Boca Raton Bowl 2014: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois TV Info, Spread, Time, More
The Marshall Thundering Herd and Northern Illinois Huskies bring a combined 23 wins to the 2014 iteration of the Boca Raton Bowl.
The only other bowl games this year to feature that many wins? The Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
One of the year's most prolific bowls comes at fans Tuesday as two explosive quarterbacks look to cap off impressive campaigns. Rakeem Cato led the Herd to a Conference USA title, while Drew Hare took over for the Huskies and led the program to a MAC title.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The marquee affair promises plenty of scoring and an unpredictable finish.
Showdown Under Center
Quarterbacks will decide Tuesday’s game.
Cato holds all of Marshall's career passing records, highlighted by 13,798 yards and 128 touchdowns. This year alone he has 3,622 yards and 37 touchdowns to 13 interceptions with another 457 yards and six scores on the ground.
"That kid has meant so much to this program," coach Doc Holliday said, per STATS LLC, via ESPN.com. "He's the quarterback who got it back to where it belonged, where it needs to be."
Cato's seven touchdown passes were not enough to prevent a 67-66 overtime loss to Western Kentucky recently, but other than that, his 2014 campaign is something to admire. Thanks to his efforts, the Thundering Herd rank fifth in scoring and seventh in rushing.
Now all he has to do is overcome a quarterback who has been arguably as impressive.
Hare is not a well-known name just yet, but the job he has done in replacing Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch is admirable. The sophomore threw for 2,097 yards and 17 scores to two interceptions. Also a potent runner, Hare accounted for 850 yards and eight scores on the ground.
Hare captains an offense that averages better than 32 points per game and ranks 14th nationally in rushing. His ability to assume the mantle and run away with things while only improving sets up a showdown with Cato that will be one of the best quarterback duels of the bowl season.
Complementary Pieces
Believe it or not, Cato and Hare have not done it all on their own.
Backing Cato is a defense that ranks 22nd in the nation with an average of just 20.8 points allowed per game. More impressive, though, is his stable of talented receivers who contribute on a regular basis:
| Tommy Shuler | 74 | 953 | 12.9 | 42 (TD) | 8 |
| Davonte Allen | 22 | 544 | 24.7 | 46 | 4 |
| Angelo Jean-Louis | 19 | 464 | 24.4 | 77 (TD) | 5 |
| Eric Frohnapfel | 35 | 404 | 11.5 | 38 | 5 |
| Deon-Tay McManus | 24 | 375 | 15.6 | 39 | 5 |
| Hyleck Foster | 18 | 254 | 14.1 | 25 (TD) | 3 |
| Craig Wilkins | 19 | 236 | 12.4 | 26 (TD) | 2 |
| Ryan Yurachek | 16 | 142 | 8.9 | 18 | 2 |
| Devon Johnson | 6 | 121 | 20.2 | 46 (TD) | 2 |
To top it all off, Devon Johnson is one of the best backs in the nation. The junior has rushed 191 times and gained 1,636 yards and 16 scores in the process. The Thundering Herd operate as a well-oiled machine around Cato, meaning a shaky Northern Illinois defense has its work cut out for it.
That defense ranks 36th in the nation, although its job will be easier if Hare and Co. can control the pace of the game via the ground attack.
Hare has a standout receiver in senior Da'Ron Brown, who has 64 grabs for 1,002 yards and six scores on the season. The Huskies win on the ground, though, as five players have carried the ball a minimum of 44 times this season.
Lead back Cameron Stingily leads the charge with 895 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is the key to a Northern Illinois victory, as the team leads the FBS with 3,288 yards.
This is not a usual showdown in which the quarterbacks must do it all on their own. It also means the scorekeepers will stay busy Tuesday and that no lead will be safe.
The most cohesive and efficient unit will pull in the victory.
When: Tuesday, December 23, 6 p.m. ET
Where: FAU Football Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
Television: ESPN
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 67
- Spread: Marshall (-11)
Team Injury Reports
| Blake Brooks | G | 12/17/2014 | is questionable for the Boca Raton Bowl Tuesday against Northern Illinois | Questionable | leg |
| Devon Johnson | RB | 12/20/2014 | is probable for the Boca Raton Bowl Tuesday against Northern Illinois | Probable | knee |
| Evan McKelvey | LB | 10/14/2014 | will miss the remainder of the season | Out | knee |
| Michael Selby | G | 12/17/2014 | is probable for the Boca Raton Bowl Tuesday against Northern Illinois | Probable | ankle |
| Tommylee Lewis | WR | 12/07/2014 | is questionable for the Boca Raton Bowl Tuesday against Marshall | Questionable | foot |
Injury reports per The Sports Network, via USA Today.
Prediction
Experience seems to rule these sorts of encounters.
In that case, Las Vegas is right to think Cato and the Herd have a major advantage.
There is no denying Cato in his final collegiate game, especially not against a defense that struggles to keep opposing offenses in check. This encounter is about pace, and Northern Illinois' grind-it-out approach on the ground produces points but backfires in what figures to be a sprint against the Herd.
Look for Cato and his offense to pull away in the second half and never look back.
Prediction: Marshall 38, Northern Illinois 30
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
