The Boca Raton Bowl will feature the BYU Cougars (10-1) in a face-off with the UCF Knights (6-3) on December 22, at the FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
Both teams have met twice which resulted in a winning split, with BYU defeating the Knights by a 24-7 scoreline and the most recent was won by the UFC Knights in a 31-24 home victory, which held on October 9, 2014. The UFC Knights come into this bowl following a 58-46 away win over South Florida on November 27, while the BYU Cougars secured a 28-14 home win over the San Diego State on December 12.
Boca Raton Bowl Betting Odds
Odds from FanDuel as of Monday, December 22 (11:10 am ET)
Money Line: BYU Cougars -260 | UCF Knights +205 (at FanDuel)
Point Spread: BYU Cougars -6.5 (-120) | UCF Knights +6.5 (-102) (at FanDuel)
Total Over/Under: Under 72.5 (-110) | Over 72.5 (-110)
UFC Knights Looking to Finish the Season Strong
The UFC Knights finished in the 4th place at the American Athletic Conference with a 6-3 record standing and will be looking to secure a seventh win in their bag at the Boca Raton Bowl. Their last appearance had featured a game against the South Carolina Bulls on November 27. The Knights triumphed in a 58-46 road victory. QB Dillon Gabriel registered 336 yards, 4 touchdowns, and earned an interception in the game against the Bulls. Bentavious Thompson got 2 touchdowns for 110 yards on 16 carries, while Greg McCrae had a touchdown for 130 yards.
Dillon, this season has had 3,353 yards with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Knights average 44.3 points per game and 585.6 yards per game. The defense allowed 31.4 points per game on average this season.
The Cougars to Snatch Their 11th Win of the Season
The BYU Cougars’ goal for the season was to secure an invitation to one of the six bowls. With a perfect record of 9 straight wins, it was certain they were going to be invited. Then they suffered their first loss in a game against Coastal Carolina 22-17 while being a 10-point favorite. They lost by a 5-point differential with the possibility of the game going either way. To further prove that the loss was a fluke, they defeated San Diego State in their next game by 28-14, securing their 10th win of the season. This gives them the opportunity to attain the 11th win in this game against the Knights. They have not attained this feat in well over a decade.
Zach Wilson registered 3,267 yards with 30 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. The Cougars average 43 points per game this season, with an average of 322.8 yards per contest. Their defense ranks third in the league as they allow an average of 14.6 points per game.
Boca Raton Bowl Betting Picks
This game has a tendency to contain lots of points as both teams‘ offense can be deadly. However, the Cougar edge out the Knights when it comes to playing defense as the UFC Knights’ defense ranks 80th in the country.
Pick: BYU Cougars to win (-260) at FanDuel