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Middle Tennessee

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Conference USA·1-1·
Elo
1276#119
SP+
-20.8#127
FPI
-15.4
AP
NR
Nextvs Nevada · Wk 3Win prob 54%Model -1.3
Talent #109 (571.5)Recruiting class #11933% production returning

Team Leaders

Latest on Middle Tennessee

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Middle Tennessee's run game is Marshall's one real problem

Matchup · 4d ago

Roman Gagliano produced six of Middle Tennessee's eleven explosive plays

Matchup · 6d ago

Roster · 112 players

FR 36SO 28JR 24SR 23
#PlayerPosClHtWt
10Mason MalloryQBFR6'1"203
11Peter CostelliQBSR6'3"222
12Peter GrandjeanQBFR6'1"185
15Rocco WilliamsQBFR6'1"198
16Roman GaglianoQBSO6'3"219
18Stanley Anderson-LoftonQBFR6'2"222
8Antonio MartinRBSR5'10"240
9Terrence BrownRBSR5'9"215
21Ashton JonesRBSO5'8"194
29DJ TaylorRBSO6'1"209
30Robert Lathon Jr.RBFR5'11"205
31Austin ClemonsRBSO6'0"212
33Brooklen DavisRBFR5'10"203
35Duece LawrenceRBFR5'9"197
0Santana FlemingWRJR5'10"175
1Markus AllenWRSR6'2"212
3Cam'ron LacyWRJR5'8"164
4Tyree PattersonWRJR6'1"198
6AJ JonesWRSR6'4"208
7Hogan WassonWRSR5'10"183
13Ziyon ButlerWRFR5'11"154
17Bryson MaddoxWRFR6'4"180
19Kason StokesWRSO6'2"190
23Malachi SteeleWRFR5'8"155
39Chase DavisWRFR5'8"154
43Christopher KaupWRSO6'2"184
80Zaidyn MooreWRSO5'10"194
85Neo CliftonWRFR6'2"207
89Landon CollinsWRSO6'2"185
39Evan PoticherTEJR6'2"246
47Sawyer LovvornTESO6'0"224
81Wilson HodgesTEFR6'4"251
83Koraun PerdueTEFR6'6"232
84Jadin HambrickTEJR6'6"219
86Brody BenkeTESO6'3"253
88Tayvion GallowayTESO6'4"232
50Chris MorenoOLJR6'1"318
53Roman JonesOLFR6'2"261
55Adrian CrespinOLJR6'2"296
58Trevaris EdwardsOLJR6'2"307
61Otto Janse Van RensburgOLSO6'4"304
62Tim JacobsOLJR6'4"309
63Alex GaleOLSO6'3"311
65Brennan SmithOLSR6'3"320
71Quentin ButlerOLJR6'3"300
74Ashley WalkerOLFR6'8"303
75Reese TrippOLJR6'7"365
76Garrett AustinOLFR6'6"310
77Diego BlattlerOLSR6'6"290
78Kyle LarkinOLFR6'6"314
79Jack MohlmanOLFR6'5"270
41Trashun GriffinDESO6'3"272
49Tiyyan RobinsonDESO6'3"263
75Matthew BlomquistDESO6'5"264
93Aidan ButtsDEJR6'3"244
45Jayden Arenas-MichelDTFR6'4"271
74Jonathan WallerDTFR6'1"276
90Justin BodfordDTSO6'0"295
95Zeion Simpson-SmithDTSO6'2"277
96Christien MoreauDTFR6'1"290
97Victory VakaDTSR6'2"362
91Felix HixonNTSR6'1"306
98Emmanuel GyamfiNTJR6'0"295
99Archie Roseman VNTFR6'3"324
13Ashton TaylorLBSR6'0"224
16Jaiyden ThompsonLBSR6'3"249
17Jayson LoweLBJR6'1"217
26Korey SmithLBJR5'11"216
31Mathias Malaki-DonaldsonLBSR6'5"225
32Jonas JimersonLBFR6'4"210
33Malik LoveLBSO6'4"227
40BJ AusmerLBSO6'2"242
42La'Garrius SimsLBJR6'3"236
44Kaven CallLBJR6'2"244
46Reggie JohnsonLBSR6'3"258
48Darnell MalpressLBFR6'3"229
51Shane RochelleLBFR6'0"216
52Micah SmithLBFR6'2"246
53Braxton LillisLBFR6'2"215
94Jayden WilliamsLBJR6'6"253
2Jackson LoweCBSO6'1"198
12Ricky LeeCBJR5'10"166
15Devan CarlisleCBJR6'4"204
18Troy Booker Jr.CBSO6'0"207
19Aidan SingletonCBSR6'0"190
21Jason HardyCBSR6'1"183
23KJ MiniefieldCBJR5'11"175
25Ethan ShermanCBFR5'11"179
27Jalen JacksonCBSO6'3"188
28Alan YoungCBJR6'0"203
36Chris RagansCBFR6'0"173
38Locke KennedyCBSO6'3"209
0Kalen WoodsSSR6'2"196
5Dyson McCutcheonSSR5'9"181
7Christofer NobleSSO6'2"206
10Jordan ChestnutSSR6'4"206
11James JohnsonSSO5'10"200
22Gumbo GaskinsSSR6'1"191
24Camari HallSSO5'9"184
29Andrew Cross-AdamsSFR6'1"190
30Bryce WilliamsSFR5'11"197
37Justis HaggardSFR5'10"198
91Dominic BourgeoisPKSR5'8"218
94Jack WaltonPKFR6'2"193
96Wyatt JoycePKJR5'10"170
92Ashton LoganPSR6'2"209
97Aden CainePJR6'1"202
54Connor DoughertyLSSR6'3"231
56Ean MatusekLSFR6'0"223
59Henry HamlinLSSO6'3"232
60Charlie OltremariLSFR6'3"225
Terrence Brown Jr.

