Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-14vs Murray State | 20/26 | 200 | 2 | 0 | 7.7 | — | |
| Wk 2 | L 26-28@ Marshall | 25/47 | 243 | 2 | 1 | 5.2 | 26.4 | Season-high 243 yds |
| Total | 45/73 | 443 | 4 | 1 | 6.5 | 26.4 |
#16
Roman Gagliano
Middle Tennessee fans still can't agree what Roman Gagliano is — the eye test and the résumé keep splitting the room.
6′3″ · 219 lb · Opelika, AL · Opelika
Returning to Middle Tennessee for 2026
The numbers
443
passing yards · 2026
4 TD · 1 INT · 6.1 per attempt
2 games into 2026 so far
The play that turned itSwung Middle Tennessee from 13% to 65% to win.Middle Tennessee at Marshall · 28-26
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 quarterback for Middle Tennessee. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Middle Tennessee in 2024.
Roman Gagliano
On Trialas of 2026-09-15
Roman Gagliano is on trial in Middle Tennessee's fan jury — the eye test against the résumé.
443PASS YDS4PASS TD83RUSH YDS
Middle Tennessee fans can't agree whether the tape backs the reputation.
medium confidence6 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2024
- Signed with Middle Tennessee3-star out of Opelika
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Middle Tennessee
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎓
FRESHMAN HONORS
Freshman recognition (2025)
1 mention(s)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Middle Tennessee
Played his entire career under Derek Mason.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Derek Mason — 7-19 over that span.
2024Middle Tennessee3-9HC: Derek Mason · Pass-leaning
2025Middle Tennessee3-9HC: Derek Mason · Pass-leaning
2026Middle Tennessee1-1HC: Derek Mason · Pass-heavy, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: fumbles lost (91st percentile). Concern: pass yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (8)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Passing profile
Pass Profile · True throw depth (charted plays)
Adjusted ANY/A, sack rate, and where the yards came from
73 of 73 attempts matched to play-by-play
73 of 73 attempts charted for true throw depth
Adjusted ANY/A
6.3651 of 75 QBsSack rate
1.4%9 of 75 QBsRarely sacked (9 of 75), but Adjusted ANY/A hasn't followed (51 of 75).
Adjusted ANY/A uses full-season box-score totals (attempts, yards, TDs, INTs); sack rate is play-by-play-derived.
Behind LOS · Negative air yds
15% of attempts (11)
91%comp
Air -3.0 · YAC 10.0 avg
Short · 0–9 air yds
52% of attempts (38)
74%comp
Air 4.2 · YAC 4.4 avg
Middle · 10–19 air yds
21% of attempts (15)
33%comp
Air 14.0 · YAC 2.2 avg
Deep · 20+ air yds
12% of attempts (9)
22%comp1 INT
Air 27.2 · YAC 3.0 avg
Overall 61.6% completion on 73 attempts · 22% completion on 9 deep attempts (20+ air yds).
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 222 YDS/g, 2.0 TD/g, 6.5 YPA, 0.5 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Derek Mason
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Middle Tennessee | 45 | 73 | 61.6% | 443 | 6.1 | 4 | 1 | 128.0 | 44 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Middle Tennessee | 78 | 135 | 57.8% | 1,011 | 7.5 | 7 | 0 | 137.8 | 41 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Middle Tennessee | 4 | 9 | 44.4% | 41 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 | 82.7 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 127 | 217 | 58.5% | 1,495 | 6.9 | 11 | 1 | 132.2 | 42 | -- | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Middle Tennessee | 10 | 83 | 8.3 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Middle Tennessee | 38 | 160 | 4.2 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Middle Tennessee | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 50 | 248 | 5.0 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 38–14
vs Murray State
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Murray State · 3&8 · Q1 · EPA +3.42(00:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short right to #3 C.Lacy caught at MSU25, for 22 yards to the MSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:22, 1ST DOWN #91 D.Bourgeois kick attempt good (H: #92 A.Logan, LS: #59 H.Hamlin)
- Week 2 · Marshall · 3&10 · Q3 · EPA +3.11(05:38) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short left to #3 C.Lacy caught at MAR07, for 11 yards to the MAR00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:36, 1ST DOWN #91 D.Bourgeois kick attempt good (H: #92 A.Logan, LS: #59 H.Hamlin)
- Week 1 · Murray State · 3&4 · Q2 · EPA +3.10(03:38) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano rush right for 22 yards gain to the MSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 03:34, 1ST DOWN #91 D.Bourgeois kick attempt good (H: #92 A.Logan, LS: #59 H.Hamlin)
- Week 2 · Marshall · 4&10 · Q4 · EPA +2.82(01:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short middle to #6 A.Jones caught at MAR18, for 15 yards to the MAR18 (#8 E.Pleasant III), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Marshall · 2&7 · Q4 · EPA +2.70(00:56) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short middle to #6 A.Jones caught at MAR00, for 15 yards to the MAR00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:50, 1ST DOWN #16 R.Gagliano pass attempt failed
- Week 1 · Murray State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +2.51No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short right to #85 N.Clifton caught at MSU00, for 10 yards to the MSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:46, 1ST DOWN #91 D.Bourgeois kick attempt good (H: #92 A.Logan, LS: #59 H.Hamlin)
- Week 1 · Murray State · 2&8 · Q3 · EPA +2.44(13:21) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short middle to #3 C.Lacy caught at MSU42, for 24 yards to the MSU33 (#25 A.McGill), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Murray State · 3&15 · Q1 · EPA +2.27No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete deep middle to #3 C.Lacy caught at MSU10, for 21 yards to the MSU10 (#9 D.Rowsey), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Murray State · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +2.13(13:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete deep left to #85 N.Clifton caught at MSU27, for 27 yards to the MSU21 (#7 R.McCall; #9 D.Rowsey), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Marshall · 2&9 · Q1 · EPA +2.01(03:17) No Huddle-Shotgun #16 R.Gagliano pass complete short middle to #83 K.Perdue caught at MAR49, for 14 yards to the MAR40 (#55 C.Funderburk; #92 C.Chmura), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Extends plays with his feet until something opens up.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Middle Tennessee
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Quarterback · Middle Tennessee
Returning around him
- 32% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 1 Middle Tennessee player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (20 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Middle Tennessee · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #109 · 2026 recruiting class #119
DNA match
Player DNA
Scrambler
Makes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise.
QB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Conner Weigman’s 2022 season.
Matches Conner on
TD rate
Yards / attempt
Total pass EPA (college ability)
Differs from Conner on
Weight (higher)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jason Brown’s path through Jackson State.
95%match
NFL Rd 4
Matches Jason on
Height
Yards per attempt
Completion %
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Treyson Bourguet's sophomore season at Western Michigan (2023).
58%match
Differs from Treyson on
Class year (lower)
Weight (higher)
Rush yards / carry (higher)
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #111
Peaked at #111 this season.
Background
Honors • 2025: CUSA Freshman of the Week 11/17, TSWA Offensive Player of the Week 11/19, MTSU Offensive Player of the Week 11/23 2026 (r-Sophomore) • Served as a counselor at the 2026 Manning Passing Academy 2025 (r-Freshman) • Played in five games and had three starts (last three games of season...
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology