Bowl Prediction: Boca Raton Bowl, Western Kentucky vs. Memphis

Boca Raton Bowl
Western Kentucky (10-3) vs. Memphis (8-4), Boca Raton, Fla., 7 p.m., ESPN
Western Kentucky -6.5 – O/U 80.5

While yesterday’s Miami Beach Bowl was predicted to be (and was) a blowout, this one looks like it could be a very entertaining offensive track meet. Both Western Kentucky and Memphis have high-flying offenses. The Hilltoppers have scored 44 or more points in nine straight games, though at times they’ve also tended to give up a similar amount of points on defense. In the second half of the season, the Tigers have also found offensive potency, but went only 3-3 during that stretch while maintaining a slim 38.2-34.7 scoring edge. Add another wrinkle of Western Kentucky coach Jeff Brohm moving on to Purdue, leaving the Hilltoppers coached by offensive coordinator Nick Holt for the bowl game. It’s impossible to tell the impact that the coaching switch will have on the team, but if both teams play to their potential, Western Kentucky should have the edge. QB Mike White has a host of offensive weapons that will keep Memphis on its heels all day. Memphis QB Riley Ferguson is also talented but is surrounded by far less depth, and likely won’t have much defensive support to lessen the pressure to score on each possession.
Prediction: Western Kentucky 48, Memphis 41

About Douglas Blaine

Capnpen is a writer who was a newspaper and magazine journalist in a previous life. A college journalism major, he now works as an English teacher, but gets his writing fix by blogging about a variety of topics, including politics, religion, movies and television. When he's not working or blogging, Capnpen spends time with his family, plays a little golf (badly) and loves to learn about virtually anything.

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