Blue Raiders, Bulldogs announce home-and-home series

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and Mississippi State Athletic Director Larry Templeton announced today a home-and-home series in football between the two schools. Mississippi State will become the first SEC team to ever play in Floyd Stadium and it will mark the third straight year a team from one of the six power conferences has made the trek to Murfreesboro.

"This marks a signature moment in our football history by having an SEC opponent play at Floyd Stadium," said Massaro. "We are very excited about the two-game series.

"This is an attractive match-up because of the proximity of the two schools. Our fans can easily get to Starkville and Mississippi State fans will have no problem making the trip to Murfreesboro.

The series will begin in 2008 with the Blue Raiders traveling to Starkville on October 25 before the Bulldogs return the favor by coming to Murfreesboro in 2009 on October 17.

The two schools have played twice in football with meetings in 1999 and 2000. The 1999 contest in Starkville was the Blue Raiders' first-ever I-A football game as the Bulldogs won 40-7.

In 2000, the 20th-ranked Bulldogs won an offensive shootout, 61-35, as both teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense.

After entertaining Virginia of the ACC earlier this season, the Blue Raiders will host Maryland in 2008, Memphis and Mississippi State in 2009 and Georgia Tech in 2011.