Hilltoppers will face Tigers in Boca bowl

Nearly two months after its first visit to Boca Raton this year, Western Kentucky will return on Dec. 20 to take on Memphis in the Boca Raton Bowl, the bowl announced Sunday afternoon.

The Boca Raton Bowl, in its third year of existence, is played at FAU Stadium and kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Western Kentucky won the Conference USA title with a 58-44 win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday, the Hilltoppers’ second consecutive conference championship. In late October, Western Kentucky first appeared in Boca Raton, dismantling Florida Atlantic 52-3 in the Owls’ worst home loss in program history.

Including this year, the Hilltoppers (10-3, 7-1) have played three times in FAU Stadium, holding a 2-1 record in Boca Raton. They beat the Owls in the firstever game in the stadium in 2011.

“It’s a great destination that I know our players will enjoy, our fans will enjoy,” Western Kentucky coach Jeff Brohm said. “It’s a tremendous stadium, a state-of-the-art facility that we’ve played in before. We are thrilled to get down there for the bowl festivities and have a lot of fun and play a very competitive game against a very good Memphis football team.”

Western Kentucky is second in the country in scoring offense (45.1 points per game). Running back Anthony Wales is second nationally with 24 rushing touchdowns and quarterback Mike White averages 10.4 yards per pass attempt (also second nationally). White is a Fort Lauderdale native, he graduated from University School, and is one of 21 Floridians on WKU’s roster.

The Hilltoppers have been held below 30 points just once this season. It came in a 38-10 loss at topranked Alabama. WKU has won its past seven games by an average of 31.3 points.

Memphis, meanwhile, will come to South Florida for the second time in three seasons. It traveled to the Miami Beach Bowl against BYU in 2014, a game the Tigers won 55-48 in double-overtime but was overshadowed by a game-ending brawl.

Memphis (8-4, 5-3 American Athletic Conference) finished its season with an upset 48-44 victory over Houston. In coach Mike Norvell’s first year atop the program, the Tigers also boast a win over AAC champion Temple.

“We’re looking forward to this opportunity,” Norvell said. “To be able to finish the season the way we did, it’s such a treat.”

Miami Beach Bowl

Tulsa and Central Michigan will face off in the third annual Miami Beach Bowl on Dec. 19 at Marlins Park. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

The two teams enter Miami heading in different directions. Tulsa (9-3, 6-2 AAC) has won five of its past six games, the only blemish a two-point loss at Navy. Central Michigan (6-6, 3-5 MAC) has lost four of its past five games, a seven-point win over Ohio saving the Chippewas’ bowl hopes. Both schools have not won a bowl game since 2012.

Each team lost to New Year’s Six bowl participants. Tulsa fell to Ohio State, 48-3, while Central Michigan lost to undefeated Western Michigan 49-10.