St. Petersburg Bowl 2015: Connecticut vs. Marshall TV Schedule, Time and Odds
Bowl season's most defensive-minded contest figures to go down Saturday in the St. Petersburg Bowl between the Connecticut Huskies and the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Doc Holliday's Thundering Herd are looking to remain perfect in bowl games since his arrival as coach and nab a 10th win for the third season in a row.
To do so, though, will require finding a way to figure out the Connecticut defense, which can match Marshall's elite unit blow for blow.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
With little in the way of offense promised between these two, the game figures to amount to one of the year's most interesting chess matches. Here's everything to know.
Game Details
When: Saturday, December 26, at 11 a.m. ET
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Television: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 44
Spread: Marshall (-5)
Team Injury Reports
| Matthew Walsh | LB | Ques Sat |
| Bryant Shirreffs | QB | Prob Sat |
| Mikal Myers | DL | Out for season |
| Cole Ormsby | DL | Out for season |
| Brian Lemelle | WR | Prob Sat |
| Dhameer Bradley | WR | Out indefinitely |
| Ryan Crozier | OL | Out for season |
| Emanuel Beal | WR | Ques Sat |
| Raheim Huskey | LB | Ques Sat |
| Stefan Houston | LB | Ques Sat |
| Devon Johnson | RB | Ques Sat |
| Clint Van Horn | OL | Out indefinitely |
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Leaning on the Strengths
Connecticut hasn't been bowl-eligible since 2010, but it put on quite the show to get here this year.
The high point for coach Bob Diaco and his Huskies came in November when the team managed to become the only team to upend Houston this year, scoring a 20-17 upset of the then-No. 19 Cougars, a team that went on to post 52 points the week after.
Defense is the name of the game for the Huskies. Led by defensive back Jamar Summers and his seven interceptions, the team is tied for 10th in the FBS with 17 picks. As a whole, the unit ranked second in the AAC in total defense and first in points allowed.
Despite the impressive numbers, Diaco hasn't shied away from crediting Marshall for being a stout opponent, according to Jim Fuller of the New Haven Register:
The Connecticut defense doesn't have a choice but to put on a show Saturday considering the offense averages fewer than 20 points per game.
While the team gets quarterback Bryant Shirreffs back, his 9-7 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions says it all about the offense's potential and the reliance on the defense.
Strength vs. Strength
Marshall sees most of the attention go to the defense, but the Thundering Herd can post points when necessary.
Thank quarterback Chase Litton, who has 22 touchdowns to seven interceptions this year after the offense leaned on him more than ever with star running back Devon Johnson lost for the season.
The underrated attack makes for an interesting matchup, but, again, the attention mostly goes to the Marshall defense.
There, one can find a unit that ranked second, albeit in Conference USA, in terms of total defense and first in points allowed. Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Evan McKelvey leads the way thanks to some borderline silly statistics, as recorded by Grant Traylor of the Herald-Dispatch:
Saturday's task doesn't sound too difficult for such an elite unit, but with the Marshall offense bound to struggle against a capable defense, anything is possible in a season-ending bowl game.
With aspirations of another 10-win season and better bowl games for the program in the future, look for Marshall to leave everything on the field.
Prediction
Las Vegas seems to have this one right.
Marshall's defense isn't better than Connecticut's, but the Thundering Herd actually have an offense to speak of and have posted 30 or more points eight times this year, rising to the occasion when it calls for it.
It will Saturday.
This is a defensive-minded game through and through, but Marshall has the edge over a Huskies offense that hasn't shown much of anything all year long. McKelvey and Co. won't have issues shutting it down while the offense grinds it out.
Prediction: Marshall 24, Connecticut 14
Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
