Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Offenses take center stage
Two of the country’s best attacks will be on display
BOCA RATON — Three days after the Boca Raton Bowl matchup between Western Kentucky and Memphis was announced, bowl executive director Doug Mosley issued an apology to Florida Atlantic and Athletic Director Pat Chun.
FAU Stadium will host the game for the third year, and Mosley feared the school might need repairs after the Hilltoppers and Tigers meet Tuesday night.
“These two guys are probably going to break the scoreboard with the kind of offensive numbers they’re going to put up,” Mosley said.
Both teams boast one of the country’s best offenses, with Memphis averaging 39.5 points per game (17th in Football Bowl Subdivision) and Western Kentucky scoring 45.1 points per game (second in FBS). Various oddsmakers have set the over/under for Tuesday’s game at 81 total points, the most for any of the bowl games this season.
Memphis has scored at least 40 points in five games this season. Western Kentucky has eclipsed 40 points in each of its past nine games.
“One of the great things about this game is you see two explosive football teams,” Memphis coach Mike Norvell said. “These are two teams that put points on the board in a variety of different ways.”
Western Kentucky (10-3) is coming off its second consecutive Conference USA championship and has benefited from a balanced offensive attack that has scored 31 rushing touchdowns and 39 passing touchdowns. For comparison, the 70 offensive touchdowns are more that Florida (27) and FAU (40) combined.
Fort Lauderdale native Mike White directs the offense at quarterback and threw
for 4,027 yards, while receivers Taywan Taylor (1,586 yards and 16 touchdowns) and Nicholas Norris (1,253 and 13 touchdowns) have posted eyepopping numbers. Running back Anthony Wales ranks second in the country with 24 rushing touchdowns.
“Our style as a football program, football team is we want to have fun,” Western Kentucky interim coach Nick Holt said. “We want to be entertaining. We want to have to people in their seats going ‘Wow, man, these guys play hard and they’re fun to watch.’ I think that’s the product we put out on the field in the last couple years.”
Memphis (8-4) enters Boca Raton 48 points shy of tying the program record for most points scored in a single season and quarterback Riley Ferguson’s 28 passing touchdowns tied a school record. His main target has been receiver Anthony Miller, who broke Memphis records with 84 catches for 1,283 yards.
The Tigers actually run the ball more than they pass it, and running back Doroland Dorceus averages 6.2 yards per carry. Four ball carriers have scored multiple touchdowns.
“We talk and the thing we want to do is finish as bowl champions,” Norvell said. “To have that last mark of this team, we want to be hoisting a trophy at the end of it. That builds for the momentum of the future and where we’re going, but also sends out this senior class in a special manner. Our guys are hungry and we’re excited about the game.”
The similarities between the Tigers and Hilltoppers don’t end on offense.
Memphis’ Tony Pollard led the American Athletic Conference in kick return average. Western Kentucky’s Kylen Towner led Conference USA in kick return average. Each defense has allowed just one score in four different games this season.
“We got two great teams coming together,” Dorceus said. “There’s no underdog. There’s no overdog. There’s no upset. The best team is going to win that day.”