The four games between Monday and Friday feature some of the most underrated quarterbacks in the FBS.
UTSA Roadrunners senior Frank Harris is the most prominent signal-caller among the players playing this week.
The Frisco Bowl will be Harris’ swan song with UTSA after five years at quarterback and that game should be a celebration of his talents.
The most offensive fireworks will likely come from the Gasparilla Bowl, where two veteran quarterbacks can take advantage of a pair of weak defenses.
The week begins with the famous Toastery Bowl in Charlotte, where a team with a quarterback disadvantage is the more reliable side because of its defense.
The Famous Roaster Bowl (Monday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have the largest reported absence in the Famous Toastery Bowl, but that shouldn’t count them out of the game.
Hilltoppers quarterback Austin Reed, who has thrown for 3,340 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, is not expected to play. Per Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.
However, WKU will have No. 1 receiver Malachi Corley, a 32-yard receiver and 1,000-yard shot, with most of its turnover-hungry defense still available.
Corley will be asked to back up expected starter Turner Helton in the passing game, and can take advantage of an Old Dominion defense that allows a total of 386 yards per game.
WKU’s defense could take the pressure off Helton as well. That unit recorded 14 interceptions and forced 12 fumbles, 11 of which were recovered.
ODU quarterback Grant Wilson was sacked 51 times and threw seven interceptions in the regular season. He was dropped at least five times in six games.
The Kings have had problems separating from teams in their six wins. They had an overall margin of victory of 23 points and only scored more than 30 points in one of those wins.
WKU’s defensive pressure combined with the lack of all-out explosiveness from ODU’s offense makes it difficult to trust the Monarchs with the point spread, especially as it continues to grow with Reed away from the Hilltoppers.
Frisco Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris is the most popular player on the midweek list.
Harris will play the final game of his five-year career in the Frisco Bowl against Marshall, which faces a major mismatch at quarterback.
Cole Pennington, the son of former NFL quarterback Chad Pennington, will start alongside Cam Fancher in the transfer portal. Pennington had no touchdown passes and six interceptions in his three games.
Pennington will rely heavily on 1,000-yard rusher Rasheen Ali against a UTSA defense that has given up 137.7 yards per game and will be without top rusher Trey Moore.
UTSA’s defense can focus on stopping Ali, which should force Pennington to win the game, something he hasn’t proven he can do through the air during his young college career.
The Thundering Herd will likely have to play catch up with the Roadrunners, who can hit any defense from many angles.
UTSA has four receivers with 30 or more catches, led by 1,000-yard wide receiver Joshua Cephus, two running backs with 100-plus carries and a dual-threat quarterback in Harris with 2,829 total yards.
The Roadrunners are expected to eclipse the 30-point mark with ease, just as they have in each contest of their seven-game winning streak that ended Nov. 24 at the hands of the Tulane Green Wave.
Marshall doesn’t have the complete offense to go score-for-score with UTSA and that could turn the Frisco Bowl into a blowout for the Roadrunners.
Boca Raton Bowl (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
South Florida has more incentive to play well in the Boca Raton Bowl than Syracuse.
The Bulls have won three of their last five games to become bowl eligible and can use a win over a Power-Five program to create momentum next season.
Syracuse is going through a transition from fired coach Dino Babers to new head coach Fran Brown and the program is already heading toward 2024. Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord announced his move to Syracuse on Sunday.
USF freshman quarterback Byrum Brown can use the Boca Raton Bowl to build on one of the best seasons from an underclassman at the Group of Five level.
Brown produced 3,823 total yards and had two of his best performances of the season in November. He had four touchdown passes in the regular season finale against the Charlotte 49ers and scored five touchdowns in a 59-50 loss to the Memphis Tigers.
Brown is also dynamic on the floor. He has scored a quick goal in four of his last five games and has had three multi-goal games with his legs.
USF’s new star should thrive against a mediocre Syracuse defense with little motivation to win and that could be a breakout performance for the national crowd.
Gasparilla Bowl (Friday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
The Gasparilla Bowl has the potential to be the most exciting game of the bowl season.
Georgia Tech’s defense is giving up 438.2 total yards per game and the UCF franchise average is 392.7 total yards per contest.
Midfielders Haynes King (GT) and John Rhys Plumlee (UCF) have a good handle on their respective attacks and can move the ball with ease for four quarters.
King, a transfer from Texas A&M, threw for 2,755 yards and ran for 648 yards with 35 total touchdowns.
Plumlee, who also came to his school as a transfer from the SEC, is explosive on both sides of the UCF offense. He had at least 200 receiving yards and 50 receiving yards in each of his last three games.
Plumlee’s overall numbers aren’t as impressive as King’s because he missed some time in October due to injury, but at his best, he’s one of the most reliable dual-threat quarterbacks in the FBS.
Neither program is dealing with any major absences in the bowl game, and that would allow King and Plumlee to duel for four quarters to give us the highest contest of the bowl season.
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