MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee will receive one of the Sun Belt Conference's nationally televised football games this fall as announced by the league office today. The later than normal announcement alters the Blue Raiders' previously announced scheduled.
The Blue Raiders will face defending league champion Troy on ESPN2 at 7 PM CST in a Tuesday night affair on October 6 at Movie Gallery Stadium. The teams were previously scheduled to meet on Nov. 21.
Since 2006, Middle Tennessee has played an SBC best seven nationally televised games and will now see that total go to eight.
"We are very excited about being on national television for the fourth year in a row," said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. "You simply cannot put a price on the type of exposure this provides our entire university and we are thrilled for the opportunity."
Other changes in the schedule will see the Blue Raiders open the conference schedule at North Texas on Sept. 26 as opposed to Oct. 3 while the open date moves to Oct. 10.
Mississippi State will remain as a home game on Oct. 17 and Western Kentucky moves up from Nov. 28 to a home game on Oct. 24. The Blue Raiders will complete the month of October with a Halloween contest on the road against FAU.
The month of November opens with three straight home games beginning with FIU on Nov. 7 followed by Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 14 and Arkansas State on Nov. 21.
Middle Tennessee will complete the 2009 regular season schedule on the road against Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 28. Game times and the Homecoming designation will come at a later date.
Following is Middle Tennessee's new 2009 schedule:
Sept. 5 at Clemson
Sept. 12 Memphis
Sept. 19 at Maryland
Sept. 26 at North Texas
Oct. 6 at Troy (ESPN2)
Oct. 17 Mississippi State
Oct. 24 Western Kentucky
Oct. 31 at FAU
Nov. 7 FIU
Nov. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette
Nov. 21 Arkansas State
Nov. 28 at Louisiana-Monroe