November 8, 2025 – Middle Tennessee’s losing streak reached eight games as the Blue Raiders fell 56-30 to FIU at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro. The defeat dropped Middle Tennessee to 1-8 overall and 0-5 in conference play as offensive struggles continued to plague the home team.
Vattiato Finds Success Through the Air
Nicholas Vattiato provided one of the few bright spots for Middle Tennessee, completing 26 of 37 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. The quarterback connected with Jekail Middlebrook on a 48-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give the Blue Raiders an early 7-0 lead.
| Quarterback | Comp-Att | Yards | TD | INT | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Vattiato | 26-37 | 242 | 3 | 1 | 48 |
| Roman Gagliano | 7-16 | 89 | 1 | 0 | 60 |
Roman Gagliano added 89 yards and a late 60-yard touchdown to Cam’ron Lacy, but the passing success couldn’t overcome major deficiencies elsewhere.
Ground Game Nonexistent
The Blue Raiders managed just 33 yards rushing on 24 attempts for a dismal 1.4 yards per carry. Middlebrook led the anemic ground attack with 30 yards on eight carries, while the team lost 35 yards on negative plays.
| Running Back | Attempts | Yards | TD | Long | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jekail Middlebrook | 8 | 30 | 0 | 9 | 3.8 |
| Rickey Hunt Jr. | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1.0 |
The inability to establish any rushing threat forced Middle Tennessee into predictable passing situations and prevented the offense from sustaining drives or controlling the clock.
Early Promise Fades
After Middlebrook’s opening touchdown gave Middle Tennessee a 7-0 advantage, the Blue Raiders briefly held a 17-14 lead late in the second quarter following AJ Jones’ five-yard touchdown catch and Jacob Hathaway’s 48-yard field goal. However, FIU responded with 35 unanswered points to seize complete control.
Lacy finished with five catches for 108 yards and a touchdown to pace the receiving corps, while Butler hauled in five receptions for 31 yards and a score. Middlebrook added five catches for 64 yards and the early touchdown, but the individual performances couldn’t offset the team’s overall struggles.
Defense Overwhelmed
Middle Tennessee’s defense allowed 401 total yards and surrendered touchdowns on seven of FIU’s final nine possessions. The Blue Raiders managed just two sacks and forced only one turnover while allowing the Panthers to convert a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone.
The loss extended Middle Tennessee’s winless conference streak and left the Blue Raiders searching for solutions with four games remaining in a disappointing season.
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