By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The UCF Knights and the Marshall Thundering Herd will do battle in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl. The game will kick off at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida at 2:30 pm EST on ESPN.
This is the 12th edition of the game. However, it is the third contest the game will be known as the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.
Before being named the Gasparilla Bowl, the game was known as the St. Petersburg Bowl and the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl.
Both teams are familiar with this Bowl game. Marshall and UCF have three previous appearances in this game.
Marshall is perfect in this Bowl game. One year ago, they defeated the USF Bulls in the 2018 contest. In 2015, the Thundering Herd defeated the Connecticut Huskies in the game.
Eight years ago, the team defeated FIU Golden Panthers in the 2011 contest.
UCF has one win, which came in 2012 over the Ball State Cardinals. The Knights were defeated by the North Carolina State Wolfpack in 2014.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights defeated the Knights in the second annual game in 2009.
The Knights bring a 9-3 record into the contest. They are on a two-game win streak.
UCF went a perfect 6-0 at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida. However, away from Orlando, the team has gone just 3-3.
They are averaging 43 points per contest. Their defense is giving up 22.83 points per contest.
Knights quarterback Dillon Gabriel has gone 222 of 374 for 3,393 yards. He has 27 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Otis Anderson leads the backs 104 carries for 665 yards and five touchdowns. Gabriel Davis leads the receivers with 72 receptions for 1,241 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Marshall brings an 8-4 contest into the game. They are on a one-game win streak.
The Thundering Herd is 6-1 at home this season at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. However, on the road, the team has gone just 2-3.
Their offense is scoring 25.8 points per game. Their defense is allowing 23.1 points per contest.
Thundering Herd quarterback Isaiah Green has gone 180 of 313 for 2,265 yards. He has thrown 14 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
Brenden Knox leads the backs with 244 carries for 1,284 yards and 11 touchdowns. Armani Levias leads the receivers with 43 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns.
