MOBILE, Alabama — The city of Mobile welcomed GoDaddy.com Bowl competitors Arkansas State and Northern Illinois with an introductory press conference at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Wednesday.

The teams will meet in the 13th annual bowl on Sunday at 8 p.m. in a game televised nationally by ESPN. The game pairs the 10-3 Mid-American Conference champion Northern Illinois against Sun Belt Champion Arkansas State 10-2.

Northern Illinois head coach Dave Doeren said he and his squad are excited to be in Mobile for the game.

“I know the guys are excited,” Doeren said. “We have several players from the south, a couple from Mobile. For our coaches, our administration and our wives and our kids, all the hospitality has been great. We are really excited about playing in this game. We have 24 seniors, and Arkansas State has 19 seniors. Two teams full of leadership and accomplishments.”

Former Davidson High School player Jimmie Ward is a sophomore defensive back for the Huskies.

Arkansas State enters the game under the direction of interim head coach David Gunn. Gunn is coaching in place of outgoing coach Hugh Freeze, who left to become the head coach at Ole Miss. Former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will take over as the Red Wolves’ head coach after the bowl game.

“We are certainly anxious to get our kids back out there on the field,” Gunn said. “We have a more than worthy opponent in Northern Illinois. It should be a great ballgame. We have won nine in a row, they have won eight in a row. Those guys have certainly done an excellent job.”

Arkansas State has several players from Alabama on its roster, including two from Baldwin County. Former Daphne player Eric Allen is a redshirt junior offensive lineman, and freshman lineman Steven Stevens is a Baldwin County High School graduate. Players from Prattville, Birmingham, Tanner, Lincoln, Phenix City, Daleville, Tuscaloosa, Hoover and Mobile are also on the Arkansas State roster.

Northern Illinois brings the No. 9 total offense and No. 8 rushing offense in the country to the game. The Huskies average 488.17 yards per game, including 255.33 per game. The also have the No. 11 scoring offense in the nation, scoring more than 39 points per game. Senior quarterback Chandler Harnish ranks seventh in the nation in total offense with 336.92 yards per game and No. 15 in passing in rushing (112.5 yards per game) and passing efficiency.

Arkansas State junior quarterback Ryan Aplin is No. 11 nationally in total offense with more than 313 yards per game. He ranks in the national top 25 in several other offensive categories.

“After studying the team that we are playing for the last few weeks, we know they are a very well coach, hard nosed, disciplined, fast football team,” Doeren said. “For (Mobile), you have two teams that have a lot of very talented players. Two quarterbacks that anyone in the country would love to have.”

Northern Illinois claimed its first MAC championship with a 23-20 win over Ohio University. Arkansas State won its conference after a 45-14 win over Troy.

Miami (OH) defeated Middle Tennessee 35-21 in last year’s GoDaddy.com Bowl.