Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

UAB VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Where: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton

When: Tuesday at 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Weather: 76 degrees, 10 percent chance of rain

Online: Coverage at SunSentinel.com/sports

Quick slant: Alabama-Birmingham (10-3) will be making its second consecutive bowl appearance, while Northern Illinois (8-5) will be returning to a bowl for 10th time in 11 years. The matchup between UAB and NIU is one of only three bowl games this season to feature two conference champions against one another.

About UAB: The Blazers put together the program’s best season ever; the team won the Conference USA Championship and reached the 10-win mark for the first time. UAB is led by Bill Clark, who won the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award. UAB boasts one of the top defenses in the country, ranking 10th in the nation in total defense. Running back Spencer Brown has been a cornerstone of the Blazers’ offense. The sophomore rushed for 1,149 yards a school-best 16 touchdowns this year. UAB reinstated their football program last season after the university shut it down to cut costs in 2014.

About Northern Illinois: NIU is coming off a 30-29 comeback victory against Buffalo in the MAC Championship and managed to secure their fifth MAC title. The Huskies’ pass-rush has been instrumental in the team’s success. They have recorded the most sacks in the nation with 50. Behind the efforts of running backs Tre Harbison and Marcus Jones and quarterback Marcus Childers, NIU rushed for 14 touchdown and tallies 2,004 yards on the ground. Harbison needs only 15 rushing yards to become NIU’s first rusher since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 to reach the century-yard mark. The Huskies look for their first bowl win since the 2011 season, when NIU defeated Arkansas State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

Three things to watch: 1. NIU defensive end Sutton Smith leads the FBS in sacks with a program-record 15 sacks and is second in the nation in tackles for loss with 24.5. Look for the junior to continue his dominance as he tries to become the first player in FBS history to lead the country in sacks back-to-back years. 2. The matchup will feature some of the best defensive units in the entire nation. Both UAB and NIU led their conferences allowing the fewest points, as the groups restricted their oppositions to 17.3 and 21.5 points per game, respectively.

3. Spencer Brown has had a record-breaking season for the Blazers and will attempt to continue his success against one of the best run defenses in the nation. The Huskies’ defense has held their opponent to less than 100 yards rushing in seven games this season while also restricting opposing rushers to just 2.7 yards per carry.