TODAY’S GAMES

South Florida quarterback Quinton Flowers needs 47 yards to break the American Athletic Conference’s career record for total offense as he leads the No. 23 Bulls against Texas Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.
South Florida quarterback Quinton Flowers needs 47 yards to break the American Athletic Conference’s career record for total offense as he leads the No. 23 Bulls against Texas Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.

All times Central

Birmingham Bowl

NO. 23 SOUTH FLORIDA (9-2) VS. TEXAS TECH (6-6)

SITE Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala. TIME (TV) 11 a.m. (ESPN)

LINE South Florida by 3 SERIES First meeting

WHAT’S AT STAKE South Florida is gunning for a second consecutive season with double-digit victories and back-to-back Birmingham Bowl victories over teams from Power 5 conferences. Texas Tech can avoid the third losing record of Kliff Kingsbury’s five seasons after closing the regular season with a comeback victory over Texas. KEY MATCHUP South Florida’s offense against a Texas Tech team that ranks 99th in total defense and 123rd in passing yards allowed. The Red Raiders have made strides this season defensively but face an offense that ranks ninth in total yards and rushing yards per game, and 16th in scoring average.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SOUTH FLORIDA QB Quinton Flowers has passed for 2,600 yards and 21 TDs but also leads the team with 972 rushing yards. With 11,385 yards of total offense, he needs just 47 to break the American Athletic Conference career record held by Temple’s Phillip Walker.

TEXAS TECH WR Keke Coutee’s 1,242 receiving yards rank fourth among receivers from Power 5 conferences. He’s coming off a 168-yard performance against Texas, the fourth time Coutee topped 150 yards this season.

Armed Forces Bowl

ARMY (9-3) VS. SAN DIEGO STATE (10-2)

SITE Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth TIME (TV) 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

LINE San Diego State by 6½ SERIES San Diego State leads 2-0 WHAT’S AT STAKE San Diego State is looking for its third consecutive season of 11 victories while playing in its eighth consecutive bowl game. The Aztecs would be just the fifth school to win 11 or more games in each of the past three seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma. Army is trying to reach double-digit victories for just the second time in program history, joining the 1996 team.

KEY MATCHUP Army’s running game against San Diego State’s defense: The Black Knights had four games this season in which they did not complete a pass, winning three of them. Army beat Air Force 21-0 without throwing a pass. Army led the nation in rushing offense, amassing 355.8 yards per game. The Aztecs’ defense ranked ninth against the run, holding opponents to 110.4 yards per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

ARMY LB James Nachtigal stepped up with the loss of several key play-making linebackers, racking up a team-leading 98 tackles with 5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. He had 36 tackles over a three-game stretch.

SAN DIEGO STATE RB Rashaad Penny ran for 2,027 yards and 19 TDs. He came up with TDs as a receiver, kick and punt returner, too. He not only led the nation in all-purpose yards, he averaged more than 40 yards per game more than the No. 2 man nationally, Penn State’s Saquon Barkley.

Dollar General Bowl

APPALACHIAN STATE (8-4) VS. TOLEDO (11-2)

SITE Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. TIME (TV) 6 p.m. (ESPN)

LINE Toledo by 6½ SERIES Appalachian State leads 1-0 WHAT’S AT STAKE Appalachian State and Toledo meet for the second consecutive season after the Mountaineers beat the Rockets 31-28 in the Camellia Bowl in 2016. Appalachian State will try to win its third bowl game in three seasons after making the full transition from FCS to FBS. Toledo is trying to tie a school record with 12 victories.

KEY MATCHUP Toledo QB Logan Woodside vs. Appalachian State’s defense: Woodside has thrown for 3,758 yards, 28 TDs and 5 INTs this season. His top target WR Diontae Johnson has 1,257 yards receiving and 13 TDs. The Rockets will match up with a Mountaineers’ defense that allowed just 10 points per game during its three-game winning streak to end the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

APPALACHIAN STATE QB Taylor Lamb. The senior has thrown for 2,606 yards and 27 TDs. He’s also run for 539 yards and 5 TDs and is averaging 7.7 yards per carry. TOLEDO RB Terry Swanson. The Rockets can run just as well as they throw. Swanson leads the way with 1,319 yards rushing and 14 TDs. He’s averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Upcoming Events