The Boca Raton Bowl is only in its second year of existence, but it’s quickly building a reputation as one of the best mid-major destinations in the postseason. One year after pairing Conference USA champion Marshall against MAC titlists Northern Illinois, the Florida bowl game will pit a 9-2 Toledo team -- transitive property champions of the Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 -- against No. 24 Temple.
Watch the Toledo vs. Temple Boca Raton Bowl online: Time, TV schedule, live stream, 3 things to know
One of the postseason’s best mid-major matchups goes down in Boca on Dec. 22.
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Both teams have floated in and out of the polls this fall. The Owls’ 7-0 start helped them climb all the way up to 20th in the AP Poll, and they’ve spent seven total weeks in the rankings. A 10-2 regular season cleared their path to the AAC Championship Game, but they couldn’t match Houston’s firepower in a 24-13 loss. Toledo one upped them when they peaked at No. 19 back in October, but a 2-2 regular season finish relegated them to a four-way tie for the MAC West title and an empty schedule during championship week.
For Temple, a postseason win would validate coach Matt Rhule’s resurgence in Philadelphia. After going 2-10 in his first season, the Owls improved to 6-6 last year and then landed in just the fifth bowl game in school history this winter. Temple has only won 10 games in a season once before, and that was back in 1979. A Boca Raton Bowl victory would rewrite program record books and cement 2015 as the best season in school history.
However, Toledo players will be the first to tell you that a coach’s success can be a double-edged sword. The Rockets lost head coach Matt Campbell to the Iowa State job after he locked down his third nine-win season in four years at the helm. Now, Campbell’s offensive coordinator Jason Candle will get his first taste of leading the Rockets, and it will be a stiff test in Boca.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: Dec. 22, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, Allen Bestwick and Dan Hawkins will have the call.
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Temple is favored by 1 point.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Underdog Dynasty (for Temple and Toledo fans).
Three big things to know
1. Installing Candle as head coach means the continuation of a Rocket offense that has been able to run opponents off the field behind a three-headed tailback attack. Kareem Hunt ran for 1,631 yards last fall. After battling a nagging hamstring injury early in the year, he has gained more than 100 rushing yards in each of his last four games. Terry Swanson was able to pick up Hunt's slack, notching four 100-yard games of his own and a 6.6-yard per carry average. Behind them, compact bowling ball Damion Jones-Moore has run for more than 400 yards this season.
2. Toledo will have to deal with a Temple defense that has allowed fewer than 20 points per game in 2015. They're led by linebacker and Chuck Bednarik Award winner Tyler Matakevich, who was absolutely everywhere this season en route to recording 126 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and five interceptions. His Owls allowed only 126 rushing yards per contest this season -- good for 21st in the FBS.
3. The spread narrowly favors Temple, but advanced statistics give Toledo a three-point win in their predicted model. S&P+ appraises both defenses as similarly solid, but the Rockets’ uptempo offense should be the difference in one of the closest games of the bowl season.
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