BYU vs UCF: RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl prediction and game preview.
BYU vs UCF: RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Broadcast
Date: Tuesday, December 22
Game Time: 7:00 pm
Venue: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Network: ESPN
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
BYU (10-1) vs UCF (6-3) Game Preview
For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM
Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
– At least in terms of branding, this has the best shot at being the strongest bowl until well after Christmas. UCF isn’t the UCF of past seasons, but it’s still a dangerous team with the second-best passing offense in college football. BYU might have lost a thriller to Coastal Carolina, but it’s been dominant throughout the rest of the season, has a first round NFL quarterback in Zach Wilson, and it needs this to prove that, yeah, it really was that good.
– UCF was spoiled with back-to-back New Year’s Six seasons, but it was still able to roll Marshall – who had never lost a bowl under head coach Doc Holliday – in last year’s Gasparilla, and this bowl season a win would do wonders going into the offseason. The team had to deal with a slew of opt-outs, but it still made it through the slate clean. The three losses? Tulsa, Cincinnati, and a 50-49 shootout at Memphis.
In a relatively down year, UCF lost three games each by eight points or fewer. The last time the Knights lost by more than eight points was December 17, 2016 in a 31-13 loss to Arkansas State in the Cure Bowl.
– It was all but over. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake followed up a 4-9 season with a mediocre 7-6 run in 2018, and then his Cougars started out 2-4 last year. He was done, that was it, and then … a five-game winning streak changed everything.
The season ended with two losses, but the returning team was loaded, it came out with a total destruction of Navy, and had one last Wilson pass been able get stretched out into the end zone against Coastal Carolina, it would be in a New Year’s Six game. This would easily be the strongest win of the season.
Why BYU, UCF Will Win
What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History
NEXT: Why BYU Will Win, Why UCF Will Win, BYU vs UCF Prediction
Why BYU Will Win
– Zach Wilson is just that special. The 6-3, 210-pound junior isn’t Trevor Lawrence, but he’s a top 15 NFL Draft pick with the arm, the size, and the mobility to do everything right. He has a grand total of three interceptions on the year, he has rushed for eight scores, and he completed 73% of his passes for 3,267 yards and 30 touchdowns. He can hit the big play, he’s great at keeping the chains moving, and best of all, he doesn’t have to do everything with a great ground game to take the heat off.
– The Cougar success is coming from the great play from the lines. The run defense is a brick wall, the offensive line is great in pass protection and at springing the big runs, and UCF’s lines aren’t as good. They’re not bad, but they’re about to get powered on.
– Again, the ground game. Wilson is the signature star, but Tyler Allgeier averages over seven yards per carry with 12 scores, Lopini Katoa can thump, and the great line paves the way for all the parts that average over 200 rushing yards per game. UCF got hit for 242 yards by USF in the regular season finale and is guaranteed to give up at least 150 to this group.
Why UCF Will Win
– Dillon Gabriel isn’t Zach Wilson, but he’s a brilliant passer who can bomb away in any shootout. He can run a bit, has thrown for over nine yards per pass with 30 touchdowns and just four picks, and he’s even better than Wilson when it comes to getting the chains moving. BYU hasn’t faced a whole slew of big passing games, but it got hit for 310 yards by Houston. Gabriel will throw for 300 yards.
– The defense might not be fantastic, but it’s able to generate a whole lot of big plays. It leads the AAC and is second in the nation in takeaways with 22 – forcing two or more in six games. There likely won’t be any picks from Wilson, but the Cougars have turned it over three times in the last two games. Any takeaways will be massive to break up the offensive firefight.
– The BYU line is tough, strong, and great against the run, but it doesn’t do a whole lot to get into the backfield. There’s not a big pass rush, and it doesn’t come up with enough tackles for loss to matter. Give Gabriel time to work, and it’s off to the races.
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, BYU vs UCF Prediction, RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl History
What’s Going To Happen
BYU hasn’t seen anything like this UCF offense.
The Cougar offensive line will batter and bully its way to a big day from the ground game, but the defense is about to deal with a high-powered passing attack that’s going to go off.
These two will trade punches all game long in a fun battle – UCF will score the most points put up all year on the BYU D – with Gabriel being great, Wilson being better, and with at least five scoring plays of more than 40 yards.
UCF will get the offense going consistently enough in the second half to get out in a thriller.
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: BYU vs UCF Prediction, Line
UCF 37, BYU 34
Bet on BYU vs UCF with BetMGM
BYU -6.5, o/u: 75.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
Must See Rating: 4.5
5: New Year’s Day on the couch
1: New Year’s Eve going out
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl History
Dec. 21, 2019 Florida Atlantic 52, SMU 28
Dec. 18, 2018 UAB 37, Northern Illinois 13
Dec. 19, 2017 Florida Atlantic 50, Akron 3
Dec. 20, 2016 WKU 51, Memphis 31
Dec. 22, 2015 Toledo 32 Temple 17
Dec. 23, 2014 Marshall 52 Northern Illinois 23
