# 2012 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team

The 2012 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as a member of Sun Belt Conference during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the Sun Belt. Despite finishing two wins above bowl eligibility, Middle Tennessee was not invited to a bowl game.
The 2012 season was the Blue Raiders last in the Sun Belt. Middle Tennessee initially announced a move to Conference USA (C-USA) to take effect no later than July 2014 and later moved the conference change up to July 2013.

## During the offseason

Tyrone Nix was named co-defensive coordinator, along with Steve Ellis, and linebackers coach on February 22, 2012. Nix has led nationally ranked defenses at Southern Miss, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. Interim offensive coordinator, Buster Faulkner, was named offensive coordinator in February 2012. During the 2011 season Faulkner took over the play-calling duties the final seven games of the year following the resignation of Willie Simmons. Faulkner’s 2011 offense went on to record the fifth most yards of total offense, complete a record 299 passes, while becoming just the second offense in school history to amass over 3,000 passing yards.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| April 14 | 1:00 pm | Blue-White Spring Game | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | | White 40–17 | 4,214 |
| August 30 | 6:30 pm | McNeese State* | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | ESPN3 | L 21–27 | 18,690 |
| September 8 | 6:00 pm | Florida Atlantic | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | ESPN3 | W 31–17 | 16,227 |
| September 15 | 6:00 pm | at Memphis* | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN | | W 48–30 | 27,113 |
| September 29 | 12:00 pm | at Georgia Tech* | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ACC RSN | W 49–28 | 39,270 |
| October 6 | 2:30 pm | Louisiana–Monroe | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | SBN/CSS | L 17–31 | 21,067 |
| October 13 | 5:00 pm | at FIU | FIU StadiumMiami, FL | | W 34–30 | 15,234 |
| October 20 | 6:00 pm | at No. 15 Mississippi State* | Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, MS | ESPN2 | L 3–45 | 55,108 |
| October 27 | 2:30 pm | North Texas | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | ESPN3 | W 38–21 | 14,102 |
| November 1 | 8:15 pm | at Western Kentucky | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY (100 Miles of Hate) | ESPNU | W 34–29 | 17,327 |
| November 17 | 2:30 pm | at South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AL | | W 20–12 | 15,087 |
| November 24 | 2:30 pm | Troy | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN (Battle for the Palladium) | ESPN3 | W 24–21 | 18,605 |
| December 1 | 2:00 pm | at Arkansas State | Liberty Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | | L 0–45 | 31,243 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### McNeese State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 27 |
| Blue Raiders | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 21 |

### Florida Atlantic

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
| Blue Raiders | 0 | 7 | 17 | 7 | 31 |

### @ Memphis

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 7 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 48 |
| Tigers | 3 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 30 |

### @ Georgia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |

### Louisiana–Monroe

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Warhawks | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
| Blue Raiders | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |

### @ FIU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Panthers | 6 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 30 |

### @ Mississippi State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| #16 Bulldogs | 10 | 0 | 21 | 14 | 45 |

### North Texas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
| Blue Raiders | 17 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 38 |

### @ WKU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 10 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
| Hilltoppers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 29 |

### @ South Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
| Jaguars | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 12 |

### Troy

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Trojans | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Blue Raiders | 10 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 24 |

### @ Arkansas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red Wolves | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 45 |