Team Statistics · per game, with national FBS rank

Points / game
32.0
scoring offense
Points allowed
21.0
scoring defense
Differential
+11.0
per game
Offense
Total yards / game
396.0#71
Yards / play
8.3#14
Passing yards / game
200.0#93
Rushing yards / game
196.0#47
First downs / game
21.0#66
3rd down %
42.9%#67
4th down %
50.0%#67
Time of possession
25:42#122
Defense
Yards allowed / game
290.0#59
Yards / play allowed
5.9#106
Pass yards allowed / game
145.0#44
Rush yards allowed / game
145.0#94
3rd down % allowed
30.0%#48
Sacks
0#130
Tackles for loss
1#134
Turnovers & Discipline
Turnover margin
+1#36
Takeaways
1#88
Giveaways
0#1
Penalties / game
10.0#128
Penalty yards / game
81.0#121

Rank is national among all FBS teams (#1 = best), oriented so higher rank = better even for defensive and discipline metrics. Bars show percentile.

Scouting Report · 2026 projection

balanced

Middle Tennessee is in year 3 under Derek Mason, whose offenses have been balanced. The way in is 132nd at defending the pass, and they are 127th at holding teams to field goals.

On fourth down he goes for it about as often as his peers do from the same spots (−2.1%). Against what the expected-points model recommends he is −30.9% — the profession as a whole is negative on this.

Middle Tennessee has not played an FBS opponent yet, so this is the projection: last season regressed toward the mean, plus returning production, recruiting, talent and whether the staff is the same one.

Projected soft spots

  • Defensethrowing it
    #132
    projected
  • Defenseturning trips inside the 40 into points
    #127
    projected
  • Defensesurviving second and twelve
    #125
    projected

Each bar is where this team sits in the country. Before the season has produced enough football these are PROJECTIONS — last season regressed to the mean, plus talent, returning production, recruiting and whether the staff is the same one — and the season replaces them as it is played. Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.

