Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

2005 Season Summary

The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, despite coming off a 5-6 mark both straight up and against the spread, were touted as amongst the favorites to win the Sun Belt Conference in 2005. This was based largely on the fact that the Blue Raiders would be returning eight starters on both sides of the ball and had an offense that was expected to be downright explosive.

McCollum under fire

Beneath the surface, however, was the pressure that seventh year head coach Andy McCollum was feeling as Middle Tennessee had just completed its third consecutive losing season and a fourth one would likely end in McCollum's dismissal.

Highly touted offense failed to show up

Middle Tennessee State would get an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their true abilities in their opening game at the SEC's up and coming Alabama Crimson Tide, who was installed as a 21.5-point chalk. While the Tide was improving and had a reputable defense, they also had demonstrated themselves to not be amongst the most reliable double digit favorites over the previous few seasons and Middle Tennessee was able to get the cash in a 7-26 loss/cover. Although they were not expected to win at Alabama, the Blue Raiders' offense showed poorly, but most experts simply chalked that up to the superior SEC opposition.

A better barometer of where Middle Tennessee stood and where they would be going was to come in their very next game, the home opener against defending Sun Belt Conference champion North Texas. North Texas, in fact, had won all four previous Sun Belt titles but it was apparent that the rest of the league was beginning to catch up with them and this game was touted as the defining moment of Middle Tennessee's season. The unproven Blue Raiders were installed as 8-point chalks against the proven league champs, who shut down Middle Tennessee in a 14-7 upset win that demonstrated that the Blue Raiders were clearly overrated and over-valued as their highly touted offense failed to show up.

Written off as they hit rock bottom

Middle Tennessee was totally demoralized by their loss to North Texas in a game that was circled on their calendars for months ahead of time. They had little to offer against Akron the following week as 6.5-point chalks in a 7-17 loss. The Blue Raiders were written off as they hit rock bottom, which would transform them into a bargain for a while.

A second wind

Now completely unwanted by the mainstream gambling public, Middle Tennessee traveled to Vanderbilt to face the upstart Commodores who were one of the nation's surprise teams. Vandy was a whopping and popular 14.5-point chalk as the recent performance of the two teams and Vandy's status as a surprise "darling" transformed the Blue Raiders into a bargain. MTSU got the cash in a stunning 17-15 win that ended up being the game that cost Vanderbilt a bowl berth.

Middle Tennessee kept momentum going with a 35-14 win at Florida Atlantic as 2.5-point chalks to climb within a game of .500, as they seemingly had a second wind.

Hopes of a bowl season still flickering

All good will and hope was tossed away, however, the following week at home in a 10-13 loss to Louisiana Lafayette as 12.5-point chalks. Once again MTSU was unwanted by the masses, and again they provided excellent contrarian value in a 45-7 home win over Arkansas State as 4-point chalks to once again climb to within one game of .500 as they headed down the home stretch with their hopes of a bowl season still flickering.

Down and out

MTSU next hosted Louisiana Monroe as a whopping 10.5-point chalk, which proved to be a ridiculous number as MTSU failed 31-34. This was followed by a 3-24 loss at North Carolina State as 19.5-point dogs, which guaranteed a losing season. Down at out MTSU went on to win at Troy 17-7 as 6-point chalks and closed with a 31-35 loss at Florida International as 4.5-point chalks, sealing McCollum's fate as a fired coach.