EL PASO, Texas — Middle Tennessee football's decision to play the field position game late in the fourth quarter paid dividends, as the Blue Raiders ate clock on a short field to score a final touchdown and left little time for a UTEP comeback in a 20-13 win in the Sun Bowl on Saturday afternoon.  

The game started a bit unusually with both teams, with UTEP (1-8, 1-5 CUSA) attempting a fake punt on their first fourth down on the afternoon on the Miners' opening drive. Chris Johnson stayed with the gunner and broke up the pass from the punter to give MTSU (3-6, 2-3 CUSA) great field position. A jet sweep to Jaiden Credle got the Blue Raiders as close as the UTEP 1, but MTSU failed to punch the ball into the endzone, settling for a 21-yard field from Zeke Rankin. UTEP would get the chance to answer two possessions later after picking off Nicholas Vattiato off a deflection, but a strong defensive stand inside the MTSU 20 held the Miners to just a field goal, tying the game 3-3.  

UTEP took advantage of a 24-yard punt return midway through the second quarter to get rolling on offense, scoring in four plays to take a 10-3 lead. But MTSU found a response two drives later, when Vattiato found Myles Butler in between defenders in the UTEP zone. The Central Arkansas transfer made the Miner safety miss in the open field and sprinted 61 yards into the endzone for touchdown, tying the game 10-10, a score that would hold through halftime.  

Disaster nearly struck for MTSU to start the second half, as UTEP stripped the opening kickoff out of the hands of Cam'ron Lacy to give the Miners the ball inside the MTSU 20. But a strong defensive stand with a Tyrell Raby pass breakup and two short runs forced UTEP to settle for a field goal to give the hosts a 13-10 lead. MTSU needed some turnover luck of their own to tie the game, with Xavier Williams snaring a toe-tapping interception off a pass breakup from Marvae Myers, setting up a 10-play, 57-yard drive that ended in a game-tying 27-yard field goal from Rankin.  

UTEP had a chance to take the lead with a 42-yard field goal attempt after a 13-play drive following Rankin's field goal, but a miss wide-left kept the tied with nine minutes to play. Facing a fourth and six on the UTEP 44 on the ensuing drive, MTSU elected to pin the Miners deep in their own territory with a Grant Chadwick punt that was fair caught on the UTEP 6, Chadwick's second punt downed inside the 20 on Saturday. MTSU forced a three-and-out that resulted in a punt giving the Blue Raiders the ball on the UTEP side of the field, captializing with a 10-play drive that ended on a QB-sneak from Vattiato breaking the plane of the goaline with some help from a push from tight end Evan Poticher, giving the Blue Raiders a 20-13 lead after the PAT.  

The Miners were left with just 1:53 left on the clock to drive 75 yards down the field for a touchdown to tie the game. UTEP was able to get inside the MTSU 20, but tight coverage on the game's final two plays left no room for the Miners to get the ball into the endzone, with Jalen Davis breaking up the final pass of the game short of the goaline to clinch the win.  

By the Numbers 
  
 
7: Tackles for loss for MTSU, the most the Blue Raiders have recorded in a game this season. Defensive tackles Damonte Smith and Shakai Woods led the way with 1.5 TFLs each.  
8-for-29: The combined conversation rate on third downs for both teams in a defensive game on Saturday. MTSU converted just three times on third down in 16 tries.  
14: Tackles for linebacker Parker Hughes, the most any Blue Raider has recorded in a single game this season.  

Blue Raider Notes 
 

• Today marks the first time the Blue Raiders have kicked off on a Saturday since Sep. 28 against Memphis – a 35-day span. 

• The Blue Raiders have 50 total interceptions over the last four years, including 17 in 2021, 20 in 2022, eight in 2023 and five this season. 

Offensive Player Notes 

#5 | Myles Butler | WR | r-Jr. 

• Tallied career high 101 yards on a career high five receptions and a touchdown. 

• First career 100-yard receiving performance. 

• Logged a career long 61-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. 

#11 | Nick Vattiato | QB | r-Jr. 

• Made his team-leading 21st straight start today against UTEP. 

• Finished 21-for-35 for 239 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown. 

• Recorded his 20th career 200 or more yard passing game – third all-time. 

#32 | Jekail Middlebrook | RB | r-Fr. 

• Tallied 34 yards on a career high five receptions. 

• Rushed for 33 yards on seven carries. 

#42 | Evan Poticher | TE | Fr. 

• Recorded a career high three receptions. 

Defensive Player Notes 

#9 | Parker Hughes | LB | r-Jr. 

• Registered a career high 14 tackles, including three solo stops and a tackle for loss. 

#12 | Jalen Davis | LB | Gr. 

• Tallied a career high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and a pass break up. 

#49 | James Stewart | DE | r-Jr. 

• Posted a career high seven tackles, including four solo stops and a tackle for loss. 

• Logged his first career interception. 

#98 | Shakai Woods | DT | r-Fr. 

• Posted a career high seven tackles, including four solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. 

Special Teams Player Notes 

#7 | Zeke Rankin | PK | r-Sr. 

• Went 2-for-2 on the night, with a long of 47 yards. 

• Has connected on 43 career field goals – ranks third all-time.  

Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Mason 
 

"Happy for our guys. We just said that we needed to compete for four quarters and let's what that yielded us. Obviously, we haven't had a road win in 10+ games. The reality of it was you've got to get one before it all starts. I thought our guys came in with the right mentality. They were calm about it. I thought these guys had a good week of practice, but more than that, it took everybody. Offense, defense, special teams, eb and flow.

"It wasn't the prettiest of games. I thought defensively, it was a battle on both sides. There were turnovers. Special teams played a role, just in terms of flipping the field and trying to make long fields for (UTEP). But, what about guys you really don't hear about a lot? Evan Poticher, stepping on the field and making plays. Myles Butler, with the great catch and run after the catch for the touchdown. You look at Xavier Williams, he gets a fourth down run for the first down and then he turns around and gets a pick on the very next series, off a tipped ball. It took everybody we had to get through this game and get us to the other side." 

Up Next   
Middle Tennessee returns home next Saturday, November 9, to take on Liberty in the program's annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces game. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon CT in Floyd Stadium and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and the Blue Raider Network.