November 15, 2025 – Middle Tennessee suffered its ninth consecutive loss, falling 42-26 to Western Kentucky at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. The defeat dropped the Blue Raiders to 1-9 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
The Blue Raiders went 0-for-3 on fourth down while their defense surrendered 271 rushing yards. Middle Tennessee accumulated 541 total yards but couldn’t overcome mistakes in the loss.
Gagliano Throws for 383 Yards
| Quarterback | Completions | Attempts | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Gagliano (MTSU) | 25 | 42 | 383 | 2 | 0 |
| Rodney Tisdale Jr. (WKU) | 29 | 41 | 371 | 3 | 1 |
Roman Gagliano completed 25 passes for 383 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He connected with seven receivers while adding 88 rushing yards, including a 64-yard scramble. Four sacks stalled drives at key moments.
Myles Butler caught seven passes for 105 yards and a 52-yard touchdown. Cam’ron Lacy had 76 yards on two receptions, while AJ Jones caught a touchdown.
Blue Raiders Outrushed
| Running Back | Carries | Yards | Average | Touchdowns | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Gagliano (MTSU) | 15 | 88 | 5.9 | 0 | 64 |
| DJ Taylor (MTSU) | 6 | 55 | 9.2 | 1 | 34 |
| Marvis Parrish (WKU) | 12 | 102 | 8.5 | 0 | 66 |
| La’Vell Wright (WKU) | 11 | 84 | 7.6 | 2 | 37 |
Middle Tennessee rushed for 158 yards compared to Western Kentucky’s 271. DJ Taylor scored on a 34-yard run in the third quarter that cut the deficit to 28-23, but the Blue Raiders couldn’t maintain their ground game while trailing.
Fourth Down Failures
The Blue Raiders failed on all three fourth-down attempts. Red-zone execution also hurt Middle Tennessee, which converted just one of three trips into touchdowns. After Gagliano’s 64-yard run set up first-and-goal, the Blue Raiders settled for a field goal following penalties and incomplete passes.
Parker Hughes returned an interception 62 yards to set up a field goal that cut Western Kentucky’s lead to 28-26. Brandon Buckner recorded two sacks, but the defense couldn’t stop the Hilltoppers’ running game late.
Western Kentucky Pulls Away
Middle Tennessee trailed just 28-26 midway through the fourth quarter before Western Kentucky scored two late touchdowns. La’Vell Wright’s 37-yard touchdown run with under two minutes left put the game away.
Nine penalties for 75 yards, including holding calls, hurt Middle Tennessee’s chances. The Blue Raiders remain winless in conference play heading into the final weeks of the season.
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