PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Boca Raton Bowl WINNER (Tuesday) >> Won Monday's Bowl!
(NCAAF) WKU vs. Memphis,
12/20/2016 2:00 PM, Score: 51 - 31
Point Spread: -6.50 | -110.00 WKU (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -6.50 | -110.00 WKU (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: Western Kentucky (10-3) won the SBC championship game 58-44 over La. Tech and heads to its third straight bowl game (the Boca Raton Bowl) and will meet 8-4 Memphis of C-USA, which is also making a third consecutive bowl appearance.
Memphis: The Tigers had a tough task replacing not only head coach Justin Fuente (who took the Va. Tech job) and QB Paxton Lynch (a first-round pick of the Denver Broncos) but they barely missed a beat behind new coach Mike Norvell and QB Riley Ferguson. Memphis won three of the last four games to improve its bowl position, including knocking off then-No. 20 Houston 48-44 in the regular-season finale. Ferguson completed 63.8% fro 3,e326 yards with 28 TDs and nine INTs. His to target was WR Miller, whoc caught 84 passes for 1,283 yards with 11 TDs. The running game does not have a standout back but three players topped 460 yards for a unit which averaged 166.9 YPG to rank 78th. The Tigers average 39.5 PPG (17th) on 461.8 YPG o(32nd) and just ask Houston how good the Tigers can be, as they rolled 555 yards of total offense in the win over the Cougars. Ferguson saved his best performance for last, passing for 409 yards with four TDs and no interceptions against Houston. Tigers freshman Tony Pollard was named the AAC's Special Teams Player of the Year after ranking third in the nation with 993 kickoff return yards and tied for third with two kickoff return TDs.
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers closed out the season on a seven-game winning streak, capped by a 58-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in the C-USA championship game. Head coach Jeff Brohm led the Hilltoppers to their second straight C-USA championship this year but was hired by Purdue on Dec. 5 and defensive coordinator Nick Holt takes over in the interim for the bowl game. Junior Mike White, a transfer from South Florida, completed 67.4 percent of his pass attempts for 4,027 yards in earning C-USA Newcomer of the Year honors in his first season for the Hilltoppers. WR Taywon Taylor had 89 receptions for 1,586 yards and 16 TDs and fellow wideout Nicholas Norris had 73 for 1,253 yards and 13 scores. RB Anthony Wales finished with 1376 yards rushing (6.8 YPC) with 26 TDs (24 rushing). The Hilltoppers are second in the nation in scoring (45.1 PPG) on 517.4 YPG (7th).
The pick: The Hilltoppers haven't had much time off since its C-USA title-game win (played Dec. 3) and with Jeff Brohm leaving for Purdue and DC Nick Holt being elevated to head coach for this game, it might be a good thing this game is played sooner than later. Memphis could be a little flat off its upset of Houston and while the Tigers offense is very good, Western Ky's is "as good as it gets!" The Hilltoppers averaged 52.1 PPG over their last nine contests. Lay the points and make Western Kentucky a 10* play.
Memphis: The Tigers had a tough task replacing not only head coach Justin Fuente (who took the Va. Tech job) and QB Paxton Lynch (a first-round pick of the Denver Broncos) but they barely missed a beat behind new coach Mike Norvell and QB Riley Ferguson. Memphis won three of the last four games to improve its bowl position, including knocking off then-No. 20 Houston 48-44 in the regular-season finale. Ferguson completed 63.8% fro 3,e326 yards with 28 TDs and nine INTs. His to target was WR Miller, whoc caught 84 passes for 1,283 yards with 11 TDs. The running game does not have a standout back but three players topped 460 yards for a unit which averaged 166.9 YPG to rank 78th. The Tigers average 39.5 PPG (17th) on 461.8 YPG o(32nd) and just ask Houston how good the Tigers can be, as they rolled 555 yards of total offense in the win over the Cougars. Ferguson saved his best performance for last, passing for 409 yards with four TDs and no interceptions against Houston. Tigers freshman Tony Pollard was named the AAC's Special Teams Player of the Year after ranking third in the nation with 993 kickoff return yards and tied for third with two kickoff return TDs.
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers closed out the season on a seven-game winning streak, capped by a 58-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in the C-USA championship game. Head coach Jeff Brohm led the Hilltoppers to their second straight C-USA championship this year but was hired by Purdue on Dec. 5 and defensive coordinator Nick Holt takes over in the interim for the bowl game. Junior Mike White, a transfer from South Florida, completed 67.4 percent of his pass attempts for 4,027 yards in earning C-USA Newcomer of the Year honors in his first season for the Hilltoppers. WR Taywon Taylor had 89 receptions for 1,586 yards and 16 TDs and fellow wideout Nicholas Norris had 73 for 1,253 yards and 13 scores. RB Anthony Wales finished with 1376 yards rushing (6.8 YPC) with 26 TDs (24 rushing). The Hilltoppers are second in the nation in scoring (45.1 PPG) on 517.4 YPG (7th).
The pick: The Hilltoppers haven't had much time off since its C-USA title-game win (played Dec. 3) and with Jeff Brohm leaving for Purdue and DC Nick Holt being elevated to head coach for this game, it might be a good thing this game is played sooner than later. Memphis could be a little flat off its upset of Houston and while the Tigers offense is very good, Western Ky's is "as good as it gets!" The Hilltoppers averaged 52.1 PPG over their last nine contests. Lay the points and make Western Kentucky a 10* play.
