The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE teams are ready, the logistics are in place and the stage is set for the 2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.

Kickoff is all set for noon today at the Thomas A Robinson stadium for the eagerly anticipated matchup between the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders and the Western Michigan Broncos.

The coaching staffs and players from both teams gave their final impressions after spending the past few days taking in all aspects of Bahamian culture and preparing for the gridiron.

For the Blue Raiders, it will mark the fifth bowl game of the head coach Rick Stockstill era, second in the last three years and ninth in school history.

“We’ve been here for a week now. We’re ready to play the game. We’ve had a wonderful time, a wonderful experience. We’ve got a great challenge in playing Western Michigan. They’ve got a really great football team. It’s a challenge and an opportunity  to get excited about. I know our team is ready. We’re excited about it, and we look forward to playing it,” he said. “Everyone has been really hospitable to us this week. It’s been a wonderful experience for our players, our coaches, our families. The effort and work you put in to make this bowl happen is really an unbelievable task that you’ve done to pull it off in the manner that you have. You deserve a lot of credit. On behalf of our team, our coaches and our families, I want to thank you guys for everything that you’ve done because you’ve done a first-class job.”

The game will also mark Western Michigan’s seventh overall bowl game appearance, and it will be the second straight for the Broncos under head coach PJ Fleck, who is in his third season at the helm and is the youngest head coach at the FBS level.

“(We wanted) to separate the work from the fun (on this trip). These players are very mature for as young as they are. We only have nine seniors. We are a very, very young football team…. There are a lot of things to experience here on the islands. I still have to pinch myself to say we are actually here.  It’s a beautiful place. It’s probably the best place I’ve ever been to on a vacation, which you’re actually working on a vacation, which is nice,” he said. “When you look at them (MTSU), they are identical to us. Their quarterback and two receivers, their offensive line, the running backs… and then their defence is kind of a no-name defence. We’re a no-name defence. We don’t have any defensive players up here (on the podium) because we just play really well collectively. We’re a very selfless team.”

Odds-makers place the Broncos as three point favourites over the Blue Raiders.

The Broncos, 7-5 overall and 6-2 in MAC play, will come into the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl with a share of the MAC West Division title after posting six victories in their last eight games, including a 35-30 victory over No. 24 Toledo in WMU’s last game.

Western Michigan has the top receiving duo in the country as juniors Daniel Braverman (103 receptions; 1,270 yards) and Corey Davis (82 receptions; 1,253 yards) have combined for 185 catches in 2015. Davis has 3,602 career receiving yards, the most among active FBS players and 32 receiving touchdowns, second-most among active FBS players. The ball-control offence of the Broncos is second in FBS in average time of possession (34:32).

Quarterback Zach Terell said getting the ball to his weapons will be key.

“It’s kind of a blessing and a curse because you have to get them all the ball (laughing). We have such talented guys and so many of them. Obviously, it makes my job easy and then hard at the same time because you have to find creative ways to get them the ball. They’re all special. We have a very selfless team. Guys don’t get selfish. Corey Davis (for example) will block just as hard as he does running a route.”

Braverman said that while the focus is all football once the pads are on, he’s thankful for the opportunity.

“I had never been out of the country,” he said. “Every day I wake up and look outside my balcony I realise how blessed we are to play football in this beautiful country.”

The Blue Raiders will represent Conference-USA in the bowl. They concluded the season 7-5, with a 42-7 win in their regular season finale.

MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill said the uptempo offence could be what gives his team an edge.

“One of our big emphasis is playing with tempo. We do that all the time, but coming into this game, that’s what we’re really going to emphasise – using our speed and tempo to our advantage. We know they’re a great defence, and we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’ll just execute and see what happens,” he said. “I’m extremely thankful to be able to take this journey with my brothers. We couldn’t be more thankful. It’s the time of my life, and I’ll probably never get to be able to do this again. I’m extremely blessed and thankful.”

With the focus on the high scoring offences of both teams, the defensive players from the Blue Raiders will look to make their presence felt as deciding factors in the outcome.

“They do have a great offence. A lot of people like to talk about their passing game, but they have over 2,000 rushing yards on the season. So they’re a balanced attack, but I feel like we have great physical players and it’s going to be a great challenge for us to stop them, and try to contain the big plays and stopping the run first and foremost,” senior safety Kevin Byard said. “We’re very confident going into the game. A lot of people are talking about offence, but we’re going to try to make this a defensive game.”

Linebacker TT Barber added: “Controlling their big plays is what we’ve been emphasising. As a defence you like the challenge. We’ve got to rise to the occasion. It’s my first time being outside the country. As a child I always wanted to come to Atlantis, and now I got the opportunity to come to Atlantis, and I’m enjoying myself. It’s been a great experience. And now I’m just ready to get this “W”.

The 2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl will mark the first meeting between Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee.