Owls content to play bowl game at home

BOCA RATON — When Florida Atlantic was chosen to play a bowl game in its home stadium, it was initially met with a lukewarm reception.

Many players and fans were disappointed because the team wasn’t going to travel, robbing them of the true bowl experience.

After a few days to digest it, they have realized playing at home isn’t so bad.

The Owls will face Akron in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 19 at FAU Stadium. It is their first bowl appearance since 2008. “Some people will think it’s a negative that you’re staying home because it’s the exact same city,” FAU coach Lane Kiffin said during a news conference at AV Rental Depot that featured both Boca Bowl coaches.

“I think people don’t think about it. Miami used to want to do what? Go to the Orange Bowl. USC, UCLA, they wanted to do what? Go to the Rose Bowl. It can be really special when it’s the premier bowl like this.”

The Owls were rumored to play in a variety of bowls, including the Gasparilla Bowl in St. Petersburg and the Independence Bowl in Shreveport.

The opportunity to remain at home provides the seniors one last chance to play in front of fans.

This is the second consecutive year the Conference USA champ will play in Boca Raton.

Last year Western Kentucky defeated Memphis 51-31.

“We look at it as the best bowl in the conference,” Kiffin said. “Our team is very excited. Our players are very excited. The chance to stay home is very special, basically to have another home game. From that vantage, it’s really neat. The players obviously at first were like, ‘Well, we don’t get to go anywhere.’ But then they really looked at it, and realized,‘Hey, we’re honored because we’re going to the best bowl that there is for our conference.’ ”

The Owls (10-3) will play an Akron team that is making its second bowl game appearance in three seasons.

The Zips (7-6) are coming off a 45-28 loss to Toledo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game.

The Zips are led by local quarterback Kato Nelson, who became the starter once Thomas Woodson was suspended Nov. 7.

Nelson was a two-time All-State selection at Flanagan and led the team to the Class 5A state-title game in 2015.

The Zips are 2-2 with Nelson as a starter.

“Our team has not been the most dominant team at times, but our team has been this season one of my favorite teams in my 24 years as a head coach,” Akron coach Terry Bowden said. “It’s a team that fights and finds a way to win ball games that many think that they can’t win.”