MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - ESPN.com columnist Pat Forde broke down all the league's players and coach of the year winners on Wednesday and Middle Tennessee earned high marks. Forde tabbed Rick Stockstill as the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and named J.K. Sabb as the Defensive Player of the Year.

Stockstill, who has guided the Blue Raiders to at least a share of the Sun Belt Conference Championship, was lauded for Middle Tennessee's 6-0 league record and a margin of victory of 18.8 points in conference action.

Sabb, a senior, leads the Blue Raiders in tackles and tackles for loss on a defensive unit that paces the SBC in scoring defense. Sabb is fifth all-time in tackles for loss at Middle Tennessee and his 13.5 TFL's in 2006 is the eighth most in a single-season.

The Blue Raiders will play their final regular season game on Saturday against Troy with a chance to win the conference title outright and earn a trip to the Dec. 22 New Orleans Bowl. Kickoff is slated for 2:37 PM and the weather forecast is for temperatures in the upper 60s and partly sunny skies.

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