Louisiana Tech (1-3, 0-1) and Middle Tennessee (1-4, 0-1) are set to square-off in Conference USA action on Thursday night.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM on CBS Sports Network.

BleedTechBlue.com spoke with Shayne Pickering of GoMiddle.com to preview the matchup.

What were expectations for the Blue Raiders in Derek Mason's first year entering the season?

Expectations for this season was to compete for a bowl game and get a feel for what this roster provided in Derek Mason's first season.

I know the Blue Raiders have gotten off to a 1-4 start, but the schedule has been BRUTAL. Are the Blue Raiders perhaps better than their record may indicate?

They should be better than the 1-4 record indicates. This team can very much so still make a bowl game but they will have to cut down on the turnovers and finish drives on both sides better.

Nicholas Vattiato is certainly a veteran at the quarterback position. How has he performed to this point in 2024? Who are some skill guys to watch on the offensive side of the football?

Vattiato has had a solid start to the season. If he can start to consistently hit the deep ball and limit the interceptions in conference play, he could end up having a really strong year. Someone who has helped him hit the deep ball to this point is Omari Kelly, who has been a dynamic receiving threat since transferring from Auburn. Tight end Holden Willis is another weapon they want to use regularly.

Defensively, how have things looked for Derek Mason and co. early on? How does Mason feel like the unit is progressing as a unit?

Against Memphis, the defense looked arguably the best it has all season. Getting Parker Hughes back at linebacker has been a massive boost for the front seven. The idea is the unit should be more healthy for conference play and if that is truly the case, the defense could be a solid unit. Depth on the defensive line and at safety is still a concern right now, however.

How do you see this game playing out between LA Tech and Middle Tennessee on Thursday night?

I think Middle Tennessee is a team that is hungry to get an important conference win as they attack the real meat of their schedule and I think that will give the team their first conference win of the season on Thursday night.

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