Written by Mike Perry

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Four Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams will be playing in bowl games this year as invitations were extended Sunday afternoon. Miami (GoDaddy.com Bowl), Northern Illinois (uDrove Humanitarian Bowl), Toledo (Little Caesars Pizza Bowl) and Ohio (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl) will represent the MAC in bowl games this season.

This year also marks the first time in conference history that the MAC will have at least four schools playing bowl games in three consecutive years. In addition the MAC has sent four or more teams to bowl games in five of the last seven years.
 
“We are extremely excited for the bowl invitations to our four MAC institutions,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner of the MAC.  “Our conference placed three teams in our primary agreements with the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, GoDaddy.com Bowl and uDrove Humanitarian Bowl. We were also able to garner an at-large selection in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. I strongly feel that this reflects on the competitive nature of our conference and I congratulate all of our universities, coaches and student-athletes for their efforts this year.”

The MAC record for bowl appearances is five, which happened in consecutive years (2008, 2009) and only three times (2004, 2008, 2009) in conference history. Two MAC programs were bowl eligible, however, did not receive a bowl invitation, Temple (8-4) and Western Michigan (6-6).
 
The complete MAC bowl schedule is as follows: All times are Eastern.
 
Dec. 18:  uDrove Humanitarian Bowl – Boise, Ida.
5:30 p.m. – ESPN
Northern Illinois (10-3, 8-0 MAC) vs. Fresno State (8-4, 5-3 Western Athletic Conference)
Note:  Northern Illinois is making is third consecutive bowl appearance under Head Coach Jerry Kill (2010 International Bowl; 2008 Independence Bowl). This also marks the fourth bowl appearance in the last five years and the fifth bowl appearance in the last seven years for the Huskies program.
 
Dec. 18:  R+L Carriers Bowl – New Orleans, La.
9:00 p.m. – ESPN
Ohio (8-4, 6-2-0 MAC) vs. Troy (7-5, 6-2 Sun Belt Conference)
Note:  Ohio is making their second consecutive bowl appearance (2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl). The Bobcats have received a bowl invitation for the third time in the last five years (2007 GMAC Bowl). This is also the fourth year that the Bobcats have become bowl eligible under Head Coach Frank Solich.
 
Dec. 26:  Little Caesars Pizza Bowl – Detroit, Mich.
8:30 p.m. – ESPN
Toledo (8-4, 7-1 MAC) vs. Florida International (6-6, 6-2 Sun Belt)
Note:  Toledo is making its first bowl appearance since the 2005 season (2005 GMAC Bowl). The Rockets will be making their first bowl appearance under second year Head Coach Tim Beckman. Toledo will be making its conference leading 11th bowl appearance in program history (8-2 record in bowl games).
 
Jan. 6:  Go Daddy.com Bowl – Mobile, Ala.
8:00 p.m. – ESPN
Miami (9-4, 7-1 MAC) vs. Middle Tennessee State (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt)
Note:  Miami won the 2010 Marathon MAC Championship under second year Head Coach Mike Haywood and recorded the best turnaround in college football with an eight win improvement over last season (1-11 in 2009). Miami will be making its first bowl appearance since the 2004 Independence Bowl.  The RedHawks will be making their tenth bowl appearance (6-3 record) in school history, second most in the MAC.