| Game Name: | Bahamas Bowl |
| Subheader: | 5th Bahamas Bowl |
| Title Sponsor: | Makers Wanted |
| Date Game Played: | December 21 |
| Year Game Played: | 2018 |
| Football Season: | 2018 |
| Stadium: | Thomas Robinson Stadium |
| City: | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Visitor School: | Florida International University |
| Visitor Name Short: | FIU |
| Visitor Nickname: | Panthers |
| Visitor Record: | 8–4 |
| Visitor Conference: | C–USA |
| Visitor Coach: | Butch Davis |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 14 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 14 |
| Home School: | University of Toledo |
| Home Name Short: | Toledo |
| Home Nickname: | Rockets |
| Home Record: | 7–5 |
| Home Conference: | MAC |
| Home Coach: | Jason Candle |
| Home 1Q: | 10 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 7 |
| Home 4Q: | 15 |
| Mvp: | Christian Alexander (QB, FIU) &<br>Edwin Freeman (LB, FIU) |
| Odds: | Toledo by 5.5[1] |
| Referee: | Michael VanderVelde (MW) |
| Attendance: | 13,510 |
| Payout: | 225,000 [2] |
| Us Network: | ESPN and Gameday Radio |
| Us Announcers: | Steve Levy, Desmond Howard and Laura Rutledge (ESPN) Kyle Wiggs and Rob Best (Gameday Radio) |
The 2018 Bahamas Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 21, 2018.[3] It was the fifth edition of the Bahamas Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by Elk Grove Village, Illinois, the game was officially called the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.[4] [5]
The game featured the FIU Panthers of Conference USA against the Toledo Rockets of the Mid-American Conference. The matchup was announced on November 25, 2018, making this the first bowl matchup of the season to have both teams confirmed.[6]
This was the fourth matchup between these two teams, with FIU holding a 2–1 lead in the series.[7] They met in the 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, which FIU won, 34–32.
See main article: article and 2018 FIU Panthers football team. FIU accepted a bid to the Bahamas Bowl on November 25.[8] The Panthers entered the bowl with an 8–4 record (6–2 in conference). FIU's usual starting quarterback, James Morgan, was unavailable for the game due to a sore shoulder, resulting in backup Christian Alexander getting the start.[9]
See main article: article and 2018 Toledo Rockets football team. Toledo accepted a bid to the Bahamas Bowl on November 25.[8] The Rockets entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference).