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2015 C-USA Bowl Games Thread

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I was actually wondering if the sound was still out there for this just recently. So happy this got posted!!
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owl2Doc said

Yeah I had free tickets to this game but didn't care about the matchup either. 

But that will probably be the case for most of the matchups in the Boca Bowl.

That said, I still think it will have a respectable showing every year.
Posted On: Dec 21st 2015, 7:40 AM #353300


Brandon and I would've PAID you for those tickets. Seriously.
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WKU Wins Miami Beach Bowl, 45-35, over South Florida

Brandon Doughty's final game at WKU perfectly epitomized his career with the Hilltoppers, with a slow start followed by a record-setting finish.

Doughty threw for 461 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 25 WKU overcame an early 14-point deficit to beat South Florida 45-35 in the Miami Beach Bowl on Monday.

Doughty finished the season with 5,055 yards for the Hilltoppers (12-2), the 14th time in FBS history that a quarterback has reached the 5,000 mark. His six-year career at the school – it took him three to become the starter – ended with these numbers: 1,026 completions, 12,855 yards and 111 touchdowns.

"It's been a heck of a run," Doughty said just before hoisting the bowl trophy. "That's why you love this game."

WKU finishes the season at 12-2 following a win over South Florida in the Miami Beach Bowl.

He was probably even better than Willie Taggart thought he would be when he signed him in 2010. Taggart was Doughty's coach for his first game and the opposing coach for his last, and his Bulls (8-5) nearly stole the show from Doughty with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns that got them to 38-35.

But Anthony Wales' second touchdown of the day, a 42-yard scamper with 5:05 left, helped seal it for the Hilltoppers. Nicholas Norris hauled in touchdown passes of 69 and 55 yards in the third quarter for Western Kentucky, and Jared Dangerfield made a highlight-caliber 26-yard TD catch over three defenders to cap a 28-point third quarter for the Hilltoppers.

Quinton Flowers rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another for USF (8-5). The Bulls were in a bowl for the first time since 2010 and rewarded Taggart with a three-year extension through 2020 earlier in the day.

"I believe in Coach T," Flowers said. "He believes in me and he believes in this team."

Down 14-0 early before finally getting on the scoreboard on Wales' touchdown run, the Hilltoppers seemed poised to tie the game in the second quarter after driving to the South Florida 6.
 
And then they punted. That's right, they punted, after having first-and-goal.

Another year, another oddity in a bowl game for Western Kentucky. Last year the Hilltoppers won the Bahamas Bowl despite giving up five straight touchdowns to Central Michigan – including a three-lateral, 75-yarder as time expired, escaping with a 49-48 win only after the Chippewas' 2-point conversion try failed.

This year's `what-was-that?' moment for the Hilltoppers was having a 4th-and-goal from the 38. Doughty completed five consecutive passes for 69 yards on the drive, getting his team to the USF 6. A first-and-goal rush for no gain was followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and then sacks of 7 and 10 yards on second and third down, and that led to the punt.

But WKU got a field goal late in the half to pull to 14-10, and then Doughty found Norris for the first of their two long third-quarter touchdown connections to put the Hilltoppers on top for good.

And after D'Ernest Johnson connected with Tyre McCants to get the Bulls within 24-21, Doughty helped WKU answer with a score – throwing a key block on Nacarius Fant's 9-yard double-reverse scoring run late in the third.

With USF still down 10 with 3 minutes left, Flowers overthrew A.J. Legree on fourth down from the Hilltoppers 39 and Western Kentucky could finally exhale.
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Middle Tennessee falls to Western Michigan in Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

Middle Tennessee started fast but couldn't finish as strongly in a 45-31 setback against Western Michigan in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Thursday afternoon.

The game was close throughout and it was tied 31-31 in the fourth quarter, but Western Michigan (8-6) scored 14 unanswered points to pull away and come away with the victory. The loss ended a four-game win streak for the Blue Raiders (7-6).

Freshman quarterback Brent Stockstill completed 26-of-39 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the setback. Stockstill set a new single-season NCAA freshman passing completions mark after connecting on 26 passes against Western Michigan. Stockstill ended the season with 327 completions to break the previous record of 321 set by Kentucky's Jared Lorenzen in 2000.

Classmate Richie James capped a solid season with another solid game. James had eight receptions for 126 yards – his fifth game with 100-plus yards – and three touchdowns. James had two receiving touchdowns and one rushing score of 46 yards. He also set a new single-season receiving mark with 1,346 on the season - good enough to break Kerry Wright's mark of 1,280 yards set in 2003. Senior receiver Ed Batties capped his career with five receptions for 88 yards.