2026 Season Projection

model win prob · 10 to play
4.67.4
projected final record (now 11)
Exp. wins left
3.6
of 10 games
Bowl odds
25%
reach 6 wins
Best odds
66%
vs New Mexico State
Toughest
14%
vs Kansas

How the season could finish · 2026 · chance of each final win total · 10 games left

Every remaining game simulated from the model's win probability for it. Tallest bar is the single likeliest finish, not a prediction that it happens.

1234567891011
final winstallest bar = 26% chance
Likeliest finish 4-8 (26%)Bowl eligible 25% · marked on the axis at 6

Player Value

EPA contribution by position group + estimated NIL market value (derived from position rates and on-field production — not actual deal figures).

Unit Value — Total EPA
WRMarkus Allen, Hogan Wasson +3
+15.2 EPA
QBRoman Gagliano
+11.6 EPA
RBAntonio Martin, DJ Taylor +1
-1.4 EPA
TETayvion Galloway, Koraun Perdue
-4.7 EPA

Total EPA produced by each positional group this season. OL value is captured via the rush/pass efficiency of skill players; OL-specific EPA isn't separately reported.

Estimated NIL Market Value
ESTIMATED
EPA +11.60.414/play28 snaps

Estimated from position-group market rates and on-field EPA contribution. Actual NIL valuations depend on social media following, brand fit, and market negotiations — these figures are directional only.

The Five Factors

ranked vs. FBS · bar = better
Efficiency (PPA)
Off0.4077th#32
Def0.0952nd#67
Explosiveness
Off1.3057th#60
Def1.2944th#78
Field position
Off71.061st#54
Def79.62nd#135
Finishing (pts/opp)
Off5.1780th#28
Def3.5042nd#81
Turnovers
Won 1Lost 0
Margin +1

Opponent-adjusted efficiency

EPA/play vs. schedule
Offense
Defense
Off · pass
0.3353rd#66
Off · rush
0.5291st#14

Pass vs. rush (PPA)

Rushing
Off0.5290th#15
Def0.0544th#78
Passing
Off0.3353rd#66
Def0.1655th#62

Trenches & disruption

Line yards (off)
4.45#5
2nd-level / open-field
2.18 / 3.09
Power / stuff (off)
50.0% / 9.1%
Havoc — total (def)
10.0%#129
Havoc — front 7 / DB
4.0% / 6.0%

Standard vs. passing downs

Pro
Std downs
Off0.37
Def-0.09
Pass downs
Off0.53
Def0.50

PPA on each down type (off vs. def).

Opponent-adjusted by down

Pro
1st2nd3rd
Offense0.33#200.55#250.88#27
Defense-0.52#30.50#1260.15#32

Elo Trajectory

Murray StateNew Mexico State
Elo rating 12761276+0 over season

Team Fingerprint · 2026 · 31 opponent-adjusted metrics · percentile vs 138 FBS teams

Plot these →
worst in FBSbest

Efficiency

  • Offense EPA/play0.4074th
  • Defense EPA/play allowed0.1436th
  • Offense success rate50%66th
  • Defense success rate allowed44%26th

Downs

  • Offense success — standard downs51%53rd
  • Offense success — passing downs45%77th
  • Defense success allowed — standard downs49%30th
  • Defense success allowed — passing downs33%34th

Explosiveness

  • Offense explosiveness1.366th
  • Defense explosiveness allowed1.255th
  • Offense explosiveness — standard downs1.155th
  • Offense explosiveness — passing downs2.376th

Trenches

  • Offense line yards4.498th
  • Defense line yards allowed3.126th
  • Offense highlight yards3.191st
  • Defense highlight yards allowed1.425th
  • Offense power success0.5022nd
  • Defense power success allowed0.8334th
  • Offense stuff rate0.0984th
  • Defense stuff rate0.1530th

Third down

  • Third down conversion43%47th
  • Third down distance faced6.656th
  • Third down conversion allowed30%67th
  • Third down distance forced6.323rd

