BOCA RATON, FL, Sporting Alert – College bowl games continue on Tuesday, 22 December, and the following are all the fixtures and live television and streaming listings.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl are the two trophies up for grabs on the day.
TEMPLE LOOKS TO FINISH STRONG
No. 24 Temple will look to close out its productive season on a winning note against a talented Toledo team in the battle for the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl at the FAU Football Stadium, here in Boca Raton, FL.
The Owls (10-3) have been steadily progressing since going 0-11 in the 2005 season, including losing 42-17 to Toledo during the period.
Temple will be featuring in a bowl game for fifth time in seven seasons, but will be playing in its first bowl game since 2011 when it won the Gildan New Mexico Bowl with a 37-15 victory over Wyoming.
The American Athletic Conference East Division champions finished the regular season conference play with a 7-1 league record, but went down 24-13, to then-No. 19 Houston Cougars in the inaugural American Championship Game earlier this month.
The 10 wins this season matched for the most in program history, while the 7-0 start by the Owls was the school’s best-ever record to open a season.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this team.” said third-year head coach Matt Rhule on the school’s athletics website.
“With everything they have been through, our players have earned the right to play in an outstanding bowl game against a tremendous opponent.”
Meanwhile, Toledo (9-2) comes into this game hoping to bounce back from being upset 35-30 by Western Michigan in the final Mid-American Conference regular season fixture.
That defeat caused to the then-No. 24 ranked Rockets to miss out at playing in the Mid-American Conference championship game, as Northern Illinois went through on the tie breaker from the MAC West Division.
Toledo will take part in its 15th bowl when it takes the pitch on Tuesday night, while contesting its fifth in the last six years.
The Rockets are 10-4 all-time in bowl games with the latest victory coming last January — a 63-44 positive result over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl.
“The Marmot Boca Raton Bowl will provide our players with an outstanding bowl experience, as well as the opportunity to play against a very tough Temple team,” said UT head coach Jason Candle.
“Playing in the Boca Raton Bowl is an excellent reward for our players, coaches and everyone involved in our team’s success.”
These two schools have met 10-times in past with Toledo leading the all-time series 7-3 over Temple. The last time they face-off, the Rocket came away with a 36-13 victory in Philadelphia in 2011.
Temple is the favourite by 1.5 points to win this game.
Another NCAA bowl game on the schedule for Tuesday is the battle for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, where Akron and Utah State will lock horns at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, ID.
Historic day for Zips’ Football! Let’s get this one!!! #ZipsBowl pic.twitter.com/AtLhuYIDK7
— Akron Zips Football (@ZipsFB) December 22, 2015
Senior quarterback Chuckie Keeton will close out his college career with Utah State on Tuesday as he looks to add to his school record for touchdown passes.
Keeton has been bothered by injuries this season, which forced him to miss at least six games in each of the past three seasons, but comes in with 61 career TD passes for over 7,000 yards.
The Aggies (6-6) will be playing their fifth straight bowl game and have won the last three, including the last Famous Idaho Potato Bowl they featured in three-years-ago.
In the meantime, Akron will be making its first bowl appearance since 2005, and just the program’s second since becoming a member of the FBS in 1987.
There were a lot of positives for Zips (7-5) this season, including a seven-win season for the first time since 2005, which is also a winning season for the first time in 10-years.
Utah State starts as the 7-point favourite versus Akron in this game.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah State lost its last meeting against the BYU Cougars on November 28.
However, Akron won its last game — a 20-0 shutout result against the Kent State Golden Flashes on November 27, while covering the game as a -10.5-point favorite.
Follow all the games live on ESPN and WatchESPN, highlights on ESPN3.com.
Tuesday, Dec. 22
Potato Bowl:
Akron vs. Utah St., 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Boca Raton Bowl:
Temple vs. Toledo, 7 p.m., ESPN