Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Five takeaways from the Raiders' upset win over Marshall
11/8/2015 11:54:00 AM | Football
Clark comes through
MURFREESBORO – It was déjà vu from 2013.
Back on Oct. 24, 2013, the Blue Raiders defeated C-USA East leader Marshall, 51-49, at the buzzer as former MT quarterback Logan Kilgore found receiver Tavarres Jefferson in the south end zone.
Two years later, MT struck gold again in the same south end zone.
Capped off by a Jeremy Cutrer blocked field goal, the Blue Raiders (4-5, 3-2 C-USA) shocked the Thundering Herd (8-2, 5-1 C-USA), 27-24, in triple overtime at Floyd Stadium Saturday evening.
Here are five takeaways from the Blue Raiders' upset win over Marshall:
Clark saves the day
The redshirt junior kicker made it a tad more difficult, but MT's Cody Clark kicked the eventual game-winning field goal on Saturday evening.
Clark had missed a chip-shot field goal from 31 yards away that would have sealed the win in the second overtime period.
So, he had to redeem himself.
"It was a rollercoaster," Clark said. "The 31-yarder, I was already celebrating and I think that led to [the miss]. I wasn't in the moment when I should have been."
"But…I knew it wasn't over."
Indeed, Clark did make amends for his second-overtime miss.
Needing to connect on his field goal to ensure a Marshall field goal wouldn't end the game, Clark sent a career-long 46-yarder between the uprights for the win in the third overtime.
"I wasn't expecting to be thrown into the next kick so soon," Clark said. "I didn't even know it was 46 yards until it came over the PA system. I wasn't thinking as much and I just went out there and did what I was supposed to do."
"Every position out there, whether it's the quarterback, defensive linemen, receiver or whoever, you have to be the toughest player on that field," MT head coach Rick Stockstill added. "Yeah, [Clark] missed it…critical kick and could have won the game. But, the focus and discipline to come back and make a 46-yarder from the right hash is a testament to his toughness."
Cutrer cuts down FG
Another hero from Saturday evening's contest was junior cornerback, Jeremy Cutrer, who also battled back from an earlier mistake.
On the final possession of regulation for Marshall, Thundering Herd quarterback Chase Litton ran out of bounds after a two-yard gain, but Cutrer was called for a late hit.
"When I got that personal foul on that drive, everybody was telling me to be smarter," Cutrer said. "I knew something was in store for me. I messed up that time, but I still had something coming."
Following the 15-yard penalty, Marshall kicker Nick Smith attempted a shallow 32-yard field goal, which somehow sailed wide left, sending the contest into overtime.
After Clark connected on his 46-yard field goal, Thundering Herd kicker Amoreto Curraj lined up for a 39-yard attempt to try to send the game into a fourth overtime.
Cutrer had other plans.
"Xavier [Walker] was beside me and he said 'we're about to get this block' and I told him I got you," Cutrer said.
Sure enough, Cutrer came off the edge and rejected the 39-yard attempt, sending the Blue Raiders to another upset of Marshall.
"It felt great, man," Cutrer said with relief. "It felt great to end that game in overtime with my teammates and everybody celebrating. It was the best feeling ever."
Stockstill's stock rising
MT redshirt freshman quarterback Brent Stockstill had another record-breaking performance Saturday.
Stockstill set the MT single-season passing yards record after completing 21-of-34 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns.
For this season, Stockstill has thrown for 2,798 yards, breaking former quarterback Dwight Dasher's single-season record of 2,789 passing yards.
"It's pretty cool," Brent said. "It's definitely a testament to my teammates. I think anybody that watches the game knows I'm playing with two of the most special receivers that we've seen around here in a long time with Ed [Batties] and Richie [James]. It's special to me, but it's a testament to those guys and all my other teammates."
Stockstill is also chasing the MT single-season passing touchdowns record.
After throwing three scores against Marshall, he has 21 passing touchdowns on the year, passing Logan Kilgore and tying Mickey Corwin for second all-time.
The all-time record is Dwight Dasher's 23 passing scores in 2009.
Duo Watch
MT redshirt freshman receiver Richie James brought down a team-high eight catches for 74 yards and one touchdown.
With James' outburst against Marshall, he has set the Blue Raider freshman single-season record for catches.
The freshman wide out now has 73 catches on the year, passing former MT receiver Tyrone Calico's 65 catches in 1999.
James is three receptions behind Kerry Wright's all-time single-season record of 76 catches.
Redshirt senior receiver Ed Batties joined his teammate in making history.
Batties came down with his 12th touchdown reception of the season, breaking Wright's 11 scores in the 2004 season.
Batties finished the contest with four catches, 88 yards and one touchdown.
Barber has solid day
Senior linebacker T.T. Barber had a tremendous performance after leading the Blue Raider defense against Marshall.
On one particular drive in the second quarter, Barber registered two TFL's and capped off that same drive by bringing down an interception.
Barber rounded out his day with 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception.
