DALLAS - The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, who won two of their last three games to achieve bowl eligibility, have announced that they have accepted an invitation to compete in the Bahamas Bowl for the program's eighth bowl appearance in the past 13 seasons.
 
“On behalf of our President, Dr. Sidney McPhee, I am honored and above excited about accepting a bowl invitation from the Bahamas Bowl,” said Middle Tennessee Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “This will be our second trip to the Bahamas Bowl and our experience was second to none at a place that is truly paradise. We can’t wait to get there and create memories of a lifetime for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans.” 
 
The 2021 Bahamas Bowl will be held Friday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m. CT at the 15,000-seat Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Middle Tennessee (6-6) will face Toledo, which went 7-5 this season, with a 5-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets have won four of their last five games.
 
"We are honored to be representing Conference USA in the Bahamas Bowl," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Rick Stockstill. "I am thrilled for this team and especially our senior class. This is a tremendous award for a team who has overcome a ton of adversity this season. We can't wait to get there."
 
The Blue Raiders are led by their defense which is the national leader in takeaways (31), and they have six defensive touchdowns, which is also tied for the most in the FBS. S Reed Blankenship leads the team with 106 total tackles, while DE Jordan Ferguson paces the Blue Raiders with 16.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. DB Quincy Riley has five interceptions, which is tied for the national lead.
 
This will be the first-ever meeting between Middle Tennessee and Toledo. Conference USA and the MAC are tied 3-3 all-time in the Bahamas Bowl series, and this marks the second trip to Nassau for each school. One will head home to the United States with their first Bahamas Bowl victory, as Middle Tennessee fell 45-31 to Western Michigan in 2015, while Toledo dropped a close contest, 35-32 to FIU in the 2018 edition of the game.

Ticket information will be available at goblueraiders.com. Fans wishing to purchase rooms at the host resort for the Bahamas Bowl, the Atlantis Bahamas, can do so by clicking the Bowl Travel tab at https://www.bahamasbowl.com/. 

A reminder that all U.S. citizens who wish to attend the game must have a valid U.S. Passport to enter the Bahamas. Additionally, all U.S. travelers must adhere to health regulations set forth by the Bahamian government.