MTSU is trying to bolster its bowl r?sum? and hold onto slim Sun Belt title hopes.
Louisiana-Monroe is simply trying to extend its season and successfully cap one of its program's all-time best years.
For either team, there is plenty to play for in today's regular-season finale.
"I know we're bowl-eligible, and what happens will happen," MTSU quarterback Dwight Dasher said. "But I want to get that ninth win, and then I'll feel more relieved about where we are. The only thing we can do is try to win this game."
With an 8-3 record, MTSU is likely bowl-bound. Seven wins earns priority over six-win teams for at-large bowl spots.
Nine wins would mark the most for MTSU in the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) era. A victory would also be the Blue Raiders' sixth in a row for their longest winning streak since 1990.
MTSU could still earn a share of the Sun Belt Conference title by winning today and Troy losing at Louisiana-Lafayette.
"My mindset is still on that conference (title)," MTSU junior safety Jeremy Kellem said. "We've still got a lot to play for going into this last game. We need Lafayette to beat Troy, but there's nothing we can do about that. We just need to take care of our business."
The Blue Raiders would like to win today. The Warhawks must win.
At 6-5, ULM will stay at home this postseason unless it beats the Blue Raiders to join the premier pool of at-large teams, each with seven wins.
ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie has already accepted the fact that his team's season is over without a win today.
"In our league, I think you have to win seven football games (to get an at-large bowl bid)," Weatherbie said. "We saw last year that six-win teams stayed at home."
Stockstill agreed with Weatherbie's must-win assessment of today's game for the Warhawks.
"He's right. In this conference, unless there are a bunch of teams out there in the BCS that don't fill bowl slots, you've got to win seven games to get into a bowl," Stockstill said. "But we have no control over what Monroe thinks. We have no control over how they play."We knew that if we finished 6-6 we would be sitting here at Christmas. We know we will get their best shot no matter what their record is."
Bowl talk at MTSU began two or three weeks ago. It has certainly increased with the current five-game winning streak, but players say they are ready to finish the regular season and get some answers.
"It will feel good to play this last one, especially if we win, because then everybody will get off our backs about the bowls," MTSU senior running back Desmond Gee said. "Two years ago, Troy went (8-4) and didn't go to a bowl, so we have to win as many as possible to give us our best shot to go. Then we'll see what happens."
Aside from bowl hopes, the Warhawks are vying for other feats.
ULM (4-0 at Malone Stadium) could go undefeated at home for the first time in program history and post its first winning record in FBS history.
"There is a lot of talk here about doing things that have never been done before," ULM defensive end Aaron Morgan said. "We know six wins are not going to get us into a bowl, so we want to get to seven. That makes this is a must-win game."
Louisiana-Monroe is simply trying to extend its season and successfully cap one of its program's all-time best years.
For either team, there is plenty to play for in today's regular-season finale.
"I know we're bowl-eligible, and what happens will happen," MTSU quarterback Dwight Dasher said. "But I want to get that ninth win, and then I'll feel more relieved about where we are. The only thing we can do is try to win this game."
With an 8-3 record, MTSU is likely bowl-bound. Seven wins earns priority over six-win teams for at-large bowl spots.
Nine wins would mark the most for MTSU in the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) era. A victory would also be the Blue Raiders' sixth in a row for their longest winning streak since 1990.
MTSU could still earn a share of the Sun Belt Conference title by winning today and Troy losing at Louisiana-Lafayette.
"My mindset is still on that conference (title)," MTSU junior safety Jeremy Kellem said. "We've still got a lot to play for going into this last game. We need Lafayette to beat Troy, but there's nothing we can do about that. We just need to take care of our business."
The Blue Raiders would like to win today. The Warhawks must win.
At 6-5, ULM will stay at home this postseason unless it beats the Blue Raiders to join the premier pool of at-large teams, each with seven wins.
ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie has already accepted the fact that his team's season is over without a win today.
"In our league, I think you have to win seven football games (to get an at-large bowl bid)," Weatherbie said. "We saw last year that six-win teams stayed at home."
Stockstill agreed with Weatherbie's must-win assessment of today's game for the Warhawks.
"He's right. In this conference, unless there are a bunch of teams out there in the BCS that don't fill bowl slots, you've got to win seven games to get into a bowl," Stockstill said. "But we have no control over what Monroe thinks. We have no control over how they play."We knew that if we finished 6-6 we would be sitting here at Christmas. We know we will get their best shot no matter what their record is."
Bowl talk at MTSU began two or three weeks ago. It has certainly increased with the current five-game winning streak, but players say they are ready to finish the regular season and get some answers.
"It will feel good to play this last one, especially if we win, because then everybody will get off our backs about the bowls," MTSU senior running back Desmond Gee said. "Two years ago, Troy went (8-4) and didn't go to a bowl, so we have to win as many as possible to give us our best shot to go. Then we'll see what happens."
Aside from bowl hopes, the Warhawks are vying for other feats.
ULM (4-0 at Malone Stadium) could go undefeated at home for the first time in program history and post its first winning record in FBS history.
"There is a lot of talk here about doing things that have never been done before," ULM defensive end Aaron Morgan said. "We know six wins are not going to get us into a bowl, so we want to get to seven. That makes this is a must-win game."
