Middle Tennessee Football: Can Blue Raiders return to winning ways?

The schedule is tough but provides opportunity

Playing in the C-USA is never a cakewalk and there are a fair share of tough games on the schedule, but there is also plenty of opportunity for the Blue Raiders to get back to a bowl game, providing there are no injuries or anything like that.

• Game 1: Monmouth (W)- This will likely be the easiest game on the schedule and represents an opportunity to start the season off right.
• Game 2: At Virginia Tech (L)- I am not high on Virginia Tech this year, but at home, they’ll be too tough for Middle Tennessee.
• Game 3: At UTSA (L)- UTSA brings back loads of experience and will contend for the conference title and be too much for the Blue Raiders.
• Game 4: At Charlotte (L)- I think this is a toss-up game, but I will give the edge to Charlotte due to home-field advantage.
• Game 5: Marshall (L)- Another tough game against one of the top teams in the conference.
• Game 6: At Liberty (L)- It is frightening to think of the numbers that Malik Willis will put on this Blue Raiders defense.
• Game 7: At UConn (W)- I think the Blue Raiders will be able to outscore UConn on the road and get a win.
• Game 8: Southern Miss (L)- I think this is another tossup game, but the Golden Eagles have the better defense.
• Game 9: At Western Kentucky (L)- WKU is a very tough place to play and they play excellent defense.
• Game 10: FIU (W): This will be a close game, but I think Middle Tennessee football gets it in a shootout.
• Game 11: Old Dominion (W): I expect ODU to be the worst team in the conference and this will be an opportunity for back-to-back wins.
• Game 12: At FAU (L): Expect a close game, but the Owls will be a surprise team in the C-USA in 2021.

Final Record: 4-8 (2-6 C-USA)

This will likely not be a record that Middle Tennessee football fans will like, but it could be better. Games against Southern Miss and FAU are winnable and if the defense improves, they could upset one of the better teams on their schedule. But with a defense as bad as theirs, it is tough to trust them to get victories against better teams.