MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Austin Grammer threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ed'Marques Batties in the third overtime to give Middle Tennessee a 50-47 win over Western Kentucky in the conference opener for both schools on Saturday night.
Grammer ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the first overtime. The teams traded field goals in the second OT. The Hilltoppers' Garrett Schwettman made his fourth field goal, a 27-yarder, in the third overtime before Grammer's game-winning strike.
Grammer threw for 218 yards, and ran for 125 yards and three touchdowns. His 59-yard touchdown run gave the Blue Raiders (2-1, 1-0 Conference USA) an early 7-0 lead, and he ran for an 11-yard score to tie it at 24 at halftime.
Schwettman's 24-yard field goal with 20 seconds sent it to overtime tied at 34.
Brandon Doughty was 43 of 66 for a career-best 593 yards and threw four touchdown passes for Western Kentucky (1-2).