Staff Report

 

Two conference champions, the Marshall University Thundering Herd from Conference USA and the Northern Illinois University Huskies from the Mid-American Conference, will meet in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday in Florida Atlantic Stadium at 6 p.m.

The game will be televised by ESPN.

“I could not be more excited about the matchup for the first-ever Boca Raton Bowl,” said Boca Raton Bowl Executive Director Doug Mosley. “We have two great champions squaring off in what will surely be a must-see game, and our community is ready to welcome these two schools to Boca Raton and Palm Beach County.”

In addition to Marshall and Northern Illinois both finishing atop their conferences, both teams feature explosive offenses, leading their respective conferences in rushing.

Marshall averages 275.6 yards per game while Northern Illinois averages 252.0 yards per game.

Marshall ranks second in the country in total offense with 563.4 yards per game, and averages 45.1 points per game, fifth nationally behind four of the nation’s top six teams, Baylor, TCU, Oregon and Ohio State. Northern Illinois averages an impressive 32.2 points per game and 442.5 yards per game.

Marshall (12-1, 7-1 C-USA) enters the game having won its first ever Conference USA Championship, and its first title since being crowned the champion of the Mid-American Conference in 2002.

The Thundering Herd are led by South Florida native Rakeem Cato, a graduate of Miami Central High School, who holds the NCAA FBS record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass (46).

In addition to Cato who ranks 8th nationally in passing yards with 3,622 yards, Marshall’s offense also features running back Devon Johnson who ranks 6th nationally in rushing yards with 1,636 yards.

Northern Illinois (11-2, 7-1 MAC) won its third Mid-American Conference Championship in four years this season and fourth in school history.

The Huskies’ 11 win season marks the fifth consecutive season they have accomplished such a feat, and are the only team to have won 11 or more games in five consecutive seasons.

Quarterback Drew Hare leads the Huskies’ offense with 2,097 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, accompanied by the team’s leading rusher Camer Stingily, averaging 74.6 yards per game, and leading receiver Da’Ron Brown, averaging 77.1 yards per game.

The Huskies also played in a South Florida bowl after the 2012 season, meeting Florida State in the 2013 Orange Bowl.

Boca Raton Bowl Matchup

MARSHALL (12-1)

42 at Miami (Ohio) 27

48 Rhode Island 7

44 Ohio 14

48 at Akron 17

56 at Old Dominion 14

49 Middle Tennessee 24

45 at FIU 13

35 FAU 16

63 at Southern Miss. 17

41 Rice 14

23 at UAB 18

66 W. Kentucky, OT 67

26 Louisiana Tech 23

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (11-2)

55 Presbyterian 3

23 at Northwestern 15

48 at UNLV 34

14 at Arkansas 52

17 Kent St. 14

17 Cent. Michigan 34

51 Miami (Ohio) 41

28 at E. Michigan 17

35 at Ball St. 21

27 Toledo 24

21 at Ohio 14

31 at W. Michigan 21

51 at Bowling Green 17

 

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Rushing Offense

G Car RuYD Tds Yds Pg

Marshall 13 521 3,583 37 275.6

N. Illinois 13 638 3,288 35 252.9

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Passing Offense

G Att Cp InL Yds Tds Yds Pg

Marshall 13 436 254 13 3,741 37 287.8

N. Illinois 13 357 214 3 2,464 18 189.5

———

Total Offense

G Plays Yds Yds Pg

Marshall 13 957 7,324 563.4

N. Illinois 13 995 5,752 442.5

———

Rushing Defense

G Car Yds TD Yds Pg

Marshall 13 540 2,043 14 157.2

N.Illinois 13 503 2,060 21 158.5

———

Passing Defense

G Att Cp DInt Yds Tds Pts

Marshall 13 438 239 13 2,531 20 112.24

N.Illinois 13 419 240 14 2,918 15 120.91

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Total Defense

G Plays Yds Yds Pg

Marshall 13 978 4,574 351.8

N. Illinois 13 922 4,978 382.9

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Net Punting

G Yds Punts Net

Marshall 13 129 40 38.68

Northern Ill. 13 69 61 40.03

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Punt Returns

G PRYd Yds Avg

Marshall 13 32 264 8.25

Northern Ill. 13 25 178 7.12

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Kickoff Returns

G No KRYd Avg

Marshall 13 39 917 23.51

Northern Ill. 13 41 788 19.22

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Turnover Margin

G FmG DInt Tot FmL InL Tot Mar/Gm Avg

Marshall 13 9 13 22 11 13 24 -2 -0.15

NIU 13 10 14 24 9 3 12 12 .92

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Scoring Offense

G FG Pts Avg

Marshall 13 16 586 45.1

Northern Ill. 13 14 418 32.2

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Scoring Defense

G Saf Pts Avg

Marshall 13 0 271 20.8

Northern Ill. 13 2 307 23.6