Aldo Giovanni Amato

agamato@dnj.com

MURFREESBORO — For the second-straight year, MTSU is headed to an island paradise for its bowl game.

The Blue Raiders (8-4, 5-3 Conference USA) will play Hawaii (6-7, 4-4 Mountain West) in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve. The game will air at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Blue Raiders traveled to another island destination last year when they played and lost 45-31 to Western Michigan in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Christmas Eve.

This will be the first time MTSU and Hawaii have met since 1993 when the Blue Raiders lost 35-14 in Honolulu.

"It's a great experience for us after going to the Bahamas last year," standout wide receiver Richie James said with a Hawaiian lei draped around his neck. "We've been blessed, and I think it will be a lot of fun.

"When you look at it, we're 20-year-olds going to Hawaii, so it's going to be a great experience."

Quarterback Brent Stockstill, who will get another week to rehab his broken right collarbone injury, was just as excited as his teammates to experience going to to the Bahamas and then Hawaii in back-to-back years.

"That's probably the only chance we'll get in our entire lives to go to those places, and to do it through football and with our brothers is a cool experience," he said.

Players and coaches reacted with a loud roar after finding out the news around 1:45 p.m. on Sunday inside the Blue Raider weight room.

Head coach Rick Stockstill, who has never been to Hawaii, said the selection could not have been better for players.

"It's a great opportunity to these players to experience Hawaii," Rick Stockstill said. "That's one of the beauties of Conference USA – the bowl destinations. You have Ft. Lauderdale, you have New Orleans, you have Hawaii, you have the Bahamas and you have Dallas and New Mexico.

"There are a lot of great bowl destinations that are really family oriented. People talk about, 'Something on my bucket list is to go to Hawaii. Something on my bucket list is to go to the Bahamas. I've always wanted to go to New Orleans or Ft. Lauderdale.' That's what people talk about for family vacations – 'One day, I would like to do that.'"

MTSU will have its first shot at a nine-win season under head coach Rick Stockstill since 2009, the same year the Blue Raiders won the New Orleans Bowl.

And despite the Rainbow Warriors' 6-7 overall record, Rick Stockstill said it will be a tough game, especially with Hawaii playing in front of a home crowd at Aloha Stadium.

"This will be different," Rick Stockstill said. "We're the home team and get to dress in their locker room but they get to stay at home and practice on their home field.

"They played 13 games and finished second in the Mountain West's West Division. They beat Air Force, a team that won nine games, at Air Force. So that tells you how good this football team is that we are playing."

Rick Stockstill said he's going with the mindset of wining MTSU's second FBS bowl game in school history.

But that doesn't mean he won't enjoy the island surroundings with his wife, Sara, however.

"I'm sure Sara will want to take a walk on the beach," Rick Stockstill said. "I'm sure there are things I get to do with her.

"We're looking forward to it but I am also going in with the mindset of us winning the ninth game."

What to know about the Hawaii Bowl: MTSU vs. Hawaii

NEXT GAME

MTSU (8-4) vs. Hawaii (6-7)

When: Dec. 24, 7 p.m

Where: Aloha Stadium (Honolulu, Hawaii)

TV/Radio: ESPN/102.5-FM

Ticket Info: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/mtsu/EN/buy/quickbuy/253