NASAU, Bahamas—The Thundering Herd could be spending the holidays in the Bahamas this season.
Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday the inagural Bahamas Bowl will kickoff at noon on Dec. 24 in Nassau. The game will be played at the 15,000-seat Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium and will be televised on ESPN, which signed a six-year deal to broadcast the bowl.
“The Bahamas Bowl is such a wonderful opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches and fans,” said Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky. “Thanks to ESPN, the United States will be able to watch and experience the Bahamas on December 24. It’s going to be amazing.”
The game will be the first postseason FBS bowl game outside of the U.S. or Canada since the 1937 Bicardi Bowl in Havana, Cuba. Auburn and Villanova played to a 7-7 tie on New Year’s Day.
“The inaugural Bahamas Bowl is a great opportunity to provide fans with a Christmas Eve college football game and an excellent addition to our extensive lineup of postseason coverage,” said Kurt Dargis, director, ESPN college football programming.
Robinson National Stadium, built in 2012, has been upgraded in recent months for major international events, including the Bahamas Bowl.
“Robinson National Stadium is a jewel of Nassau for sporting events,” Miller said. “We are pleased with the facility and the upgrades that have been added. It will make for a great venue for the teams and the fans to watch the best of Conference USA and the MAC play.”
Marshall is 2-0 in bowl games under Doc Holliday. The Herd won the 2011 Beef ‘O’ Bradys Bowl and last year defeated Maryland in the Military Bowl.