The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are going to their eighth bowl game in the Rick Stockstill era and school record fourth in a row.

Middle Tennessee was officially extended an invitation on Sunday for Stockstill's Blue Raiders to represent Conference USA in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 15, 2018. It will mark the eighth bowl game of the FBS (I-A) era for Middle Tennessee and the 12th bowl game in school history.

The game against the Sun Belt Champion Appalachian State Mountaineers will kick off at 8 p.m. (CT) from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. The game will air nationally on ESPN.

The Blue Raiders are no stranger to the New Orleans Bowl. Middle Tennessee appeared in the 2009 game and upset Southern Miss, 42-32, for its first FBS bowl win.

This will be the 18th year of the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl which is played in the historic Mercedes-Benz Superdome and will pit two teams with not a lot of history. The Blue Raiders and Mountaineers have met just twice before in football and the series is deadlocked at one win apiece. ASU won the first meeting in 1974 in Boone before the Blue Raiders defeated the Mountaineers in the NCAA I-AA Playoffs in 1989.

"We are honored to be representing Conference USA in the New Orleans Bowl," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Rick Stockstill. "I am thrilled for this team and especially our senior class. This is the first class to ever play in four straight bowl games. This team has had an incredible season and this is a tremendous reward for the work they have put in. We can't wait to get there."

The Blue Raiders (8-5) enter the postseason having won the East Division title in Conference USA and an appearance in the league championship game. The Blue Raiders went 7-1 in C-USA play and come in having won five of its last seven games.

Fans need to purchase tickets through the Middle Tennessee ticket office by calling 615-898-5261 or logging onto GoBlueRaiders.com. The ticket office is open Monday thru Friday from 8 AM until 5:30 PM.

The Blue Raiders will return to practice on Friday (Dec. 7) and will leave for the bowl game on Dec. 11.

For all the latest information on the Blue Raiders' bowl trip, please visit Blue Raider Bowl Central on GoBlueRaiders.com. There will also be a 2018 Bowl Show Monday at 7 p.m. on the Blue Raiders Facebook page that will have further information.

Middle Tennessee Bowl History

1956 Refrigerator Bowl - Evansville, Ind.
Sam Houston State 27, MT 13

1960 Tangerine Bowl - Orlando, Fla.
MT 21, Presbyterian 12

1961 Tangerine Bowl - Orlando, Fla.
Lamar Tech 21, MT 14

1964 Grantland Rice Bowl - Murfreesboro
MT 20, Muskingum 0

2006 Motor City Bowl - Detroit, Mich.
Central Michigan 31, MT 14

2009 New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans
MT 42, Southern Miss 32

2011 GoDaddy.com Bowl - Mobile, Ala.
Miami (OH) 35, MT 21

2013 Armed Forces Bowl - Fort Worth
Navy 24, MT 6

2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl - Nassau, Bahamas
Western Michigan 45, MT 31

2016 Hawai'i Bowl - Honolulu
Hawai'i 52, MT 35