Lady Vols remain undefeated with victory over Middle Tennessee State

Lady Vols defeat Middle Tennessee State, improve to 3-0.

Tennessee (3-0) defeated Middle Tennessee State (2-1), 89-75, Tuesday at Food City Center.

The Lady Vols led, 41-30, at halftime.

Talaysia Cooper posted a double-double as she totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds. She also recorded four assists, four steals and one block. Cooper was one four Tennessee players to score 10-plus points against the Blue Raiders.

Samara Spencer totaled 17 points and five assists, while Tess Darby added 14 points and five rebounds.

Sara Puckett finished with 13 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal.

The Lady Vols outrebounded Middle Tennessee State, 40-31, and finished with 19 offensive rebounds.

Tennessee forced 22 Middle Tennessee State turnovers.

Middle Tennessee State’s Courtney Blakely recorded 25 points to lead all scorers in the contest.

Lady Vols’ all time basketball results against Middle Tennessee State

All time results in the Lady Vols’ basketball series against Middle Tennessee State.

The Lady Vols (2-0) will host Middle Tennessee State (2-0) on Tuesday.

Tipoff between Tennessee and the Blue Raiders is slated for 6:30 p.m. EST at Food City Center. The in-state game can be watched on SEC Network+.

Tuesday will mark the 24th meeting between the Lady Vols and Middle Tennessee State in women’s basketball.

Tennessee leads the all time series, 22-1, dating to 1971. The Lady Vols won the first game between the two in-state schools, but a score was not reported.

Middle Tennessee State won the last meeting in the series, 73-62, on Dec. 6, 2023 in Huntsville, Alabama.

Lady Vols’ all time basketball results against Middle Tennessee State

1971: Tennessee defeated Middle Tennessee State

1972: Tennessee 55, Middle Tennessee State 48

1973: Tennessee 58, Middle Tennessee State 43

1974: Tennessee 77, Middle Tennessee State 33

1974-75: Tennessee 69, Middle Tennessee State 32

1975-76: Tennessee 73, Middle Tennessee State 70

1976-77: Tennessee 87, Middle TennesseeState 66

1977-78: Tennessee 87, Middle Tennessee State 79

1978-79: Tennessee 87, Middle Tennessee State 63

1979-80: Tennessee 63, Middle Tennessee State 48

1980-81: Tennessee 68, Middle Tennessee State 47

1983-84: Tennessee 70, Middle Tennessee State 52 (NCAA Tournament)

2007-08: Tennessee 84, Middle Tennessee State 61

2008-09: Tennessee 81, Middle Tennessee State 52

2009-10: Tennessee 69, Middle Tennessee State 52

2011-12: Tennessee 82, Middle Tennessee State 43

2012-13: Tennessee 88, Middle Tennessee State 81 (OT)

2013-14: Tennessee 67, Middle Tennessee State 57

2020-21: Tennessee 87, Middle Tennessee State 62 (NCAA Tournament)

2023-24: Middle Tennessee State 73, Tennessee 62

PHOTOS: Kim Caldwell through the years

Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

A former MTSU punter is making his case for a tryout with the Dolphins

Kyle Ulbrich is literally taking to the streets to make his case for a shot at punting in the NFL.

In the best attempt to make a team since Willie Mays Hayes in Major League, punter Kyle Ulbrich is looking to get himself into a Miami Dolphins uniform.

A collegiate record holder at Middle Tennessee State University, Ulbrich has literally taken to the streets and social media to advertise his skills.

Ulbrich made several signs promoting himself in what was a live-résumé plea to the Dolphins. With the start of Miami’s training camp, Ulbrich is making his case to battle the team’s current punter, Jake Bailey.

 

While that’s a tall order and a long shot, Ulbrich has a decent case. He averaged 47.1 yards per punt in his senior season with 28 punts inside the 20 yard line and 31 for 50-yards or more. He even booted a career-long punt for 72 yards in a 2022 game against Western Kentucky. He was named First Team All-Conference-USA in 2022.

A decorated punter and a skilled holder, Ulbrich has the résumé for at least a tryout.

Whether he gets an opportunity or not, give Ulbrich a tip of the helmet for a valiant effort to earn a walk-on tryout with an NFL team with a virtual knock on the door.

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Former Middle Tennessee State punter Kyle Ulbrich campaigns for Dolphins shot

A former college punter is campaigning for a chance to boot for the Dolphins

Everyone doesn’t get to live their dream or have a chance to hope it plays out in the NFL. Former Middle Tennessee State punter Kyle Ulbrich is doing his best to get an opportunity.

Ulbrich was outside Miami Dolphins training camp making a case for the team to add him to their roster or simply give him a tryout.

Miami already has Jake Bailey on its roster. Bailey was a Pro Bowler in 2020 with the New England Patriots.

Ulbrich averaged a career-best 47.1 yards per punt for MTSU in 2023. He only was able to get three punts out of 72 to stop inside the 20, which isn’t quite NFL quality.

Why Ulbrich settled on the Dolphins is unknown.

2024 USA TODAY Ad Meter Marketing Spotlight: Middle Tennessee State University students unveil top 5 and bottom 5

Pulling back the curtain on the school’s favorite (and least favorite) 2024 Super Bowl commercials.

USA TODAY Ad Meter kicked off an inaugural college/university spotlight program in 2024, with five schools participating. The mission was simple: expand the Super Bowl commercial conversation to the next generation.