Halves

  • Net success rate — first half0.2269th
  • Net success rate — second half-0.0825th

Roster

  • Returning usage29%33rd
  • Returning EPA70.836th
  • Team talent composite57221st
  • Recruiting class rank11914th
  • Recruiting class points16514th

Every metric is opponent-adjusted and ranked so that higher is always better — a defensive rate that is good when low is ranked accordingly. Sack and tackle-for-loss composition are deliberately absent: their relationship to team quality is a measured null, so they carry a style rather than a rank, and they appear in the pressure signature instead.

Intelligence Report

Offensive DNA

Run-first offense performing above the national average
EPA/play
+0.402#32 · above avg
Pass EPA/play
+0.334#66
Rush EPA/play
+0.523#15
Explosiveness
1.300#60
Pts/opportunity
5.17#28
Success rate
50.0%

Rush efficiency edge: 0.189 EPA/play

🛡

Defensive Identity

EPA/play allowed
+0.087#67 · average
Havoc rate (total)
10.0%#129
Front-7 havoc
4.0%
DB havoc
6.0%
Big play rate allowed
1.295#78
Success rate allowed
39.5%

Disruption comes primarily from the secondary.

📊

Season Signature

32.0 PPG offense, 21.0 allowed — +11.0 margin/game
Points per game
32.0
Points allowed/game
21.0
Scoring margin/game
+11.0
Turnover margin
+1won 1 · lost 0
Production returning
33%
Talent rank (247)
#109

1-1 record through 2 games.

Team Shape · percentile vs. FBS · dashed = 50th

OFFENSE77thEXPLOSIVENESS57thFINISHING80thFIELD POS61thDEFENSE52thHAVOC7th50th100th
Offense
77th
Explosiveness
57th
Finishing
80th
Field Pos
61th
Defense
52th
Havoc
7th

Each axis = national percentile rank. 100th = best in FBS, 0th = worst. Defense and Havoc are oriented so higher = better.

CORE efficiency · situation and opponent removed

Points per 100 plays above average, after the game state is regressed out of every snap and the schedule is solved out across the whole league. The version of this team’s efficiency that can be compared to a team it never played.

Overall
-8.7
#104
Offense
-4.0
#103
Defense
+4.8
#113
Full CORE ratings →

National Landscape · 2026 FBS · offense vs. defense EPA/play

Each dot = one FBS team. Middle Tennessee is highlighted. Tap or hover a dot for details.

ELITEDEF. FORTRESSOFF. POWERHOUSEREBUILDING-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.30-0.050.00+0.10+0.20Offensive EPA/play← worsebetter →Defensive EPA allowed/play← worsebetter →

Similar Programs

Teams with the closest offense + defense efficiency profile to Middle Tennessee in 2026

by EPA/play distance
MemphisSP+ +2.1
Off EPA/play +0.394Def EPA/play +0.106Elo 1566
Match
99%
San Diego StateSP+ +3.1
Off EPA/play +0.391Def EPA/play +0.113Elo 1518
Match
99%
Penn StateSP+ +19.8
Off EPA/play +0.409Def EPA/play +0.049Elo 1891
Match
98%
UCLASP+ +9.2
Off EPA/play +0.420Def EPA/play +0.133Elo 1438
Match
97%
Arizona StateSP+ +8.7
Off EPA/play +0.348Def EPA/play +0.057Elo 1572
Match
97%
MassachusettsSP+ -25.8
Off EPA/play +0.426Def EPA/play +0.024Elo 1076
Match
96%

Similarity = normalized Euclidean distance on season offensive and defensive EPA/play. Teams within ±0.02 EPA/play on both units score >90%.