The standout senior leads the Blue Raiders with 68 tackles and nine TFL's this season and became just the sixth player in school history to reach 300 career tackles.
Back on Oct. 24, 2013, the Blue Raiders defeated C-USA East leader Marshall, 51-49, at the buzzer as former MT quarterback Logan Kilgore found receiver Tavarres Jefferson in the south end zone.
Two years later, MT struck gold again in the same south end zone.
Capped off by a Jeremy Cutrer blocked field goal, the Blue Raiders (4-5, 3-2 C-USA) shocked the Thundering Herd (8-2, 5-1 C-USA), 27-24, in triple overtime at Floyd Stadium Saturday evening.
Here are five takeaways from the Blue Raiders' upset win over Marshall:
Clark saves the day
The redshirt junior kicker made it a tad more difficult, but MT's Cody Clark kicked the eventual game-winning field goal on Saturday evening.
Clark had missed a chip-shot field goal from 31 yards away that would have sealed the win in the second overtime period.
So, he had to redeem himself.
"It was a rollercoaster," Clark said. "The 31-yarder, I was already celebrating and I think that led to [the miss]. I wasn't in the moment when I should have been."
"But…I knew it wasn't over."
Indeed, Clark did make amends for his second-overtime miss.
Needing to connect on his field goal to ensure a Marshall field goal wouldn't end the game, Clark sent a career-long 46-yarder between the uprights for the win in the third overtime.
"I wasn't expecting to be thrown into the next kick so soon," Clark said. "I didn't even know it was 46 yards until it came over the PA system. I wasn't thinking as much and I just went out there and did what I was supposed to do."
"Every position out there, whether it's the quarterback, defensive linemen, receiver or whoever, you have to be the toughest player on that field," MT head coach Rick Stockstill added. "Yeah, [Clark] missed it…critical kick and could have won the game. But, the focus and discipline to come back and make a 46-yarder from the right hash is a testament to his toughness."
Cutrer cuts down FG
Another hero from Saturday evening's contest was junior cornerback, Jeremy Cutrer, who also battled back from an earlier mistake.
On the final possession of regulation for Marshall, Thundering Herd quarterback Chase Litton ran out of bounds after a two-yard gain, but Cutrer was called for a late hit.
"When I got that personal foul on that drive, everybody was telling me to be smarter," Cutrer said. "I knew something was in store for me. I messed up that time, but I still had something coming."
Following the 15-yard penalty, Marshall kicker Nick Smith attempted a shallow 32-yard field goal, which somehow sailed wide left, sending the contest into overtime.
After Clark connected on his 46-yard field goal, Thundering Herd kicker Amoreto Curraj lined up for a 39-yard attempt to try to send the game into a fourth overtime.
Cutrer had other plans.
"Xavier [Walker] was beside me and he said 'we're about to get this block' and I told him I got you," Cutrer said.
Sure enough, Cutrer came off the edge and rejected the 39-yard attempt, sending the Blue Raiders to another upset of Marshall.
"It felt great, man," Cutrer said with relief. "It felt great to end that game in overtime with my teammates and everybody celebrating. It was the best feeling ever."
Stockstill's stock rising
MT redshirt freshman quarterback Brent Stockstill had another record-breaking performance Saturday.
Stockstill set the MT single-season passing yards record after completing 21-of-34 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns.
For this season, Stockstill has thrown for 2,798 yards, breaking former quarterback Dwight Dasher's single-season record of 2,789 passing yards.
"It's pretty cool," Brent said. "It's definitely a testament to my teammates. I think anybody that watches the game knows I'm playing with two of the most special receivers that we've seen around here in a long time with Ed [Batties] and Richie [James]. It's special to me, but it's a testament to those guys and all my other teammates."
Stockstill is also chasing the MT single-season passing touchdowns record.
After throwing three scores against Marshall, he has 21 passing touchdowns on the year, passing Logan Kilgore and tying Mickey Corwin for second all-time.
The all-time record is Dwight Dasher's 23 passing scores in 2009.
Duo Watch
MT redshirt freshman receiver Richie James brought down a team-high eight catches for 74 yards and one touchdown.
With James' outburst against Marshall, he has set the Blue Raider freshman single-season record for catches.
The freshman wide out now has 73 catches on the year, passing former MT receiver Tyrone Calico's 65 catches in 1999.
James is three receptions behind Kerry Wright's all-time single-season record of 76 catches.
Redshirt senior receiver Ed Batties joined his teammate in making history.
Batties came down with his 12th touchdown reception of the season, breaking Wright's 11 scores in the 2004 season.
Batties finished the contest with four catches, 88 yards and one touchdown.
Barber has solid day
Senior linebacker T.T. Barber had a tremendous performance after leading the Blue Raider defense against Marshall.
On one particular drive in the second quarter, Barber registered two TFL's and capped off that same drive by bringing down an interception.
Barber rounded out his day with 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception.
The standout senior leads the Blue Raiders with 68 tackles and nine TFL's this season and became just the sixth player in school history to reach 300 career tackles.
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