MTSU football 41, Old Dominion 10: 5 things we learned

MTSU scored 41 straight points in its regular-season finale and was never threatened in a 41-10 rout of Old Dominion at Floyd Stadium on Saturday.

Here are five things we learned:

MTSU is bowl eligible

For the ninth time in 12 years under coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders are bowl eligible.

MTSU (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) was the ninth C-USA team to become bowl eligible this season, a league record. Louisiana Tech faced UTSA Saturday night with a chance to become C-USA’s 10th bowl eligible team.

The Blue Raiders, whose bowl fate now lies in the hands of the selection committee, will find out if they're invited to a bowl on Dec. 3.

"We didn’t give ourselves a for-sure shot of going to a bowl," quarterback Brent Stockstill said. "We know there’s still work to be done, some things got to go our way, but we’re confident that we put enough together to go to a bowl game and I hope like heck for these seniors and for this team, with the up-and-down year that we’ve had, that we can finish strong, go to a bowl, win that and get ready for next year."

MTSU earned bowl eligibility for the sixth straight year. In 2012 and 2014, however, that didn't mean a trip to a bowl game.

"There’s not a school in the country that’s been told no three times in six years," Rick Stockstill said.

"We played the toughest schedule in this conference. Us and UTSA were the only ones to have a Power Five win. We’re the only school in the conference that doesn’t have a I-AA (FCS) win. We played three Power Fives and a MAC.

"We deserve to be in one."

Terelle West excels as featured back

It took the entirety of the regular season and injuries to a number of key players, but Terelle West finally played a starring role in MTSU's offense.

The sophomore had 26 carries for 170 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs.

West was the No. 1 back on MTSU’s depth chart during the preseason before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in mid-August.

"I just wanted to stay doing the right things," West said, "so when my time came, I was ready."

Rick Stockstill said he could see West's confidence building each week.

"And what I mean by confidence is not as a runner, not in his ability, but in his mind that his knee is OK, that it’ll hold up," Stockstill said. "I think you saw that tonight."

Defense with another good outing

The MTSU defense was a liability in 2016, allowing 35.8 points per game, which ranked 109th in the nation. But under first-year defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, this year’s defense is almost indistinguishable from last year’s product. The Blue Raiders entered allowing 25.5 points per game, good for 56th in the country.

The unit had another gem of a performance against ODU, at one point forcing three consecutive turnovers on downs. The Blue Raiders held ODU to 305 yards of total offense and 3-of-14 on third down.

Stockstill has a great first half

Brent Stockstill's first half against ODU was his strongest since his three-touchdown second half against Syracuse on Sept. 2.

His second half was dicier, though two interceptions were inconsequential with MTSU leading by a substantial margin and its defense in lockdown mode. Stockstill finished 21-of-30 passing for 266 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

MTSU dominates special teams

The offense clicked, the defense overwhelmed, but MTSU's special teams also had a solid showing.

Canon Rooker hit a 28-yard field goal, Crews Holt converted a 41-yarder, his first field goal in a Blue Raiders uniform, and Matt Bonadies' only punt was a 35-yard gem that pinned ODU at its own 6.

The unit's biggest highlight came with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter and the score tied at 3. Darryl Randolph burst through the line to block Nick Rice's 41-yard field goal attempt, his second blocked kick of the season.