http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...37590.html

Quote:10. Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 23, Boca Raton, Fla.)
Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

This is the only game outside of the New Year's Six that features two conference champions. And it should be a high-scoring affair. Northern Illinois' last loss was against Central Michigan on October 11 and Marshall only lost to Western Kentucky. A strong showing for the Thundering Herd would help prove that Marshall should have had a case for a New Year's Six berth.

(12-08-2014 01:55 PM)NIU8484 Wrote:  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...37590.html

Quote:10. Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 23, Boca Raton, Fla.)
Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

This is the only game outside of the New Year's Six that features two conference champions. And it should be a high-scoring affair. Northern Illinois' last loss was against Central Michigan on October 11 and Marshall only lost to Western Kentucky. A strong showing for the Thundering Herd would help prove that Marshall should have had a case for a New Year's Six berth.

and the Illinois game was ranked 37 of 38...

A strong showing for the Huskies would help prove that NIU should have had a case for a New Year's Six berth.

(12-08-2014 04:43 PM)kflyer Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 01:55 PM)NIU8484 Wrote:  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...37590.html

Quote:10. Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 23, Boca Raton, Fla.)
Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

This is the only game outside of the New Year's Six that features two conference champions. And it should be a high-scoring affair. Northern Illinois' last loss was against Central Michigan on October 11 and Marshall only lost to Western Kentucky. A strong showing for the Thundering Herd would help prove that Marshall should have had a case for a New Year's Six berth.

and the Illinois game was ranked 37 of 38...

So 76 teams are going to a bowl game. I wonder how much Illinois will lose going to their bowl game?

How bada** is it that all three of NIUs active head coaches are in bowl games.

I'm sure it isn't a record but I'd be interested to see if it is

(12-08-2014 10:30 PM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  How bada** is it that all three of NIUs active head coaches are in bowl games.

I'm sure it isn't a record but I'd be interested to see if it is

Believe it or not, Toledo has 4 this year. Campbell, Beckman(IL), Pinkel(Mo), and some hack named Nick Saban.

(12-08-2014 11:22 PM)NIU Football 11 Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 10:30 PM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  How bada** is it that all three of NIUs active head coaches are in bowl games.

I'm sure it isn't a record but I'd be interested to see if it is

Believe it or not, Toledo has 4 this year. Campbell, Beckman(IL), Pinkel(Mo), and some hack named Nick Saban.

+1

(12-08-2014 10:30 PM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  How bada** is it that all three of NIUs active head coaches are in bowl games.

I'm sure it isn't a record but I'd be interested to see if it is

Don't know if it's been mentioned anywhere, but Jerry Kill was just named AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Region 3 Coach of the Year.

http://collegead.org/10-best-bowls-watch/

2 – Boca Raton Bowl – Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

Your average college football fan may not have batted an eye at this one when the bowl announcements slowly trickled out yesterday, but anyone who watches a non-Power 5 team probably perked up at this one. This is a matchup between the two conference champs, from Conference USA and the MAC, and a chance for one of them to finally prove themselves. Marshall spent all season trying to prove themselves worthy of a Big 6 bowl slot, now occupied by Boise State, before dropping a game to WKU and proving the point moot. Well Northern Illinois is no joke. the inaugural Boca Bowl should be an awesome one.

Lol what? They have Boise AZ at #4 and Toledo Ark State at #5?! WTF!?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/22914...son/page/3

#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.

(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.

And now Todd is back to Marshall is nothing argument, haha SOOO predictable!