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Wk 2 · 2026

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Marshall Thundering Herd — Sat, Sep 12

Sat, Sep 12 · Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV · ESPN+ FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
at
7:00pET
MRSH -12.5 · total 55.5 DraftKings opened -17.5 · 5 toward MTSU
Ratings differential MRSH by 6.7
Sun Belt · 3-3
28

What is at stake

A non-conference game. It moves both overall records but neither conference race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

MTSU: -19.7#132
Efficiency margin
Marshall: -15.4#123
MTSU: 20.0
Offense (pts/100)
Marshall: 25.6
MTSU: 30.6
Defense (pts/100)
Marshall: 32.0
MTSU: 56.8
Pace (plays/g)
Marshall: 70.0
MTSU: 5.40
Yards / play
Marshall: 5.81
MTSU: 6.63
Yards / play allowed
Marshall: 6.78
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

MTSU: 20.8
Points / game
Marshall: 22.0
MTSU: 28.0
Points allowed
Marshall: 33.7
MTSU: 307
Yards / game
Marshall: 406
MTSU: 421
Yards allowed
Marshall: 447
MTSU: 196
Pass yds allowed
Marshall: 254
MTSU: 225
Rush yds allowed
Marshall: 194
MTSU: 0.40
Turnovers / game
Marshall: 2.33
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

MTSU form

L 0-55at KUL 13-23at JXSTW 27-20vs NEVL 26-28at MRSHW 38-14vs MUR
2026 season

Marshall form

L 21-27vs CCUL 17-45at JMUW 36-35vs GWEBW 30-24at MOSTW 28-26vs MTSU
2026 season

MTSU this season

Straight up2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Against the spread3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Over / under1-4 · 20% (5 games)

Marshall this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread1-5 · 17% (6 games)
Over / under3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 0

These teams share no opponents on the 2026 schedule.
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Marshall leads 6–5 · Marshall has won the last 2
11 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 8.2 points toward Marshall
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-09-12MTSU 26 — 28 Marshallat MRSHMarshall
20252025-09-20Marshall 42 — 28 MTSUat MTSUMarshall
20212021-10-02Marshall 28 — 34 MTSUat MTSUMTSU
20202020-11-14MTSU 14 — 42 Marshallat MRSHMarshall
20192019-10-05Marshall 13 — 24 MTSUat MTSUMTSU
20182018-10-05MTSU 34 — 24 Marshallat MRSHMTSU
20172017-10-20Marshall 38 — 10 MTSUat MTSUMarshall
20162016-11-12MTSU 17 — 42 Marshallat MRSHMarshall
20152015-11-07Marshall 24 — 27 MTSUat MTSUMTSU
20142014-10-11MTSU 24 — 49 Marshallat MRSHMarshall
20132013-10-24Marshall 49 — 51 MTSUat MTSUMTSU

MTSU leaders 2026 regular season

PassingRoman Gagliano QB #1688/156, 913 YDS, 8 TD, 1 INT
RushingAntonio Martin RB #872 CAR, 385 YDS, 1 TD
Terrence Brown RB #918 CAR, 114 YDS, 1 TD
Roman Gagliano QB #1620 CAR, 69 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingCam'ron Lacy WR #331 REC, 335 YDS, 4 TD
Markus Allen WR #18 REC, 140 YDS, 1 TD
Neo Clifton WR #859 REC, 102 YDS, 1 TD
AJ Jones WR #68 REC, 88 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesKorey Smith LB #2647
Jackson Lowe CB #231
Kalen Woods S #022
SacksJackson Lowe CB #21
La'Garrius Sims LB #420.5
Zeion Simpson-Smith DT #950.5
InterceptionsKalen Woods S #01
James Johnson S #111
Jason Hardy CB #211

Marshall leaders 2026 regular season

PassingCarlos Del Rio-Wilson QB #788/134, 1004 YDS, 6 TD, 2 INT
Zion Turner QB #115/24, 155 YDS, 2 INT
RushingCarlos Del Rio-Wilson QB #760 CAR, 209 YDS, 2 TD
Jo'Shon Barbie RB #642 CAR, 207 YDS, 2 TD
Khalil Wilkins QB #417 CAR, 121 YDS
ReceivingXayvion Turner-Bradshaw WR #522 REC, 324 YDS, 4 TD
Toby Payne TE #8119 REC, 147 YDS
Owen Sweeney WR #2010 REC, 128 YDS
De'Andre Tamarez WR #04 REC, 106 YDS
Defense
TacklesCaleb Clark-Glover DB #039
Cannon Lewis LB #2734
Daytione Smith S #1728
SacksJavae Gilmore LB #51
Kelvon McBride EDGE #71
Terrente Hinton S #31
InterceptionsEddie Pleasant III CB #81
Zah Jackson S #191
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.