What went into MTSU's game-winning two-point conversion to beat Lane Kiffin, FAU

Rick Stockstill made a decision once Middle Tennessee got the ball back with 3:45 left in the game against Florida Atlantic on Saturday.

Stockstill went to defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and asked whether the defense was starting to get worn down. It was.

It was then Stockstill made up his mind. MTSU was going to attempt a two-point conversion and go for the win if it scored to pull within one point.  

"I was just worried that we might be running out of gas a little bit," Stockstill said. "I was a little worried and concerned that we get down into overtime, if it goes down to a field goal. When we got the ball, I told the defense when we score, we're going for two."

It was a gutsy play call with 38 seconds left, but MTSU defeated FAU 25-24.

Tavares Thomas' 1-yard touchdown run was upheld after a review. Stockstill immediately held up two fingers indicating MTSU (2-2, 1-0 Conference USA) was going for the win. 

Quarterback Brent Stockstill trotted back onto the field. The play called for him to sprint out to his left and try to find either Gatlin Casey or Ty Lee, who were lined up on the left side of the formation along with Brad Anderson in the slot. 

Stockstill rolled out, but FAU (2-3, 0-1) disguised its zone coverage well. 

With FAU's defense closing in, Stockstill, who finished the game 27-of-40 for 259 yards with a touchdown and interception, threw the ball up — and Casey came down with it. 

"As a quarterback, two-point play with the game on the line, you gotta at least get rid of it," Stockstill said. "Gatlin did a great job with the scramble drill, and he saw my eyes go back and he took off. And sometimes you gotta get a little lucky in football.

"He made a great play, and I've never seen so much excitement from a group of guys. It was awesome."

Said FAU coach Lane Kiffin: "Credit to (Brent) Stockstill; he made a great play. We had them covered for 10 seconds, throws back across his body, and if he doesn’t make that play it’s an entirely different story. Gutsy play by him."

Casey, a graduate transfer from Lehigh, made his first start for MTSU against the Owls. The catch was his second ever in an MTSU uniform.

Earlier in the game, he had a 6-yard reception. 

"I (saw) Brent scrambling and he doesn't see anything and he starts looking back, so I just started working with him and at the last second he looked at me and threw it up," Casey said. "Right when the ball was in the air, I knew I was going to get it, and I came down with it."

Rick Stockstill said the team practices two-point conversion plays on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They had two or three plays ready, but Stockstill decided on the sprint-out play.

"It's just a gut feel," Stockstill said. "There's no scientific whatever. It's just a gut feel that you think throughout the course of the game that might give you the best opportunity to convert (it.)"

Reach Luis Torres at ltorres1@dnj.com and follow him on Twitter @LFTorresIII. 

More:MTSU 25, FAU 24: 5 things we learned as Blue Raiders go for two, beat Lane Kiffin