Middle Tennessee Stuns Nevada in Fourth Quarter, 14-13
Middle Tennessee defeated Nevada 14-13 in Week 3, with the Blue Raiders scoring all 14 points in the fourth quarter to secure an upset victory. Nevada had led 13-0 at halftime behind a touchdown pass from Chubba Purdy to Ky Woods, but the Wolf Pack could not add to their total in the second half.
The game featured four lead changes and remained highly competitive throughout. Nevada's rushing attack was led by Herschel Turner, who rushed for 90 yards including a 64-yard gain in the third quarter. Purdy completed 88 passing yards for Nevada, while Middle Tennessee's Nicholas Vattiato led the Blue Raiders' comeback effort.
Middle Tennessee's Myles Butler was the leading receiver with 65 yards. The defensive battle intensified as the game progressed, with critical plays in the third quarter setting up Middle Tennessee's late-game surge. The Blue Raiders' fourth-quarter rally proved decisive in securing the 14-13 victory and covering the 9-point spread.
AI-generated recap · Aug 17, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Middle Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
 Nevada | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Middle Tennessee | Nevada |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 27-45 | 14-25 |
| Pass Yards | 247 | 166 |
| Rush Yards | 105 | 203 |
| Total Yards | 352 | 369 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| 3rd Down | 7-17 | 3-13 |
| Penalties | 7-50 | 4-55 |
| Possession | 31:10 | 28:50 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Jekail Middlebrook run for 2 yds to the MTSU 27
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 8 yds to the MTSU 35 for a 1ST down
(14:01) No Huddle-Shotgun Vattiato,Nicholas pass incomplete deep right to Middlebrook,Jekail thrown to NEV40 PENALTY NEV Pass Interference (Kenion III,Murvin) 15 yards from MTN35 to MTN50, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Jekail Middlebrook run for 10 yds to the NEV 40 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Cam'ron Lacy for 4 yds to the NEV 36
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Cam'ron Lacy for 12 yds to the NEV 24 for a 1ST down
Cam'ron Lacy run for 5 yds to the NEV 19
Nicholas Vattiato sacked for a loss of 15 yards to the NEV 34
Nicholas Vattiato sacked for a loss of 6 yards to the NEV 40
PENALTY MTN Delay Of Game (Logan,Ashton) 5 yards from NEV40 to NEV45. NO PLAY.
Ashton Logan punt for 38 yds
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jace Henry for 2 yds to the NEV 9
Herschel Turner run for a loss of 1 yard to the NEV 8
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jordan Brown for 9 yds to the NEV 17 for a 1ST down
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Jett Carpenter
AJ Bianco run for 8 yds to the NEV 25
Caleb Ramseur run for no gain to the NEV 25
Bailey Ettridge punt for 43 yds
Nicholas Vattiato run for a loss of 4 yards to the MTSU 28
Jekail Middlebrook run for no gain to the MTSU 28
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Jekail Middlebrook for 6 yds to the MTSU 34
Ashton Logan punt for 49 yds, fair catch by Marcus Bellon at the NEV 17
AJ Bianco run for 2 yds to the NEV 19
AJ Bianco pass complete to Nate Burleson II for 10 yds to the NEV 29 for a 1ST down
Herschel Turner run for 6 yds to the NEV 35
Herschel Turner run for 10 yds to the NEV 45 for a 1ST down
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Jordan Brown
Herschel Turner run for 2 yds to the NEV 47
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Nate Burleson II
Bailey Ettridge punt for 52 yds
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 2 yds to the MTSU 3
(00:29) PENALTY MTN Encroachment (Walker,Amorion) 1 yard from MTN03 to MTN02. NO PLAY.
