http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/12/22/cft-previews-your-dec-22-bowl-viewers-guide/
Taking a quick-hit look at the Dec. 22 bowl menu, which features two games and a pair of teams from the MAC and one each from the AAC and Mountain West.
WHO: Akron (7-5) vs. Utah State (6-6)
WHAT: The 19th Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
WHERE: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
THE SKINNY: As you sometimes get in bowl season, this game marks the first-ever meeting in football between the two programs. It’s also a game of opposites, as Akron comes into Spud Land riding a four-game winning streak while Utah State, winners of at least nine games each of the past three seasons, stumbles into conference enemy territory as losers of three of their last four. The Zips are also bowling for just the second time in school history, with the first coming back in 2005. The Aggies, meanwhile, are appearing in their fifth straight bowl and are looking for their fourth straight postseason win, but are also looking to avoid their first losing season since 2010. If you’re a fan of above-average defense, at least when it comes to yards, this will be one of the few games for you this postseason as both squads excel in that area — Akron’s defense is 24th in yards per play (4.71) while Utah State is 34th (4.87). In their seven wins, the Zips gave up more than 21 points just once; the Aggies, though, gave up 24 or more points in eight of their 12 games. The one X factor? USU quarterback Chuckie Keeton, who has seemingly been with the Aggies since the turn of the century — he’s really just a sixth-year senior because of a cruel run of injuries — and who returned late this season. If Keeton, in his last game, can even remotely find the form that gave him darkhorse Heisman status for a couple of seasons, it could be enough for the Aggies to extend that bowl winning streak.
THE LINE: Akron, +7
THE PREDICTION: Utah State 31, Akron 20
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WHO: Toledo (9-2) vs. Temple (10-3)
WHAT: The 1st Marmot Boca Raton Bowl
WHERE: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
WHEN: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
THE SKINNY: Temple began the season with seven straight wins, cultivating talk of a berth in one of the prestigious New Year’s Six bowl. A loss to Notre Dame put a dent in that talk, while a loss to Houston in the AAC championship game ended it entirely. Still, the Owls’ 10 wins were the first time in the program’s history that they’ve reached double digits. Toledo, after a weather hiccup to start the season, tracked similar to its opponent in that the Rockets won their first seven games before splitting their last four. UT could’ve put itself into the Group of Six discussion, but a loss to Western Michigan in the regular-season finale handed the MAC West to Northern Illinois. The Rockets will lean heavily on their two-headed running back combination of Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson that averaged more than 200 yards a game the last half of the year, but that runs headfirst into an Owl strength — that defensive unit was 21st nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and an overall defense that’s a stingy 19th in yards per play. One player to watch on the defensive side of the ball: Tyler Matakevich. The Temple senior linebacker is the only FBS player to lead his team in tackles every game this season and is only the seventh player at this level to be credited with 100-plus tackles in four straight seasons.
THE LINE: Toledo, +1½
Taking a quick-hit look at the Dec. 22 bowl menu, which features two games and a pair of teams from the MAC and one each from the AAC and Mountain West.
WHO: Akron (7-5) vs. Utah State (6-6)
WHAT: The 19th Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
WHERE: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
THE SKINNY: As you sometimes get in bowl season, this game marks the first-ever meeting in football between the two programs. It’s also a game of opposites, as Akron comes into Spud Land riding a four-game winning streak while Utah State, winners of at least nine games each of the past three seasons, stumbles into conference enemy territory as losers of three of their last four. The Zips are also bowling for just the second time in school history, with the first coming back in 2005. The Aggies, meanwhile, are appearing in their fifth straight bowl and are looking for their fourth straight postseason win, but are also looking to avoid their first losing season since 2010. If you’re a fan of above-average defense, at least when it comes to yards, this will be one of the few games for you this postseason as both squads excel in that area — Akron’s defense is 24th in yards per play (4.71) while Utah State is 34th (4.87). In their seven wins, the Zips gave up more than 21 points just once; the Aggies, though, gave up 24 or more points in eight of their 12 games. The one X factor? USU quarterback Chuckie Keeton, who has seemingly been with the Aggies since the turn of the century — he’s really just a sixth-year senior because of a cruel run of injuries — and who returned late this season. If Keeton, in his last game, can even remotely find the form that gave him darkhorse Heisman status for a couple of seasons, it could be enough for the Aggies to extend that bowl winning streak.
THE LINE: Akron, +7
THE PREDICTION: Utah State 31, Akron 20
__________
WHO: Toledo (9-2) vs. Temple (10-3)
WHAT: The 1st Marmot Boca Raton Bowl
WHERE: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
WHEN: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
THE SKINNY: Temple began the season with seven straight wins, cultivating talk of a berth in one of the prestigious New Year’s Six bowl. A loss to Notre Dame put a dent in that talk, while a loss to Houston in the AAC championship game ended it entirely. Still, the Owls’ 10 wins were the first time in the program’s history that they’ve reached double digits. Toledo, after a weather hiccup to start the season, tracked similar to its opponent in that the Rockets won their first seven games before splitting their last four. UT could’ve put itself into the Group of Six discussion, but a loss to Western Michigan in the regular-season finale handed the MAC West to Northern Illinois. The Rockets will lean heavily on their two-headed running back combination of Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson that averaged more than 200 yards a game the last half of the year, but that runs headfirst into an Owl strength — that defensive unit was 21st nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and an overall defense that’s a stingy 19th in yards per play. One player to watch on the defensive side of the ball: Tyler Matakevich. The Temple senior linebacker is the only FBS player to lead his team in tackles every game this season and is only the seventh player at this level to be credited with 100-plus tackles in four straight seasons.
THE LINE: Toledo, +1½
