Published On: Mon, Dec 8th, 2014

Marshall University and Northern Illinois to Face Off in Inaugural Boca Raton Bowl

1024x1024Two conference champions, the Marshall University Thundering Herd from Conference USA and the Northern Illinois University Huskies from the Mid-American Conference, will meet in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl, as announced jointly by the conferences and the bowl.

The game will be played on Tuesday, Dec. 23 in FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.

“I could not be more excited about the matchup for the first-ever Boca Raton Bowl,” said Boca Raton Bowl Executive Director Doug Mosley. “We have two great champions squaring off in what will surely be a must-see game, and our community is ready to welcome these two schools to Boca Raton and Palm Beach County.”

In addition to Marshall and Northern Illinois both finishing atop their conferences, both teams feature explosive offenses, leading their respective conferences in rushing. Marshall averages 275.6 yards per game while Northern Illinois averages 252.0 yards per game. Marshall ranks second in the country in total offense with 563.4 yards per game, and averages 45.1 points per game, fifth nationally behind four of the nation’s top six teams, Baylor, TCU, Oregon and Ohio State. Northern Illinois averages an impressive 32.2 points per game and 442.5 yards per game.

Marshall (12-1, 7-1 C-USA) enters the game having won its first-ever Conference USA Championship and its first title since being crowned the champion of the Mid-American Conference in 2002. The Thundering Herd are led by South Florida native Rakeem Cato, a graduate of Miami Central High School, who holds the NCAA FBS record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass (45). In addition to Cato who ranks 8th nationally in passing yards with 3,622 yards, Marshall’s offense also features running back Devon Johnson who ranks 6th nationally in rushing yards with 1,636 yards.

Northern Illinois (11-2, 7-1 MAC) won its third Mid-American Conference Championship in four years this season and fourth in school history. The Huskies’ 11 win season marks the fifth consecutive season they have accomplished such a feat. Quarterback Drew Hare leads the Huskies’ offense with 2,097 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, accompanied by the team’s leading rusher Camer Stingily, averaging 74.6 yards per game, and leading receiver Da’Ron Brown, averaging 77.1 yards per game. The Huskies also played in a South Florida bowl after the 2012 season, meeting Florida State in the 2013 Orange Bowl.

The 2014 Boca Raton Bowl will be played on December 23, at FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton

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