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to AJ Jones
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Rickey Hunt Jr. for 1 yd to the MTSU 3
Ashton Logan punt for 44 yds , Marcus Bellon returns for no gain to the MTSU 47
Chubba Purdy pass complete to Ky Woods for 47 yds for a TD (Joe McFadden KICK)
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Cam'ron Lacy for 2 yds to the MTSU 23
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Cam'ron Lacy for 42 yds to the NEV 35 for a 1ST down
Jekail Middlebrook run for no gain to the NEV 35
(12:46) No Huddle-Shotgun Vattiato,Nicholas pass incomplete deep left to Walker,Amorion thrown to NEV01 PENALTY NEV Pass Interference (Rhambo,Edward) 15 yards from NEV35 to NEV20, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Jekail Middlebrook run for 8 yds to the NEV 12
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Hunter Tipton
Nicholas Vattiato run for 1 yd to the NEV 11 Middle Tennessee Penalty, Offensive Holding (Brendon Harris) declined
PENALTY MTN UNS: Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Guevara,Mateo) 15 yards from NEV11 to NEV26. NO PLAY.
Jacob Hathaway 36 yd FG MISSED
Ky Woods run for 15 yds to the NEV 41 for a 1ST down
Ky Woods run for 28 yds to the MTSU 31 for a 1ST down
Marcus Bellon pass incomplete to Jace Henry
Caleb Ramseur run for a loss of 1 yard to the MTSU 32
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jordan Brown for 4 yds to the MTSU 28
Joe McFadden 38 yd FG GOOD
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Cam'ron Lacy
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 1 yd to the MTSU 26
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Nahzae Cox
Ashton Logan punt for 49 yds, fair catch by Marcus Bellon at the NEV 25
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jett Carpenter for 7 yds to the NEV 32
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jordan Brown for 6 yds to the MTSU 38 for a 1ST down Middle Tennessee Penalty, Face Mask (15 yards) (Juwon Gaston) to the MTSU 47 for a 1ST down
(06:53) Shotgun Turner,Herschel rush middle for 5 yards gain to the MTN42 (Harris,Brendon) PENALTY NEV Holding (Scott,Trenton) 10 yards from MTN47 to NEV43. NO PLAY.
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Marcus Bellon
AJ Bianco pass complete to Nathaneal Floyd for 15 yds to the MTSU 42
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Marshaun Brown
Bailey Ettridge punt for 38 yds, fair catch by Jekail Middlebrook at the MTSU 4
Jekail Middlebrook run for 1 yd to the MTSU 5
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Amorion Walker for 6 yds to the MTSU 11
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Nahzae Cox for 14 yds to the MTSU 25 for a 1ST down Nevada Penalty, Roughing The Passer (Dylan Labarbera) to the MTSU 40 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Hunter Tipton
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Jekail Middlebrook
Nicholas Vattiato pass intercepted EJ Smith return for 14 yds to the MTSU 41
AJ Bianco pass complete to Marcus Bellon for 4 yds to the MTSU 37
AJ Bianco sacked by John Howse IV for a loss of 7 yards to the MTSU 44
AJ Bianco pass complete to Jordan Brown for 21 yds to the MTSU 23 for a 1ST down
Ky Woods run for a loss of 3 yards to the MTSU 26
Chubba Purdy run for 7 yds to the MTSU 19
AJ Bianco sacked by Brandon Buckner for a loss of 4 yards to the MTSU 23
Joe McFadden 33 yd FG GOOD
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Jekail Middlebrook
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Jekail Middlebrook for 5 yds to the MTSU 30
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Amorion Walker
Ashton Logan punt for 41 yds , Marcus Bellon returns for 1 yd to the NEV 30
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Marcus Bellon
AJ Bianco pass incomplete to Marcus Bellon
Caleb Ramseur run for 8 yds to the NEV 38
Bailey Ettridge punt for 62 yds for a touchback
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Nahzae Cox for 6 yds to the MTSU 26
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 10 yds to the MTSU 36 for a 1ST down
End of 2nd Quarter
Herschel Turner run for 64 yds to the MTSU 11 for a 1ST down
Caleb Ramseur run for 2 yds to the MTSU 9
AJ Bianco pass intercepted Juwon Gaston return for no gain to the MTSU 29
Nicholas Vattiato run for 4 yds to the MTSU 33
Jekail Middlebrook run for 2 yds to the MTSU 35
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 7 yds to the MTSU 42 for a 1ST down
Jekail Middlebrook run for 42 yds to the NEV 16 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 5 yds to the NEV 11
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 1 yd to the NEV 10
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 1 yd to the NEV 9
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Hunter Tipton
Herschel Turner run for no gain to the NEV 9
Herschel Turner run for no gain to the NEV 9
Chubba Purdy pass complete to Marcus Bellon for 6 yds to the NEV 15
Bailey Ettridge run for 12 yds to the NEV 27 for a 1ST down
Chubba Purdy run for no gain to the NEV 27
Chubba Purdy run for no gain to the NEV 27
Chubba Purdy pass complete to Marcus Bellon for 8 yds to the NEV 35
Bailey Ettridge punt for 50 yds
Nicholas Vattiato sacked by Sam Cook for a loss of 2 yards to the MTSU 13
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Cam'ron Lacy for 7 yds to the MTSU 20
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Jekail Middlebrook
PENALTY MTN Delay Of Game (Logan,Ashton) 5 yards from MTN20 to MTN15. NO PLAY.
