Middle Tennessee emerges over Delaware, 33-30, in duel with seven lead changes
· Yahoo Sports
Week 7 of the college football season opened in Murfreesboro, TN.
Middle Tennessee made its first Weekday CUSA appearance of the season, hosting a Delaware team that also was fresh off a bye week. The Blue Raiders showcased their improvement to a national audience Tuesday night, defeating the Fightin’ Blue Hens 33-30 in a thrilling back-and-forth affair. Through six games, Derek Mason’s Middle Tennessee squad has already matched its win total from 2025.
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The quarterbacks were the highlight of the offensive duel. Middle Tennessee’s Roman Gagliano threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, delivering the go-ahead strike to Neo Clifton with 3:06 remaining in the contest. On the other sideline, Delaware switched things up at quarterback. With star Nick Minicucci out for the second-straight game, the Fightin’ Blue Hens sent out true freshman Tyler Bell for his first career start. Bell set the freshman record at Delaware with 306 pasing yards, recording a pair of touchdowns despite the losing effort.
After Clifton’s late touchdown — which represented the seventh lead change of the night — the Blue Raiders defense ensured there would be no more lead changes. Free safety Bryce Williams intercepted Bell with 1:51 remaining, putting Delaware’s chances at a road victory in serious jeopardy. The Fightin’ Blue Hens still had a pair of timeouts and forced Middle Tennessee to a 3rd-and-10 from the Delaware 49. Antonio Martin Jr. received the ball on a delayed handoff and sprinted 13 yards for the sealing first down.
Both offenses thrived Tuesday night at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium, but Middle Tennessee made the extra defensive plays necessary to win. That started in the first quarter when the Blue Raiders forced an intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety, taking an unorthodox 5-3 lead. Middle Tennessee dialed up pressure throughout the contest, registering five sacks on the Fightin’ Blue Hens, with inside linebacker Ashton Taylor contributing 1.5.
Delaware found creative ways to overcome Middle Tennessee’s early defensive success, including a trick play where wide receiver Bryson Graves found Bell on a screen for a touchdown. But every time the Fightin’ Blue Hens gained momentum, Middle Tennessee stole it back. That was best demonstrated on the first play of the third quarter when the Blue Raiders stifled a 13-0 Delaware run with an 80-yard connection from Gagliano to tight end Koraun Perdue.
Perdue finished with 103 yards and a touchdown, while Clifton added 64 yards and two touchdowns as key components of the Blue Raiders’ first CUSA victory of 2026.
Middle Tennessee (3-3, 1-1 CUSA) has already matched its highest win total under Mason in his third year at the helm. The Blue Raiders are 3-0 at home and 0-3 on the road this year, and they look to buck the latter trend next Tuesday night in a Weekday CUSA matchup at FIU.
Delaware (2-4, 0-2 CUSA) had CUSA title aspirations preseason with the most returning talent in the country, but the Hens have now dropped three consecutive matchups. They’re the first team with multiple CUSA losses, and they look to rebound next Tuesday in Newark when Missouri State comes to town.