Program Trajectory · CORE rating · 20152026 · points per game vs an average FBS team

2015: +1.1, #66 of 1282016: +0.1, #62 of 1282017: -3.1, #71 of 1302018: -2.0, #77 of 1302019: -7.8, #92 of 1302020: -12.0, #99 of 1242021: -7.5, #96 of 1302022: -5.4, #86 of 1312023: -6.6, #91 of 1332024: -27.4, #130 of 1342025: -15.9, #113 of 1362026: -8.7, #104 of 138
20152026
Now -8.7 · #104 of 138Best +1.1 in 2015Worst -27.4 in 2024

Program History

recent seasons
YearOverallConfWin %xWLuck
20261-00-0
100%
1.0+0.0
20253-92-6
25%
3.5-0.5
20243-92-6
25%
2.6+0.4
20234-83-5
33%
4.6-0.6
20228-54-4
62%
7.0+1.0
20217-64-4
54%
6.1+0.9
20203-62-3
33%
3.5-0.5
20194-83-5
33%
5.4-1.4
20188-67-2
57%
6.8+1.2
20177-64-4
54%
7.2-0.2

xW = expected wins from per-game dominance. Luck = actual − expected (positive = won close games).

0.0%of 50,000 simulated 2026 seasons end with them in the field

0-0 so far, projected to finish 3.4-8.6. Wins the Conference USA in 0.8%.

If they finish with…

0%
3 losses
0%
4 losses

Their chance of making it at each final loss count.

up 0.0 points since preseason.

  • The Conference USA takes 0.02 bids in an average season.
  • One bid goes to the best champion outside the P4. They take it in 0.0% of seasons, having won their league in 100% of those.

Middle Tennessee’s own turning points

Points of playoff probability between winning and losing.

  • wk11at Liberty0.2
  • wk3vs Nevada0.1
  • wk2at Marshall0.1
  • wk8at Florida International0.1
  • wk9vs Kennesaw State0.1
  • wk7vs Delaware0.1

Who to root for

Games Middle Tennessee is not in that move its odds most. Same units, much smaller scale.

  • wk4Illinois over Ohio State0.1
  • wk7North Dakota State over Nevada0.0
  • wk10Sacramento State over Toledo0.0
  • wk7Florida State over Miami0.0
  • wk10Georgia State over App State0.0
  • wk4South Alabama over Kentucky0.0
The full playoff picture →

Conference USA

0-0 in league play, projected 2.1-5.910 of 10 by title odds
0.8%
Wins the Conference USA
2.5%
Reaches the title game

The Conference USA sends its top two by conference winning percentage, head-to-head breaking a tie. The last berth is level on percentage in 42% of simulated seasons, so a tiebreaker decides it about that often.

  • wk11Middle Tennessee at Liberty5.2
  • wk5Middle Tennessee at Kansas3.8
  • wk8Middle Tennessee at Florida International2.9
  • wk9Kennesaw State at Middle Tennessee2.2

Points of title probability riding on each result. The whole Conference USA race →

If not the playoff, then

14%
Bowl eligible
14%
Placed in a bowl
0.0%
In the playoff
86%
Season over in November

Middle Tennessee is 1-0 and needs 5 more wins from 11 games to reach the six that make a team eligible — at most one of which may come against an FCS opponent.

  • New Orleans Bowl3.3%
  • 68 Ventures Bowl3.2%
  • Hawai'i Bowl2.9%
  • Xbox Bowl1.6%
  • Armed Forces Bowl1.1%
  • Boca Raton Bowl0.8%

Every bowl, and how each one picks →

Recruiting Pipelines

since 2010

Of the 170 high-school programs with a pipeline page here, 4 have sent Middle Tennessee a player since 2010 — 12 signees between them. Where they signed, not where they were offered, and not a complete list of Middle Tennessee's feeder schools: only these 170 have the outcome history to measure.

High schoolSignedDrafted
Dr. PhillipsFL40
NorcrossGA40
DwyerFL20
Peachtree RidgeGA20
All 170 high-school pipelines →
✓/✗ = whether our pregame model picked the winner. Win % & projections from the Gridpex model. Data: CollegeFootballData.