Ashton Logan punt for 46 yds
Chubba Purdy run for 7 yds to the NEV 46
Herschel Turner run for 1 yd to the NEV 47
Ashton Hayes run for 3 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
Herschel Turner run for a loss of 4 yards to the NEV 46
Chubba Purdy sacked by Zeion Simpson-Smith for a loss of 12 yards to the NEV 34
Chubba Purdy pass incomplete to Marshaun Brown
Bailey Ettridge punt for 58 yds , Jekail Middlebrook returns for 1 yd to the MTSU 5
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Hunter Tipton
Rickey Hunt Jr. run for 10 yds to the MTSU 15 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Amorion Walker for 8 yds to the MTSU 23
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Amorion Walker
Nicholas Vattiato run for 3 yds to the MTSU 26 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato run for 10 yds to the MTSU 36 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 6 yds to the MTSU 42
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Nahzae Cox
Nicholas Vattiato sacked by Thomas Witte for a loss of 5 yards to the MTSU 37
Ashton Logan punt for 59 yds , Marcus Bellon returns for 38 yds to the NEV 42
Chubba Purdy pass intercepted Juwon Gaston return for no gain to the MTSU 40
Nicholas Vattiato run for 9 yds to the MTSU 49
Jekail Middlebrook run for 2 yds to the NEV 49 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 10 yds to the NEV 39 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Nahzae Cox for 5 yds to the NEV 34
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Tayvion Galloway
Nicholas Vattiato run for 7 yds to the NEV 27 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Hunter Tipton for 14 yds to the NEV 13 for a 1ST down
Jekail Middlebrook run for no gain to the NEV 13
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Amorion Walker
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Nahzae Cox for 13 yds for a TD (Jacob Hathaway KICK)
Herschel Turner run for 4 yds to the NEV 29
Herschel Turner run for 7 yds to the NEV 36 for a 1ST down
Herschel Turner run for 1 yd to the NEV 37
Chubba Purdy run for 30 yds to the MTSU 33 for a 1ST down
Chubba Purdy run for a loss of 1 yard to the MTSU 34
Caleb Ramseur run for 4 yds to the MTSU 30
Chubba Purdy run for 6 yds to the MTSU 24
Joe McFadden 41 Yard Field Goal Missed
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Hunter Tipton for 6 yds to the MTSU 30
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Amorion Walker for 9 yds to the MTSU 39 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Jekail Middlebrook for 10 yds to the MTSU 49 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 6 yds to the NEV 45
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Jekail Middlebrook for 9 yds to the NEV 36 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete to Nahzae Cox
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Nahzae Cox for 7 yds to the NEV 29
Nicholas Vattiato pass complete to Myles Butler for 23 yds to the NEV 6 for a 1ST down
Nicholas Vattiato pass incomplete
Nicholas Vattiato run for 1 yd to the NEV 5
Nicholas Vattiato run for 5 yds for a TD (Jacob Hathaway KICK)
PENALTY MTN Delay Of Game (Hathaway,Jacob) 5 yards from NEV03 to NEV08. NO PLAY.
Chubba Purdy pass complete to Jordan Brown for 18 yds to the NEV 43 for a 1ST down
Chubba Purdy pass complete to Jett Carpenter for 9 yds to the MTSU 48
Chubba Purdy run for 9 yds to the MTSU 39 for a 1ST down
Joe McFadden 56 Yard Field Goal Missed