MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Roman Gagliano had a hand in four Middle Tennessee touchdowns Tuesday night, and his last throw of the night turned a fourth-quarter deficit into a 33-30 win over Delaware at Floyd Stadium.
The victory was the Blue Raiders’ first in Conference USA this season and moved them to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in league play. Delaware fell to 2-4 and 0-2.
The winning score came on a 93-yard drive. After Delaware forced and recovered a fumble on a kick return with 9:50 left, the Blue Raiders held, with a Korey Smith sack of Tyler Bell sparking the stop. Middle Tennessee then went the length of the field, and Gagliano found redshirt freshman Neo Clifton for a 14-yard touchdown with 3:06 to play. It was the longest scoring drive of coach Derek Mason’s tenure.
Freshman safety Bryce Williams then intercepted Bell with two minutes left to put the game away.
Gagliano threw for a season-best 291 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in the second quarter. Clifton caught four passes for 64 yards and both of his touchdowns came in the second half, making him the first Blue Raider freshman with two touchdown catches in a game since 2016.
Graduate tight end Koraun Perdue opened the second half with an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and finished with 103 receiving yards, a career high.
Bell kept Delaware in it, throwing for 306 yards. The Middle Tennessee defense answered with five sacks and also produced the program’s first safety since 2023.
The Blue Raiders are now 3-0 at home, their first perfect start through three games at Floyd Stadium since 2021. They head to Miami next to face FIU in another weeknight Conference USA game.
