Special teams, late heroics lead to MT win

Game Ticker | box score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.(AP) Dwight Dasher ran for a 74-yard touchdown on a quarterback draw to give Middle Tennessee a 27-20 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.

D.D. Kyles also scored a touchdown for the Blue Raiders (5-3, 3-1 Sun Belt Conference) and Sherman Neal returned a blocked punt for a score, one of three total blocked kicks on the day for the Blue Raiders.

On Florida Atlantic’s final drive, a fourth-down pass to the Middle Tennessee 8-yard line was ruled out of bounds with 59 seconds left.

Dasher was only 7-for-21 for 90 yards passing but rushed for 108 yards.

Rusty Smith went 23-for-45 for 304 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for Florida Atlantic (2-5, 2-2). He left the game with five minutes to go with a shoulder injury in his non-throwing arm.

After Ross Gornall’s 42-yard field goal stretched Florida Atlantic’s lead to 20-13, the Blue Raiders tied it on an 80-yard drive capped by Kyles’ 8-yard touchdown run.