Two of the best non-power programs faced off, and the Rockets emerged victorious after a contested onside kick ruling. Check out Hustle Belt and Underdog Dynasty for all the game info.
The second-ever Boca Raton Bowl will pit the MAC against American Athletic Conference at FAU Stadium.
In the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl, the Marshall Thundering Herd capped a 12-1 season by rolling over the MAC champion Northern Illinois Huskies, 52-23. Marshall just missed out on a trip to the Fiesta Bowl and instead represented Conference USA, which had a tie-in to the Boca Raton Bowl in 2014.
Conference USA will now be replaced by the American Athletic Conference and the game will be played at FAU Stadium, which opened in 2011.
Here is everything you need to know to get ready for this year's Boca Raton Bowl:
Date and time: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 7 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN
Location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Stadium: FAU Stadium, 29,419
Last year's score: Marshall 52, Northern Illinois 23
Last year's attendance: 29,419
Last year's TV rating: 1.4
Last year's payout for each school: $200,000
Team with the most all-time appearances: Marshall and Northern Illinois, 1
Team with the most all-time wins: Marshall, 1
Temple Owls (10-3, 7-1 in AAC)
Temple finished just short of the AAC championship by losing to Houston in the title game, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. The Owls won the AAC East and finished with 10 wins for only the second time in program history. They're going to only their fifth bowl game ever, the program hosted ESPN's College GameDay for the first time ever and they beat Penn State for the first time since World War II. This is a season to celebrate in Philadelphia.
The defense has been the leader for the Owls all year. They allowed under 20 points per game and less than five yards per play, which are both top-20 figures nationally. Linebacker Tyler Matakevich has blossomed into a star and is leading the team in tackles and tackles for a loss, plus he's third in sacks.
On offense, it's a simple idea. The Owls run the ball. Jahad Thomas led the team with 1,188 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Quarterback P.J. Walker threw for 18 touchdowns compared to only six interceptions. It's not the craziest offense you'll ever see, but it gets the job done.
Last bowl game: 2011 New Mexico Bowl (37-15 win over Wyoming)
All-time bowl record: 2-2
Head coach's bowl record: Matt Rhule will be coaching in his first bowl game.
Toledo Rockets (9-2, 6-2 in MAC)
Toledo had a great year, but things have taken a bit of a downward turn lately. The Rockets started off 7-0, but they limped to a 2-4 finish after that and then saw their head coach, Matt Campbell, leave for the job at Iowa State after the regular season. It's been a tough turn of events for what's become a quality MAC program.
For a bowl game, enter new head coach Jason Candle, who was recently promoted from offensive coordinator. Candle assumes the leadership of the No. 26 scoring offense in the country (35.3 points per game) and the No. 21 scoring defense (21.1 per game), so the new boss has plenty to work with. The Rockets have two 800-yard running backs in Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson, while quarterback Phillip Ely (21 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 2,680 yards) has been effective if at times uneven.
There's real uncertainty about where Toledo goes from here. Coach attrition is part of life as a good MAC team, though, and things could definitely be worse. A bowl win would be a deserved and fitting cap for this Rockets season.
Last bowl game: 2014 GoDaddy Bowl (63-44 win over Arkansas State)
All-time bowl record: 9-5
Head coach's bowl record: Jason Candle has never coached in a bowl game.
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