Bethune-Cookman is located in Daytona Beach and is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Wildcats finished 4-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play in 2016. They lost 41-20 to North Texas in their lone game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team in 2016.
North Texas finished the season 5-8 and lost the Heart of Dallas Bowl 38-31 in overtime to Army. The Mean Green were in a Bowl game because not enough teams finished with a winning record in FBS.
They earned the bid based on their The Academic Progress Rate (APR).