2017 Boca Raton Bowl


The 2017 Boca Raton Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 19, 2017, at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. The fourth edition of the Boca Raton Bowl featured the Conference USA champion Florida Atlantic Owls against the Mid-American Conference East Division champion Akron Zips. Kickoff was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST and the game aired on ESPN. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games that concluded the 2017 NCAA [Division I FBS football season|2017 FBS football season]. Sponsored by the Cheribundi beverage company, the game was officially known as the '''Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl.'''

Teams

The game featured the Akron Zips against the 2017 [Florida Atlantic Owls football team|Florida Atlantic Owls] and was the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Akron Zips

This was Akron's third bowl game in school history, first since 2015, and first Boca Raton Bowl; the Zips previously lost one bowl game and won one bowl game.

Florida Atlantic Owls

This was Florida Atlantic's third bowl game in school history, first since 2008, and first Boca Raton Bowl; the Owls won both of their previous bowl games.

Game summary

Statistics

StatisticsAkronFAU
First downs1129
Total offense, yards146582
Rushes-yards 37–6960–312
Passing yards 77270
Passes, Comp-Att-Int10–21–019–26–0
Time of Possession27:5232:08

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
AkronPassingKato Nelson9/15, 80 yds
AkronRushingManny Morgan17 car, 41 yds
AkronReceivingA.J. Coney2 rec, 28 yds
Florida AtlanticPassingJason Driskel19/25, 270 yds, 2 TD
Florida AtlanticRushingDevin Singletary26 car, 124 yds, 3 TD
Florida AtlanticReceivingKalib Woods4 rec, 79 yds