Middle Tennessee has dominated the football series against Arkansas State with wins in eight of the first nine meetings; however, the 10th gridiron clash between the teams is one the Blue Raiders would likely prefer to have forgetten. Arkansas State was too much for Middle Tennessee in a 31-14 win on Homecoming at ASU Stadium on Sept. 20, 2008. The Red Wolves dominated from the outset and took control in the first half on the way to a 17-0 halftime advantage. Middle Tennessee (1-3, 0-2)  finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter when Phillip Tanner plunged in from the 2 to cap a nine-play, 76-yard drive and narrow the margin to 24-7 with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter. The Blue Raiders fell to 0-2 in conference play as Arkansas State beat the Blue Raiders for the second time in ten tries. This game was the first ever nationally televised football game from Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium from the Middle Tennessee State University campus. This game was marketed as a blackout game for the Blue Raiders, and the team wore all black uniforms with blue numbers and shoulder stripes. Middle Tennessee scored all of its points in the final 5:22 of the game after looking lethargic offensively until that point; however, when the game was on the line the Blue Raiders took full advantage. The Blue Raiders put together a remarkable comeback when quarterback Joe Craddock marched the Blue Raiders 65 yards with no timeouts to rally them to a dramatic 14-13 win against Florida Atlantic in front of 25,766 and an ESPN2 national television audience. Trailing 13-7 Middle Tennessee began its final drive at its 35-yard line with 1:15 remaining and no timeouts. Craddock completed 4-of-6 passes for 65 yards on the game-winning drive, including the striking 32-yard aerial to freshman wide receiver Malcolm Beyah, who rose above three defenders and secured the ball with no time on the clock for one of the most remarkable finishes in Floyd Stadium history. Beyah, who had two catches for 59 yards on the final drive, tied the game 13-13 with his breathtaking grab and freshman kicker Alan Gendreau, who was frozen twice by consecutive Florida Atlantic timeouts, nailed the extra point to send the remaining Blue Raider faithful into a frenzy as the students stormed the field. Middle Tennessee's hopes of a push toward the Sun Belt Conference championship in the second half of the season took a decisive blow in Miami, FL, when Florida International dealt the Blue Raiders a 31-21 setback at FIU Stadium.