(12-09-2014 03:06 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  #2 game, as you point out.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/22914...son/page/3

Quote:This game is a battle of second-tier powers, both of whom have either flirted with stardom or got a chance to play with the big boys.

Northern Illinois was the final so-called "BCS Buster" team in 2012, when it went unbeaten and got to play Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Marshall looked like it would get a chance to be the new version of that, as the Thundering Herd started 11-0 and were in the running for the at-large major bowl bid awarded to a non-power conference team before losing their regular-season finale.

Both are conference champions—NIU (11-2) won the Mid-American title, while Marshall (12-1) claimed the Conference USA crown—but each was passed up for the "Group of Five" access bowl bid in favor of Boise State. While that stinks for the teams and their leagues (since such a bid would have come with a lot of revenue), it did provide the opportunity for organizers of this new bowl to create a pretty enticing mid-major matchup.

Marshall ranked second in the country in total offense, at 563.4 yards per game, led by senior quarterback Rakeem Cato and a potent run game. Cato has thrown for a touchdown pass in 45 straight games, an FBS record, and he is eighth in career passing yards and sixth in all-time passing TDs.

Marshall is scary, statistics wise. Thank Gawd their last 3 games have exposed them some. Mistake in editing though -- NIU lost to Iowa that year, hence, Herbstreit going ape-sh!t on national TV.