Trailing 31-24 early in the fourth quarter, Middle Tennessee evened the score in a manner its fans have become accustomed – Stockstill connecting with James. The freshmen struck once again with Stockstill finding James for a 29-yard touchdown to tie the game, 31-31, with 9:41 remaining. It was Stockstill's third passing touchdown of the game, and James third score overall with two receiving scores and one rushing touchdown.

Western Michigan's Jamauri Bogan ran in from 1 yard out as the Broncos reclaimed the advantage, 38-31, with 6:12 remaining. Stockstill was intercepted on Middle Tennessee's next possession and Western Michigan cashed in when Bogan scored from the 1, his fourth touchdown of the game, to push the lead to 45-31 with 5:00 remaining. The Blue Raiders were highly representative from the outset.

Middle Tennessee wasn't no time in getting the scoring started when James took a handoff and went around the left end for 46 yards and a Blue Raider touchdown. The rapid score capped a five-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:17 and staked the Blue Raiders to a 7-0 lead following Cody Clark's point after.

Western Michigan stormed right back with a big play of its own and evened the score on a 62-yard touchdown run from Jamauri Bogan with 12:43 remaining in the first quarter.

The fast start to the Bahamas Bowl continued when the Blue Raiders regained possession. Middle Tennessee turned in another five-play, 75-yard drive ending with a James touchdown. Stockstill connected with James for a 44-yard touchdown strike that went down as the longest scoring pass for the Blue Raiders in a bowl game. It provided them a 14-7 lead with 11:04 remaining in the first quarter.

Middle Tennessee's defense got into the action when it came up with a big stand on Western Michigan's ensuing possession. The Broncos had the ball first-and-goal at the 5 and the drive eventually ended with a missed 30-yard field goal. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty hampered the drive for Western Michigan.

After Western Michigan came back with a 47-yard field goal to narrow the lead to 14-10, Clark answered with a 23-yard effort of his own to push Middle Tennessee ahead 17-10 with 1:04 remaining. By the end of the quarter, the teams were tied, 17-17, following a long run for Central Michigan.

The teams combined for almost 500 yards of total offense in the first quarter with each gaining 241 for a total of 482.

Defensive lineman Justin Akins came up with the first big defensive play when he intercepted a Western Michigan pass to give the Blue Raiders possession at the plus 19. The play didn't end as a highlight after the offense was stopped at the 1 and unable to turn the miscue into points.

Western Michigan started at its 1 but was able to flip the field after driving to the Blue Raiders' 45 before being forced to punt. Michael Minter's pass break-up on third-down ended the drive and forced the punt, and Middle Tennessee took over at its 14.

After a high-scoring, fast-paced first quarter, the game turned into a defensive showcase in the second quarter. The teams combined for nearly 500 first-quarter yards, but just 147 in the second quarter with the Blue Raiders gaining 56, and the Broncos, 91.

Western Michigan came up with the first big play of the second half. The Broncos went for it on 4th-and-1 from the Blue Raider 46, and turned it into a 46-yard touchdown on the strength of a Jamauri Bogan run. It gave the Broncos their first lead of the game, 24-17, with 12:03 remaining in the third quarter.

Middle Tennessee's defense continued to play well and the offense finally capitalized on field position when it took over at the Broncos 32 late in the third quarter. Two plays later, Stockstill connected with Collis for a 17-yard touchdown. It was Stockstill's second touchdown of the game, tying a Blue Raider bowl record, and tying the game, 24-24, with 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
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Marshall Wins St. Petersburg Bowl over Connecticut, 16-10

Chase Litton went 23 for 34 for 218 yards and one touchdown as Marshall won its 10th game this season by beating Connecticut 16-10 in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Saturday.

Nick Smith had three field goals for Marshall (10-3), including a 32-yarder with 1:44 to play that was part of a 13-play, 80-yard march that lasted 6:35. The Thundering Herd went 13-1 a year ago and 10-4 in 2013.

Bryant Shirreffs completed 10 of 17 passes for 86 yards and gained 75 yards on 19 carries for UConn (6-7), which came up short in a bid to have a winning record for the first time since 2010.

UConn stopped Marshall on fourth-and-2 at the 17 on the initial drive of the second half after the Thundering Herd opted to skip a field goal try that could have made it 16-7.

The Thundering Herd also failed to increase a 13-7 lead on their next possession when Smith missed a 43-yard field goal attempt with less than 3 minutes left in the third.

The Huskies got within 13-10 on Bobby Puyol's 52-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the third.

