North Texas Daily

Updated: 2:08 p.m.

North Texas will face Troy University in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at noon on Dec. 16 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the New Orleans Bowl confirmed around 2:05 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised on ESPN. 

#RLBowl ALERT: The matchup is set! @MeanGreenFB and @TroyTrojansFB punch their ticket to the @RLCarriers New Orleans Bowl! Official Release: https://t.co/d27L5wfT2j pic.twitter.com/jf7fmtGGaK

— New Orleans Bowl (@NewOrleansBowl) December 3, 2017

School officials confirmed the news shortly after the matchup was announced on the New Orleans Bowl website.

“We are honored to be invited to play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl,” head coach Seth Littrell in a press release. “I have heard so many stories about how great the New Orleans Bowl experience was from our fans, staff and former players who were there from 2001- 2004. New Orleans is a great destination that is easy for our fans to travel to. I’m confident this experience will be memorable for everyone around the Mean Green football program.”

The Mean Green finished their season 9-4 overall with a 7-2 record in Conference USA play with both losses coming to Florida Atlantic University, including Saturday’s 41-17 defeat in the C-USA Championship game.

North Texas played in the Heart of Dallas Bowl last year and lost to Army in overtime 38-31. The Mean Green haven’t won a bowl game since 2013, when former head coach Dan McCarney led the team past the University of Nevada – Las Vegas in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Troy ended its season at 10-2 overall with a 7-1 record in the Sun Belt, including a 32-25 win over Arkansas State Saturday to clinch a share of the conference title. The Trojans have an impressive resume, including a 24-21 win over LSU earlier this year. In 2016, Troy defeated Ohio University in the Dollar General Bowl  28-23. 

“The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Committee, staff and volunteers are delighted to welcome back Troy University and the University of North Texas to New Orleans,” R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Chairman Sheriff Paul Valteau said. “We look forward to celebrating a spectacular week of bowl activities with both universities’ coaches, student-athletes, alumni and fans.”