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Top 5 Non-Cotton Bowl Games Featuring Group of Five Teams

By Zach Bigalke

Oct 29, 2016; Laramie, WY, USA; Wyoming Cowboys wide receiver Austin Conway (25) runs against the Boise State Broncos during the fourth quarter at War Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Broncos 30-28. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Laramie, WY, USA; Wyoming Cowboys wide receiver Austin Conway (25) runs against the Boise State Broncos during the fourth quarter at War Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Broncos 30-28. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Temple Owls running back Jager Gardner (27) carries the ball to score a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the East Carolina Pirates at Lincoln Financial Field. The Temple Owls won 37-10. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Temple Owls running back Jager Gardner (27) carries the ball to score a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the East Carolina Pirates at Lincoln Financial Field. The Temple Owls won 37-10. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Military Bowl

#24 Temple Owls v. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

  • Date: Tuesday, Dec. 27
  • Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Annapolis, MD
  • Venue: Navy-Marine Corps Stadium
  • TV: ESPN
  • Live Stream: WatchESPN

Temple enters the postseason as one of two ranked Group of Five teams besides Western Michigan. The Owls knocked off Navy for the AAC championship in Annapolis on Championship Saturday. Their reward is a return trip to Navy’s home field for the Military Bowl against Wake Forest. They will face the Demon Deacons without head coach Matt Rhule, who accepted the Baylor position after leading the Owls to the AAC title. Temple featured one of the best defenses in the nation, equally adept at stopping the run and stifling the pass.

Wake Forest opened the year 5-1, and looked like a dark-horse candidate in the ACC. Then they lost a close 17-6 contest at Florida State, beginning a fall that ended with losses in five of the Demon Deacons’ last six games. Like Temple, Wake Forest depended heavily on its defense. But the Demon Deacons fielded an offense that was not merely mediocre but flat out abysmal, ranking outside the top 100 in every major category. We know now that opponents gained an advantage from a double agent leaking game plans. The best thing going for Dave Clawson’s team is that they were one of the least penalized teams of 2016.

The last time these two teams met, Wake Forest lost 36-0 in Philadephia — in 1930. Given that there is no modern history between the schools on the football field, the game comes down to how seriously the AAC champions take their Power Five competition. Wake Forest is going to find it hard to move against the Owls defense, and thus it comes down to how wekk the Demon Deacons can contain Phillip Walker, Jahad Thomas, and the rest of a decent Temple offense.

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