The game featured the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders from Conference USA and the Appalachian State Mountaineers, the 2018 Sun Belt Conference champions.
The teams previously met three times (1974, 1989, and 1992) with Middle Tennessee holding a 2–1 edge in the series.
[7] Middle Tennessee was defeated in the 2018 Conference USA Football Championship Game on December 1; they subsequently received and accepted an invitation to the New Orleans Bowl on December 2.
[8] The Blue Raiders entered the bowl with an 8–5 record (7–1 in conference).
[9] Appalachian State defeated Louisiana in the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game to secure a berth in the New Orleans Bowl.