BOCA RATON, FL. – The 10th Annual Boca Raton Bowl will feature a Big East Throwback, showcasing the South Florida Bulls and the Syracuse Orange.
Boca Raton Bowl History
The Boca Raton Bowl is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023. The first game dates back to December of 2014, when Marshall beat NIU with a final score of 52-13 in front of a crowd of over 29,000 fans, according to Sports Reference. Toledo took the win in 2022 against Liberty with a final score of 21-19. The big game played at FAU Stadium has played host to some big names, like UCF and Appalachian State. This year, Boca Raton serves two teams who have never played in the Boca Raton Bowl before.
South Florida Bulls vs. Syracuse Orange Matchup History
The South Florida Bulls and the Syracuse Orange are this years’ competitors in the Boca Raton Bowl, but they’ve shared the field 10 times before. The Bulls have an 8-2 record against the Orange, dating back to their first matchup in 2005, according to USF Athletics. The last time these two teams shared the same field was in 2016, when USF scored 28 unanswered points to win with a final score of 45-20. In that same year, the Bulls held a 10-2 regular season record, earning a bid to the Birmingham Bowl where they defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks for USF’s 5th bowl win in program history.
South Florida Bulls 2023 Season
The South Florida Bulls have been in the spotlight ever since former Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Alex Golesh packed his bags and came to Tampa to become USF’s new Head Coach. In his first year with the team, Golesh led USF to a 6-6 record, a five-win improvement from last seasons’ depressing record of 1-11. The improvement ranks as the greatest turnaround in program history, according to USF Athletics.
The big component to look for with the Green and Gold is their offense. The Bulls nationally ranked 16th in total offense, according to the NCAA. There’s been a few key playmakers for South Florida, none bigger than quarterback Byrum Brown. Brown made a name for himself in 2023, shattering the single-season passing yards record for the Bulls while being the first quarterback in USF history with 3,000+ passing yards.
Brown’s main target in 2023 was Sean Atkins. The junior made a huge splash this year, destroying the USF season receptions and receiving yards records, making 86 catches for 961 yards, according to ESPN. Across the country, Atkins ranked 7th in receptions per game and 28th in receiving yards per game, according to USF Athletics.
South Florida Bulls Bowl Game History
The South Florida Bulls are finally back in a bowl game after five long seasons. Their first bowl win came in the PapaJohns.Com Bowl in 2006 against the Eastern Carolina Pirates. The Bulls’ last win in a bowl game came in the 2017 Birmingham Bowl against Texas Tech, according to Sports Reference. With an overall bowl game record of 6-4, USF will look to get lucky number seven at the Boca Raton Bowl against the Syracuse Orange.
Syracuse Orange 2023 Season
The Syracuse Orange notched a 6-6 regular season record, having to hang on in that final win against Wake Forest to earn bowl eligibility. The Orange may not rank high in total offense or defense, but their specialty comes in the rush. Running back LeQuint Allen ran for over 1,000 rushing yards in 2023, marking the third-consecutive season a Syracuse rusher surpassed 1,000 yards in a season, according to Syracuse Athletics. This will be big for South Florida, as they ranked 70th across the country in rushing defense.
Another component to the Syracuse Orange is their turnover game. The Orange took the ball away 21 times in 2023, which ties for 20th on a national scale, according to the NCAA. The South Florida Bulls only had one less turnover in 2023, which nationally knots them 30th in the country. However, the Orange also lost the ball 20 times during the regular season, which is the same amount as USF.
Syracuse Orange Bowl Game History
The Orange are heading back to a bowl game for the 28th time in program history. This year marks the first time they’ll play in a bowl game in back-to-back seasons since 2012-13, according to Syracuse Athletics. Syracuse faced Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl last season, which ended in a loss for the Orange. Syracuse’s first bowl Win came in the 1960 edition of the Cotton Bowl, where Syracuse defeated the Texas Longhorns. Holding a bowl game record of 16-10-1 record, the Orange will look to add a 17th bowl win against the Bulls.
Storylines of the Game.
This matchup of two former Big East Opponents is incredible. The big stories will be Byrum Brown having to be careful of the spectacular Syracuse defense, along with USF having to find a way to stop the Syracuse rush. The Boca Raton Bowl will be on Dec. 21, 2023 with a kickoff set at 8:00 p.m.