MTSU lines up big-money road trip, prime time opener for upcoming football seasons

Middle Tennessee State’s 2012 football season will begin on a Thursday and the Blue Raiders’ 2014 campaign will feature a Big Ten foe.

On Tuesday, the Blue Raiders agreed to a road game at Minnesota on Sept. 6, 2014. MTSU will be paid a guaranteed sum of $775,000 for the contest.

The teams will also meet in 2017 in Minnesota.

On Monday, MTSU announced it would open 2012 on a Thursday, playing FCS opponent McNeese (La.) State for the first time at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro.

It marks the Blue Raiders’ only non-conference home game. They are scheduled to play at Memphis, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.

The Golden Gophers won the only other meeting between the schools, 24-17 in the 2010 opener at Murfreesboro.

MTSU has played four games against Big Ten schools – twice against Illinois (1998, 2000), Minnesota (2010) and Purdue (2011).

The Blue Raiders finished 2011 with a 2-10 record after reaching bowl games the previous two seasons.