OPENING DRIVE: The Tennessee State University football team will meet an old Ohio Valley Conference rival this weekend, as they are set to travel to Murfreesboro to take on Middle Tennessee State University. The Tigers come into this weekend's matchup with an 0-2 record after a loss to Jackson State last weekend, while the Blue Raiders carry a 1-1 record into Floyd Stadium on Saturday night after taking down Colorado State last Saturday.
 
WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN: TSU expanded its partnership with Cromwell Media naming 94.9 FM The Fan as the flagship station for TSU Football.  "The Voice of the Tigers" Greg Pogue returns for his 11th season behind the mic and will be joined by newcomer analysts to the booth former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chris Sanders and left tackle, Brad Hopkins. The action can also be heard on the TSU Tigers app.
 
Tennessee State (0-2, 0-0) vs. Middle Tennessee (1-1, 0-0)
Date: Sat., September 17
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Venue: Floyd Stadium (30,788)

TV: ESPN+
Jake Rose (pxp) and Jeremy Kellem (analyst)

Local Radio: The Ville (102.1 FM in Nashville)
Satelite Radio: Sirius XM TBA, XM App TBA
Greg Pogue (pxp) and Chris Sanders (analyst)

Social: @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersFB
Game Notes: TSU | MTSU
Game Day Information:  Watch | Live Stats
  
OLD RIVALRY RENEWED: When MTSU left the Ohio Valley Conference and made the jump to the Football Bowl Subdivision after the 1998 season, the record between the two programs was tied at 10-10. The two schools went their separate ways with TSU remaining in the OVC, while MTSU joined Conference USA, and did not meet up again for 21 years. MTSU got the victory in the first matchup against TSU as an FBS opponent in 2019, as they won 45-26. TSU will look to once again even out the series as they meet for just the second time since 1998 on Saturday night.

LAST FBS WIN: Saturday's game against MTSU will be TSU's fifth game against an FBS opponent since 2017. The Tiger's last FBS win came against Georgia State in the 2017 season, as TSU won 17-10. TSU is 1-3 against FBS teams dating back to 2017. The three losses came against Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee, and Mississippi State.
 
Series Information: TSU is 10-11 all-time against Middle Tennessee State dating back to the first-ever meeting in 1973. TSU is 2-3 when playing at Middle Tennessee State.
 
WEEK 3: BY THE NUMBERS
 
38: The number of miles that separate the campus of TSU and the campus of MTSU.
 
20: The number of times that TSU and MTSU met as OVC members, finishing 10-10 against each other in the OVC. TSU won their first matchup over MTSU 23-0 in 1973. The Tigers lost in 1984, and then reeled off six straight wins 1975-1978, and 1986.  
 
275: The number of rushing yards that junior running back Devon Starling needs to reach 2,000 career rushing yards. The Nashville native is off to a strong start this season, rushing for 277 yards in two games.  
 
51,351: The number of fans that TSU played in front of last week in the Southern Heritage Classic against Jackson State. This was the highest attended Southern Heritage Classic dating back seven years.
 
7: The number of players that have 10+ tackles. Senior linebacker Jahsun Bryant leads the team with 18 tackles, followed by Boogie Trotter (15), and Gleson Sprewell (14). Josh Green and K'Vaughan Pope both have 11 tackles, while Bryce Phillips and Michael Crawford have both logged 10.
 
IN THE MIDDLE: After finishing second on the team in tackles a season ago, 5^th year linebacker Jahsun Bryant is primed for a big season in the middle of the Tiger defense. The Nashville native currently leads TSU with 18 tackles through two games after having back-to-back nine tackle games to start the 2022 campaign. His 18 tackles is tied for the third most in the OVC this season. Bryant has played in 27 career games over the span of four seasons, and has collected 159 career tackles.
 
LEAGUE LEADER: Through two games this season, junior running back Devon Starling has rushed for 277 total yards, which leads the OVC. Starling is averaging a league high 138.5 yards, and a league high 6.4 yards per rush with backs that have 13 or more carriers. He rushed for 207 yards in week one against EWU, followed by a 70-yard performance against JSU last Saturday.  
 
SPREAD IT AROUND: Quarterback Draylen Ellis has passed for 396 yards this season and two touchdowns on 27-of-51 passing. Ellis has done a great job of spreading the ball around, as six Tiger players have at least one reception or more. Cam Wyche has been Ellis's top target as he leads the team with 10 receptions, followed by Zack Dobson with eight. Devon Starling has hauled in four receptions, while Zaire Thornton and JJ Holloman both have two. Jalen Rouse has one reception.
 
SPREWELL'S START: Sixth-year transfer Gleson Sprewell joined the TSU football team and instantly brought a wealth of experience to Brandon Fisher's defense. Sprewell played in 33 career games for the Houston Cougars over the span of four years from 2018-2021, and finished with 115 tackles as a Cougar. The Arizona native had a breakout year at Houston in his first year after transferring in from Messa CC. He took over as the starting safety in week four and finished fifth in the American Athletic Conference with five interceptions, while also notching 81 tackles. He would battle injuries in 2019 and 2020, only playing in four games both years, before playing in all 13 games in 2021. Sprewell has found a new home at TSU in the secondary, and is off to a strong start this season, as he was voted a team captain. He has collected 14 tackles, 11 solo, and three assists. Sprewell finished fine nine tackles, .5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and fumble recovery in the Southern Heritage Classic last weekend.
 
STOPPING THE RUN: The TSU defense has done well stopping the run it its first two games against No. 12 EWU and No. 13 JSU. Eddie George's defense has allowed 0 rushing touchdowns on 69 attempts heading into week three, and are limiting teams to 134.0 yards per game on the ground.  
 
BYE, BYE – TSU will be off next weekend and finally get a breather after a top heavy first three games against teams that either made a bowl game or the FCS Playoffs. The Tigers will be back in action on October 1, as they will take on Lane College in the John Merritt Classic in Hale Stadium. 
 
YEAR TWO FOR #27: The Tigers will be under the leadership of second-year head coach Eddie George, whose team was picked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. TSU finished 5-6 (3-3 OVC) in George's first season a year ago.
 
TOP-HEAVY SCHEDULE: TSU will start the season against three teams that participated in either a bowl game or the FCS Playoffs when it meets Eastern Washington (FCS 2nd Round), Jackson State (Celebration Bowl), and MTSU (Bahamas Bowl). This is the first time TSU has started a season against teams that reached the postseason in the modern FCS era.