​It took seven hours to play a little more than three quarters.But coach Derek Mason and Middle Tennessee State football were able to exorcise the ghosts of season openers past.The Blue Raiders (1-0) rolled past visiting Murray State 38-14 in their 2026 opener on Sept. 5, a game that endured almost five hours of weather delays, including more than 2½ hours in the last delay before the game was finally called at 1 a.m. CT with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.The win started Mason’s third season with the program on the right track after MTSU blew a big lead and had to come from behind in the final minute to defeat Tennessee Tech in 2024 and then had a disastrous 2025 opener, a 34-14 loss to Austin Peay.Purchase MTSU football tickets on StubHub”For us, we have to look at 2026,” Mason said when asked about putting the other two dismal season openers to rest. “That past is, sort of, what it is. It’s sort of cemented, but I think coming into the season, we thought we had some chemistry. We had some guys that could make it go.”So, for us, it’s all in front of us, so we’re forward-facing.”His first two season openers at MTSU also set the tone for the rest of the season. The Blue Raiders finished 3-9 in each of those years.Redshirt junior wide receiver Cam Lacy, who is one of just two players remaining from the Rick Stockstill era, wasn’t surprised that the team got off to a better start in 2026.MORE: Middle Tennessee State football reveals $16 million renovation to Floyd Stadium”The culture has changed drastically,” said Lacy, who had eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. “The whole team is closer together, whether it’s just playing video games or football. I can go sit beside a (defensive lineman) and know what your grandmother’s name is, etc. So it’s just close, very tight-knit.”MTSU did things right against Murray State (0-1) that it hadn’t done well recently. A team that had struggled running the ball the past several years, the Blue Raiders rushed 22 times for 196 yards (led by 103 from Antonio Martin Jr.). Redshirt sophomore quarterback Roman Gagliano passed for 200 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another TD.The defense also made big plays, including a 34-yard fumble return for a score by safety Kalen Woods.Granted, it’s just one game, but one that gives MTSU a heap of momentum it didn’t have after the first week the previous two seasons.”It started off with just us as a team, knowing what we want and not trying to let it be easy on any opponent,” Woods said. “We’re coming in (to) dominate, we all have the same goal and going full steam towards them.”The Blue Raiders will play a nonconference game at Marshall on Sept. 12 (6 p.m., ESPN+) as they try to start the season with consecutive wins for the first time since 2001 (37-28 over Vanderbilt, 54-17 over Troy).”I think you know our guys are excited about playing football,” Mason said. “I think they love football. I love this group.”We occasionally recommend interesting products