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St. Petersburg Bowl: Connecticut vs Marshall TV info, live stream odds, predictions, and more

By Danny Jaillet

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The St. Petersburg Bowl features the Connecticut Huskies taking on the Marshall Thundering Herd. Here’s the complete game capsule to get you ready for the game.

The St. Petersburg Bowl between the Connecticut Huskies (6-6) and Marshall Thundering Herd (9-3) features two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum. One team looks to get back to its winning ways while the other team looks to continue its good fortune.

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Connecticut looks to enter the win column again after losing to a tough Temple team in the final contest of the season.

With that in mind, the Huskies played some impressive football throughout the season, including notching a win against the No. 19 Houston Cougars. Key to their bowl appearance was a stretch where they won three games in a row against ECU, Tulane, and the Cougars.

Under center is sophomore Bryant Shirreffs who passed for 1,992 yards and nine touchdowns. One of his most notable performances of the season came against UCF October 10 as he went 16-22 for 256 yards and a touchdown. His 72.7 completion percentage was his highest of the season as the Huskies rolled to a 40-13 victory.

Junior Noel Thomas was Shirreffs’ favorite target at the wide receiver position. His 54 receptions, 719 yards, and three touchdowns were all team-bests, and it seemed as though he performed at his best when the stakes were highest.

With seven receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns, he was a big part of the Huskies upset victory over the Cougars. After putting together a solid sophomore campaign last season, he really put things together this year to become a dependable target in the passing game.

The duo was a big reason for the Huskies’ success and the one-two punch of Shirreffs and Thomas proved to be a challenge for opponents to handle.

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Marshall looks to get back in the win column as well after falling to Western Kentucky in the season finale by a 49-28 score. After starting the season 1-1, the Herd reeled off a seven-game win streak that ultimately propelled them to a bowl. The offense scored over 30 points in six of the seven games during the streak and appeared to find its groove at just the right time.

While the Huskies’ boast a one-two-punch, the Thundering Herd’s offense centers on the passing attack. Freshman Chase Litton anchored the aerial attack as he played like a seasoned starter, throwing for 2,387 yards 22 touchdowns. His most notable game came during the Herd’s roll as went 33-48 for 486 yards and two touchdowns to defeat Charlotte by a 34-10 margin on Halloween.

Wide receiver Davonte Allen led the ‘Herd in the ’15 campaign with 56 catches for 696 yards and five touchdowns. He really got better as the season progressed and that was clear on Halloween as he caught 12 of Litton’s passes for 232 yards and a touchdown.

  • Date: Saturday, December 26, 2015
  • Time: 10:00 AM ET
  • Location: Tropicana Field, Saint Petersburg, FL
  • TV Channel: ESPN
  • Live Stream: WatchESPN
  • Spread: Marshall -4.5

Prediction

With both duos really giving both sides the complete package offensively, this should be an exciting game to watch. Marshall will be too much for Connecticut to handle and will secure the victory for their third season in a row with at least 10 wins and second bowl game victory in a row.

Marshall’s explosive offense averaged 32.6 points per game, while their defense gave up 18.4 points per game. Connecticut scored 17.8 points per game, while giving up 19.8 points per contest. Marshall’s offense will be too much for the Huskies to handle, and although they will put up a valiant effort, it will not be enough to tame the Herd.

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