FINAL:

MTSU 21  UTEP 24

Middle Tennessee and UTEP played like two teams battling for an automatic bowl berth in the regular-season finale for both teams at the Sun Bowl Saturday night.

In the end, an untimely turnover in the waning minutes left Middle Tennessee (6-6, 5-3) playing the waiting game following a 24-21 setback against the Miners (7-5, 5-3).

C-USA has five automatic bowl tie-ins and five league members with seven wins. Three additional teams are bowl eligible with six wins. MT and UTEP were virtually playing for one of the automatic spots.

Courtesy MTSU Staff Report

East Division champion Marshall will host West Division champion Louisiana Tech in the 2014 Conference USA Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 6.

The Thundering Herd (7-1 in C-USA play, 11-1 overall) are in the game for the second straight year, while the Bulldogs (7-1 in C-USA, 8-4 overall) are in the contest for the first time in just their second year in the league.

The 2014 C-USA Championship Game will be televised live on ESPN 2, beginning at Noon EST.

Marshall earned the right to host the game based on having the higher average computer ranking (27.25) over Louisiana Tech (56.0) in the four computer rankings that Conference USA utilizes (Anderson and Hester, Billingsley, Colley Matrix and Wolfe) to determine host if a tie cannot be broken through the first three tie-breakers: conference record, head-to-head play or College Football Playoff ranking.

A pair of players have picked up their fourth C-USA Player of the Week honors to close the regular season.

WKU senior RB Brandon Doughty has been named Offensive Player of the Week after throwing eight touchdowns and passing for 491 yards in the Hilltoppers' 67-66 overtime win at then-No. 19 Marshall.

UAB senior KR J.J. Nelson picks up the Special Teams honor after a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and has won after each of the four returns for TDs he has this season.

The Defensive Player of the Week award was given to UTEP senior DB Wesley Miller, who had 11 tackles and an interception.

C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league's media.