2012 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team


The 2012 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Rick Stockstill and played their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium. The 2012 season proved to be the last for the Blue Raiders in the Sun Belt Conference; Middle Tennessee had initially announced a move to Conference USA to take effect no later than July 2014, and later announced that the move to C-USA would take effect in July 2013. They finished the season 8–4, 6–2 in Sun Belt play to finish in a three way tie for second place. Despite finishing in second place and being two games above bowl eligibility, the Blue Raiders were not invited to a bowl game.

During the offseason

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

McNeese State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
First Meeting

Florida Atlantic

Overall recordLast meetingResult
7–32011MTSU, 38–14

@ Memphis

Overall recordLast meetingResult
16–8–12011MTSU, 38–31

@ Georgia Tech

Overall recordLast meetingResult
1–22011GATECH, 49–21

Louisiana–Monroe

Overall recordLast meetingResult
9–42011ULM, 42–14

@ FIU

Overall recordLast meetingResult
5–32011FIU, 31–18

@ Mississippi State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
0–42009MSU, 27–6

North Texas

Overall recordLast meetingResult
5–72011UNT, 59–7

@ WKU

Overall recordLast meetingResult
32–29–12011WKU, 36–33

@ South Alabama

Overall recordLast meetingResult
First Meeting

Troy

Overall recordLast meetingResult
12–82011TROY, 38–35

@ Arkansas State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
9–42011ARST, 45–19