Marshall took a 7-0 lead 7 minutes into the game when Litton, who played in high school in Tampa, threw a 16-yard TD pass to Ryan Yurachek. Deandre Reaves' 26-yard punt return set up Marshall at the UConn 20.

Reaves also had nine receptions for 88 yards.

Connecticut tied it at 7 late in the first on an 8-yard run by Ron Johnson that completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive.

Marshall responded with a 13-play, 65-yard drive that concluded with Smith's 21-yard field goal that gave the Thundering Herd a 10-7 advantage 8 minutes before halftime.

Smith made it 13-7 with a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the first half that finished off a 15-play, 85-yard drive.

Connecticut sophomore cornerback Jamar Summers got his eighth interception of the season, including six in the last five games, early in the fourth.
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Southern Miss Falls to Washington in Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl

Myles Gaskin broke a third-quarter tie with an 86-yard run and finished with a season-high 181 yards and four touchdowns to help Washington beat Southern Miss, 44-31 on Saturday in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The Huskies (7-6) won their last two regular-season games by a combined 97-17 over Oregon State and Washington State to become bowl eligible and then delivered Chris Petersen's first postseason victory in his two seasons at Washington.

Gaskin's other scores came on 2- and 1-yard runs in the first quarter and a 13-yarder in the fourth. On the 86-yarder, the freshman took a handoff inside, broke to the left sideline and shook off one final defender at the Southern Miss 35.

Gaskin, the game's most valuable player, gained 170 yards in the second half on 17 carries after being held to 11 yards on nine rushes in the first half. His previous high was 155 yards against Oregon.

The Golden Eagles (9-5) were seeking their first win over a Power 5 conference team since 2011.

They played without rushing leader Jalen Richard. A Southern Miss official said Richard, one of two Golden Eagles with 1,000 yards rushing this season, was held because of an unspecified injury.

Nick Mullens threw touchdowns passes of 56 and 27 yards by Michael Thomas for the Eagles, and Ito Smith added 1- and 2-yard scoring runs.

The Golden Eagles averaged 519.8 yards during the regular season, including their 45-28 loss to Western Kentucky in the Conference USA championship game. On Saturday, they gained 375. They were held to 22 net rushing yards with Smith, who gained 1,088 during the season, leading the way with 40.

Gaskin's 86-yard run was the sixth-longest in school history. It came on Washington's first play from scrimmage after Southern Miss recovered a fumble near midfield to set up Smith's second touchdown run that tied it at 24.

Tomas set a Southern Miss record with 14 touchdown catches this season.

Receiver Jaydon Mickens scored Washington's other touchdown on a 29-yard run in the second quarter. Mickens took a handoff on what appeared to be an end around following a fake inside, then cut inside and was virtually untouched. The five-play, 65-yard drive included a 20-yard pass to Mickens that was upheld after a challenge from Southern Miss.
 
Smith's 1-yard touchdown plunge through the middle followed a 36-yard catch by Thomas along the left sideline just short of the pylon.

That 80-yard drive was kept alive by punter Tyler Sarrazin's 22-yard pass to Curtis Mikell on fourth-and-5 at the Golden Eagles 25. In Southern Miss' win at Rice in mid-November, Sarrazin threw for a touchdown off a fake field-goal attempt.
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2015 C-USA Bowl Notables



- C-USA Champion WKU finished the season at 12-2. The Hilltoppers are just the fifth team in C-USA history to win 12 games in a season (two teams won 13).  Currently, only No. 1 Clemson (13-1) has more victories than WKU.
 
- Marshall won its fifth straight bowl, defeating Connecticut in the St. Petersburg Bowl today, 16-10. The Thundering Herd finished with 10 or more wins for the third straight year, the first time a C-USA team has accomplished that feat. Marshall is only school outside the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC to win 10 or more games in each of the last three seasons.
 
- With Louisiana Tech (9-4) and Southern Miss (9-5) each winning nine games, this marks the fourth time in C-USA history that four teams have won nine or more games in a season (2013, 2003).
 
- As of today, Conference USA has the FBS leader in passing touchdowns for seniors (WKU’s Brandon Doughty with 48), juniors (Southern Miss’ Nick Mullens with 38, tied with Washington State’s Luke Falk), redshirt freshmen (Middle Tennessee’s Brent Stockstill with 30) and true freshmen (Marshall’s Chase Litton with 23).
 
- Doughty, Mullens, Stockstill and Louisiana Tech’s Jeff Driskel all threw for more than 4,000 yards this season, marking the first time in league history that four different QB’s reached that mark.
 
- Southern Miss finished tied with Washington State for the largest victory increase in the FBS at +6. After both teams won three games last season, they each won nine games in 2015.
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