grant Chadwick punt with 3:48 remaining, Kyron Cumby picked up 13 yards on two carries to move the chains, then D.J. Linkins hauled in a 13-yard pass to get to the Middle Tennessee 31 and a fresh set of downs. After a two-yard pickup from Obie Sanni and a three-yard completion to D'Arious Reed, a personal foul call against the Blue Raiders gave Tech great position and a first down at the 13.
Potts just needed one more play as he caught Jordan Yates diving in the top right corner of the end zone. The extra point was good and Tech led 25-24.
With the clock running down, the Golden Eagles' defense had to stand tall. With an incompletion from Vattiato starting things in the right direction, the Blue Raiders got a 14-yard pickup to Omari Kelly, then a five-yard scramble from the QB.
Facing 2nd-and-5, Vattiato threw consecutive incompletions, but on fourth down, Vattiato connected with Kelly for a 26-yard gain to the Tech 30 with 24 seconds remaining. On the next play, Peasant scored on a rush to end Tech's reign at the top.
Tremel Jones fair caught the ball on the kickoff, but a 12-yard loss on a sack, an incompletion and a series of laterals on the final play ended the threat and the contest.
Tech and Middle Tennessee both ended the game with 81 penalty yards. But one of those penalties – a targeting call early in the fourth quarter -- negated an interception return for a touchdown and led to the Rankin field goal.
D.J. Linkins ended the game with seven catches for 61 yards, while Tremel Jones had five for 50 yards. Tech completed passes to 14 different receivers in the contest. Jalen Mitchell rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries.
On defense, Cayman Spaulding led the team with nine tackles, while Omari Philyaw had eight stops with a pass breakup and Williford, Swafford and Toby Bolton each had seven tackles.
The Golden Eagles return to action next Saturday as they head to Athens, Ga., to take on No. 1-ranked Georgia out of the Southeastern Conference.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
