MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - The Blue Raider football season opened with a boom Saturday night — and WGNS listeners heard every minute of it, even as the night stretched into Sunday morning. Middle Tennessee’s 38–14 win over Murray State came wrapped in lightning, thunder, and three separate severe‑weather delays totaling four hours and 15 minutes. In Coach Derek Mason’s tenure, season openers have now been delayed six hours and 45 minutes due to storms.
The MTSU vs. Murray State season opener was officially called at 12:55AM early Sunday morning (9/6/2026) after enduring nearly five hours of cumulative weather delays. Administrators and coaches mutually agreed to end the game with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter, during the third severe‑weather delay of the night, which began at 10:17PM. With storms refusing to clear, both programs opted to conclude the contest for player safety.
Despite the chaos overhead, Middle Tennessee (1‑0) delivered its highest point total of the Mason era. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Roman Gagliano turned in the best single‑game completion percentage of his career at 76.9%, throwing two touchdowns and running for another. He now stands 3‑1 as a starter dating back to late 2025.
Junior receiver Cam’ron Lacy was electric, tying his career high with eight catches and posting 118 yards and a touchdown — his third career 100‑yard game. Redshirt freshman Neo Clifton made his collegiate debut memorable, grabbing a ten‑yard scoring pass to open the night’s scoring.
The Blue Raiders also unveiled a powerful new rushing tandem. Antonio Martin Jr. debuted with 103 yards on 15 carries, while newcomer Terrence Brown added 66 yards and a touchdown on just four attempts.
The defense delivered the knockout punch. After halftime, both offenses stalled, but Ashton Taylor forced a fumble that Kalen Woods scooped and raced 39 yards for a touchdown — the first defensive score for MTSU since 2023. Woods also matched his career high with seven tackles.
Saturday’s opener marked the start of Middle Tennessee’s 112th football season, and the team wasted no time setting new Mason‑era marks: 12 first‑quarter first downs and 38 total points, the most under the current head coach. The Blue Raiders have now scored 30 or more points in three straight games.
Up next, Middle Tennessee hits the road and travels to West Virginia to face the Marshall Thundering Herd (0‑1). And yes — WGNS will bring you every snap on Murfreesboro's FM 101.9, AM 1450, and Smyrna's FM 100.5.
