By The Numbers -- Dec. 19

With the initial glut of bowl games now over, it turns into a slow trickle. There is at least one game every day from now until New Years Day, with the only break coming on Christmas Day. So even though there isn't quite as much action in one day as there was on Saturday, there is something to fill your bowl dance card on just about every remaining night of 2017.

FAU RB Devin Singletary (Houston Chronicle)

This is one of the favorites for us, for two reasons -- location and Lane. It's in Florida, and for those of us suffering through an early blast of winter that will be a welcome sight. And then there's Lane Kiffin, a star in the coaching profession who is somehow hanging out with the hoi polloi in what amounts to a home game for his Owls. Kiffin walked into a trash heap, a 3-9 team, and turned it into a winner, and a really fun squad to boot. America will finally get to see RB Devin Singletary, who somehow was left off of most All-America teams despite leading the nation in touchdowns (29) by a ton, and an FAU team that loves to run the ball, but also can get a little bit tricky, too.

Oh, and Akron is there, too.

BOCA RATON BOWL
Florida Atlantic (10-3) vs. Akron (7-6)
THE SKINNY
FAU brings a ground game ranked sixth in the nation into this contest, and that could be bad news for an Akron defense that allows over five yards per carry and that also has trouble scoring. If Akron wants to win, it will need to keep up, and that could be easier said than done. Aside from Singletary, the Owls have a reliable quarterback in Jason Driskel, a great O-line and an underrated pass catching tight end in Harrison Bryant. So there is a lot for Akron to worry about. The Zips give up a lot of yardage, but interestingly have been very adept at picking off the football -- their 19 interceptions tied for second nationally (FAU is first, with 20). LB Ulysses Gilbert III is a force for Akron, his 127 tackles ranking in the nation's top 10. He and Singletary should meet a few times, for sure. CUSA is well-represented this bowl season, but Kiffin makes the Owls the star attraction. If FAU somehow botches this one it will be a real downer for the league.
LAST THREE RESULTS
2016 Western Kentucky 51, Memphis 31
2015 Toledo 32, Temple 17
2014 Marshall 52, Northern Illinois 23
Line -- FAU -22; Pick -- Florida Atlantic 48-20

2017 BOWL RECORD
Straight Up -- 1-4; Against The Spread -- 1-4