From the minds of future marketers, creatives, the movers and shakers of decades to come, we pulled back the curtain on the Ad Meter ratings of each school, taking an inside look at what worked during the Big Game, and what missed the mark.

Next up on the stage is Middle Tennessee State University, where students from the class of assistant marketing professor Gaia Rancati weighed in on the Big Game spots.

Flau’Jae Johnson explains how LSU women’s basketball stayed poised during comeback against Middle Tennessee

The Tigers will face the winner of Creighton-UCLA next Saturday in the Sweet 16.

The LSU Tigers beat Middle Tennessee State 83-56 on Sunday evening to advance to the Sweet 16 of the [autotag]2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament[/autotag]. That score was not indicative of how close the game was. LSU was down at halftime 36-32.

LSU would then go on to outscore the Blue Raiders 51-20 in the second half and 24-7 in the fourth quarter alone to pull away with the big victory. The defending national champions have moved on to the next round as they look to defend their title.

One of the key players in the game for LSU was [autotag]Flau’jae Johnson[/autotag]. Johnson led the team with 21 points. After the game, here is what she had to say about the win.

“I wasn’t going home, bro,” Johnson said, per On3. “I put in too much work. Our team put in too much work. I’m so thankful, man. First of all, I want to thank God, Jesus, my Lord and Savior. But I put in so much work, and I’m just a walking representation of that.

“We’ve got to stay poised and stay together. We’ve got to play together. I told them, if we don’t keep shooting one shot and they’re making a three, we’re not gonna win this game. I said we’ve got to play together. Let it go, let’s just play together. And look, we came out with the dub.”

The Tigers will face the winner of Creighton-UCLA next Saturday in the Sweet 16.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Former Nebraska quarterback hired as FBS tight ends coach

A former Nebraska quarterback has accepted a job at an FBS school.

A former Nebraska quarterback has accepted a job at an FBS school. Joe Ganz has been hired as the tight ends coach of Middle Tennessee State.

Ganz has spent the last four seasons at Northern Iowa coaching wide receivers, working for current MTSU offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder. Blue Bomber head coach Derek Mason believes Ganz perfectly fits his team.

“Joe has had the opportunity to work with Bodie Reeder and was with Bo Pelini at Youngstown State, where they won several titles. He is a winner. He played quarterback, which gives us another offensive mind in that room who understands the Xs and Os and how to get it from the class to the grass quickly and efficiently.”

Ganz played at Nebraska from 2005 to 2008. During the 2008 campaign, the Palos Heights, Illinois native started all 13 games for the Huskers, throwing for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

By the end of his collegiate career, Ganz had set 23 Nebraska school records. You can find a photo gallery of Joe Ganz’s

career below.

 

Middle Tennessee State transfer Jakobe Thomas signs with Vols

Middle Tennessee State transfer Jakobe Thomas signs with the Vols.

The 2023 early signing period is taking place Wednesday-Friday for Tennessee’s 2024 recruiting signing class.

The 2023 early signing period is Josh Heupel’s third as Tennessee’s head coach. He was hired as the Vols’ head coach in Jan. 2021.

Tennessee’s 2023 recruiting class ranked No. 10 nationally (247Sports Composite). The Vols’ first recruiting class under Heupel in 2022 ranked No. 17 nationally (247Sports Composite).

Jakobe Thomas signed with the Vols on Wednesday during the early signing period.

Jakobe Thomas’ transfer bio:

  • Position: Safety
  • Height: 6-foot-2
  • Weight: 190 pounds
  • School: Transfer from Middle Tennessee State

READ: Tennessee football early signing period tracker for 2024 class

READ: Tennessee football NCAA transfer portal tracker

Middle Tennessee State transfer Jakobe Thomas commits to Vols

Middle Tennessee State transfer Jakobe Thomas commits to the Vols.

Middle Tennessee State redshirt sophomore safety Jakobe Thomas entered the NCAA transfer portal on Nov. 28.

He committed to Oregon State on Thursday. Thomas has since committed to Tennessee on Saturday.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back appeared in 24 games from 2021-23 at Middle Tennessee State. He recorded 108 tackles, four tackles for a loss, four interceptions, one interception touchdown, 12 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one block and six punt return yards.

Thomas went to Middle Tennessee State from Tullahoma High School in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Student-athletes can enter the NCAA transfer portal from Dec. 2 until Jan. 2, 2024. Players can also enter the NCAA transfer portal from April 15-30, 2024.

READ: Updated Tennessee football NCAA transfer portal tracker

Helen Comer/USA TODAY Network

Vols offer Middle Tennessee State defensive line transfer

Vols offer Middle Tennessee State defensive line transfer.

Middle Tennessee State junior defensive tackle Marley Cook entered the NCAA transfer portal on Nov. 27.

Tennessee offered a scholarship to Cook on Nov. 30.

“Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee,” Cook announced.

The 6-foot-2, 298-pound defensive lineman appeared in 49 games for the Blue Raiders from 2019-23. He recorded 61 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, one interception, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one block at Middle Tennessee State.

Student-athletes can enter the NCAA transfer portal from Dec. 2 until Jan. 2, 2024. Players can also enter the NCAA transfer portal from April 15-30, 2024.

READ: Updated Tennessee football NCAA transfer portal tracker