Boca Raton Bowl 2016: Memphis vs. Western Kentucky TV Schedule, Time and Odds
When the book closes on this bowl season, it is the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl that might boast the highest point total thanks to a Tuesday encounter between the Memphis Tigers and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
Both teams, despite first-year starters under center, posted silly offensive numbers all year. Memphis (8-4) moved on from Paxton Lynch by averaging 39.5 points per game, while Western Kentucky (10-3) bulldozed Conference USA with 45.1 points per game.
With it looking like little in the way of defense will show up, this contest between unfamiliar opponents is a great way to start another week of epic action.
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Here's a look at everything to know about the hyped shootout.
Boca Raton Bowl 2016
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 20
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: FAU Stadium; Boca Raton, Florida
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 79
Spread: WKU (-5.5)
Team Injury Reports
| Austin Hall | DB | Questionable Tuesday |
| Jared Gentry | DL | Out for Season |
| B.J. Ross | DB | Out Indefinitely |
| Roderick Proctor | WR | Questionable Tuesday |
| Sam Craft | RB | Out for Season |
| Kam Prewitt | DB | Out Indefinitely |
| Jackson Dillon | LB | Out for Season |
| Hunter Hill | WR | Out Indefinitely |
| Brady Davis | QB | Out for Season |
| T.J. McCollum | LB | Out Tuesday |
| Nacarius Fant | WR | Out for Season |
| Marcus Ward | DB | Out for Season |
| D'Andre Ferby | RB | Out for Season |
| Trae Jones | DL | Questionable Tuesday |
| Nelson Fishback | QB | Out for Season |
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Next Man Up
Memphis wasn't assured a smooth transition after moving on from Lynch, the 2016 NFL draft's No. 26 pick by the Denver Broncos.
Junior Riley Ferguson made it easy on the Tigers.
Ferguson completed 63.8 percent of his passes this year with 28 touchdowns to nine interceptions. His favorite wideout, Anthony Miller, caught 84 passes for 1,283 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Proper balance helped Ferguson, of course. The Tigers attempted 428 passes to 455 rushes this year, with the ground game grinding its way to 1,998 yards and 23 scores on a 4.4 yards-per-carry average.
First-year head coach Mike Norvell hasn't been shy in praising his team, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com).
"We've got some fantastic playmakers on our football team," Norvell said. "They love to play the game. They knew when the selection came out and we were going to be against this Western Kentucky team that it was going to be a fun game."
While statistically impressive, Memphis was hit or miss in major games. The Tigers coughed up big games against ranked Ole Miss and Navy teams, yet they upended a ranked Houston team to close the season.
In every loss, though, Memphis never scored less than 28 points. If Tuesday's bowl comes down to whichever team has possession last, odds are strong the Tigers will be comfortable with the situation.
Riding the Wave
Normally, a team entering a bowl game without its head coach is a major red flag.
Not for Western Kentucky. Yes, Jeff Brohm has moved on to coach Purdue, but interim head coach Nick Holt has a lot working in his favor.
Mainly, the Hilltoppers have won seven games in a row—the latest a revenge game against Louisiana Tech after losing to the Bulldogs earlier in the season.
It's hard to buy into any of Western Kentucky's losses. Getting blown out by Alabama is exactly what it sounds like. Losing to Louisiana Tech by three points only to get revenge later in the Conference USA Championship Game isn't a major ordeal. Neither is a one-point loss to Vanderbilt, which was a near-miss of an upset in one of the toughest games on the schedule.
The Hilltoppers have a star quarterback of their own in Mike White, who completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 4,027 yards and 34 touchdowns to six interceptions. Not only did Anthony Wales rush for 1,376 yards and 24 touchdowns, receivers Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris both topped 1,200 receiving yards and scored 16 and 13 touchdowns, respectively.
It's almost as if those who make bowl matchups know what they're doing—if there's an offense that can match Memphis blow for blow, it's this White-led attack.
All the Hilltoppers have to do is keep rolling on this hot streak, head coach or not.
Prediction
Las Vegas likes the Hilltoppers here even through the coaching situation.
Given the wealth of options White can turn to on each and every down, it's hard to argue with the idea. Where Memphis has one clear-cut target through the air and one guy to worry about in the backfield, Western Kentucky has many.
Provided the Hilltoppers show up hungry to make a statement about the future of the program and take down another high-profile offense, those picking the game know which way to go.
Look for Western Kentucky to take a lead and ride the balanced offense to kill the clock while keeping Memphis' attack off the field.
Prediction: Western Kentucky 45, Memphis 38
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
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