College Football

Mathers leads MTSU over Bowling Green 41-21

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:22 a.m. ET

foxsports

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) I'Tavius Mathers scored four touchdowns and Middle Tennessee State took advantage of four turnovers to beat Bowling Green 41-21 on Saturday.

Mathers rushed for a career-high 157 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries in a drenching rain and caught four passes for 103 yards and a score to become the first Blue Raider to go over 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game.

Brent Stockstill was 18 of 30 for 278 yards passing, three touchdowns and an interception for Middle Tennessee (2-1).

Mathers, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native who returned to his hometown after playing three years at Mississippi, combined with Stockstill on a 78-yard score on the first play after the second-half kickoff for a 35-21 lead. His 53-yard run tied the game at 14-14 and his 4-yarder put MTSU up for good at 28-21 with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Josh Cleveland ran for 153 yards and a score for the Falcons (1-2).