The 10th installment of the Boca Raton Bowl will take place at FAU Stadium. The match-up in Boca Raton, FL will be between two 6-6 teams. The Syracuse Orange started the 2023 season off strong 4-0, before losing five straight to start ACC play. Syracuse was able to win two of the last three against Pitt and Wake Forest to get to six wins and become bowl-eligible. It was after the loss against Georgia Tech that Syracuse fired its head coach, Dino Babers. The Orange then rallied, won the final game against Wake Forest, and was selected to the Boca Raton Bowl. USF saw a different, more up-and-down 2023 season to get to the Boca Raton Bowl. However, the Bulls also had to win two of their final three to become bowl-eligible. And they did just that. Similar to Syracuse, USF beat Temple, took a loss against UTSA, and then came back to beat Charlotte and gain six wins.
2023 Boca Raton Bowl: Just the Particulars
Teams: Syracuse Orange (ACC) vs USF Bulls (AAC)
Date: December 21, 2023
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: ESPN
Syracuse and USF were once common foes, but this is the first time these two will face off in a bowl game. USF leads the all-time series 8-2 with the last meeting being in 2016.
Who to Watch for Syracuse
This will be the second and final game with interim head coach Nunzio Campanile at the helm. Campanile took over for Babers against Wake Forest and came away with a win. However, it will be Fran Brown’s team in 2024. Can Campanile work his magic one last time? It will depend on the Orange defense stopping the high-powered Bulls offense and the run game being able to pick apart a relatively weak USF defense.
The Orange defense will have to step up in a big way if they want to come away with a victory in the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl. USF has an explosive offense with a very balanced pass-rush attack. Syracuse comes into this contest ranking 55th in rushing defense this season. However, the pass defense hasn’t been up to par, ranking 76th amongst FBS defenses. The secondary will have a chance to get its 10th interception of the season, however. While the Bulls are explosive, their quarterback also tends to turn the ball over.
Syracuse will be without starting quarterback Garrett Shrader in this contest. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue though. The Orange have a very good running back in LeQuint Allen and have leaned on the run this season. The sophomore is already a 1,000-yard rusher for the 2023 season. He has racked up 1,062 rushing yards this season on 225 attempts. Further, he is averaging just under five yards per rush with nine rushing touchdowns. Allen is explosive and can change the course of a game. In addition to his rushing accolades, Allen has 36 receptions and one receiving touchdown. He can be utilized in many facets of the game. Against a Bulls defense that ranks 70th against the run in 2023, look for Allen to have a big day.
Who to Watch for USF
Six wins and a bowl game have been a long time coming for USF. The Bulls have not seen more than a four-win season since 2018. Earning just eight wins total from 2019 to 2022. This team was 1-11 a year ago, so to go bowling in 2023 is an accomplishment all on its own. Now to win it, it will take several key players.
USF saw a huge transformation under first-year head coach, Alex Golesh. Golesh took a 1-11 team and became bowl-eligible in one season. That is the complete opposite of what the team on the other sideline is currently dealing with. This is one area that USF has a leg up. The Bulls are playing the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl with the same head coach they have had all season. This is also a team that has only lost one starter to the transfer portal (seven entrees overall). Showing that these players want to play for Golesh. They have bought in and are ready to go.
Two offensive players to watch are starting quarterback Byrum Brown and wide receiver Sean Atkins. Brown appeared in four games during the 1-11 season in 2022 and accounted for five touchdowns and one interception. This season he threw for 3,078 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also added 11 more touchdowns with his legs, amassing 760 yards on the ground. Don’t forget his one reception for 15 yards. Brown led the team in rushing touchdowns and was the second-leading rusher. Only missing the top spot by 12 yards. His favorite target by far has been Atkins. Atkins is 39 yards away from a 1,000-yard receiving season. He is averaging 11.2 yards per catch and has five touchdowns. As you can see, this offense has been explosive. It won’t be because of the offense if USF loses this one.
