The MTSU Blue Raiders represented the university, and the Sun Belt conference, in a big way in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
The team had a shaky start to the game, and fell behind 14-0 early to the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, but MTSU battled back for the program’s first postseason bowl win since a New Year’s Day, 1960, victory in the Tangerine Bowl against Presbyterian College.
Junior quarterback Dwight Dasher set a new NCAA bowl game record for rushing yards by quarterback. In the game, he gained 201 yards on the ground, topping Vince Young’s historic 200-yard Rose Bowl performance.
“He single-handedly did it against us,” Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said of Dasher after the game.
The Blue Raiders won the contest, televised live on ESPN from the Superdome, 42-32.