Following a big season opening win against Furman, Ole Miss will host Middle Tennessee State University on Saturday, Sept. 7 in its week two matchup. The upcoming meeting between the Rebels and Blue Raiders will be just the second game between the two schools. Ole Miss came out victorious in a 45-17 win in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in 2001.
Both the Rebels and the Blue Raiders are entering week two 1-0, with Middle Tennessee defeating Tennessee Technological University in its season opening win 32-25.
MTSU is coming off a 4-8 season last year, and coach Rick Stockstill was fired after 18 seasons with the program. Former Vanderbilt head coach and Auburn defensive coordinator Derek Mason is now at the helm.
With two wins against the Rebels as a head coach in 2016 and 2018, Mason is familiar with Ole Miss in a competition setting. As a head coach, his teams have faced the Rebels seven times with a 2-5 record, with both Rebel wins at home.
Middle Tennessee’s offense is now led by quarterback Nicholas Vattiato, who ended the Blue Raiders’ last game with one touchdown, 210 passing yards and 20 completions out of 35 pass attempts. Other notable standouts from the Blue Raider offense include running backs Frank Peasant and Jaiden Credle and wide receiver Myles Butler.
Last week, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart nearly doubled Vattiato’s stats, putting up 418 passing yards, five touchdowns and 22 completions out of 25 pass attempts. Dart also became the first player since Joe Burrow in 2019 with more than 350 passing yards in a half. Between Dart and Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons, they combined for 529 total passing yards, which was the most in school history.
Looking at the defensive performances of both teams, MTSU managed to keep the game close and secured a narrow victory. Although the Blue Raiders conceded 25 points, the Rebels’ defense held Furman to a shutout last week, marking Ole Miss’s first shutout since 1999. The defense also didn’t allow a single red zone appearance for the Blue Raiders.
This week the Rebels will continue to try and live up to the hype that has been built around the program this season. Similar to last week, Ole Miss is the clear favorite to beat MTSU and improve to 2-0 before this season’s first road trip next week at Wake Forest.
Kickoff for the MTSU contest is 3:15 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on SEC Network.
