Tuesday, Dec. 18 -- 7 p.m. ET
FAU Stadium -- Boca Racon, Fla
The Boca Raton Bowl, in fact, is just one of three bowl games -- and the only game outside of the College Football Playoff -- that matches two conference champions.
Northern Illinois shook off two losses to win the MAC title with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Buffalo. Similarly, UAB won the Conference USA title game after stumbling to a pair of losses to close the Blazers regular season.
Here’s more on the two teams.
ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM BLAZERS (10-3, 7-1 C-USA)
➤➤ UAB won its conference title four years after cutting the sport. Several months later, the program was reinstated, but it required a degree of rebuilding.
➤➤ After setting virtually every record in their return season of 2017, the Blazers continued their climb to post 10 wins in 2018. Their lone regular season conference loss was a 27-3 loss at Middle Tennessee, and they avenged that one week later with a 25-25 C-USA title game victory.
➤➤ After losing to Coastal Carolina in Week Two, Alabama Birmingham reeled off a school record eight straight wins.
➤➤ Fourteen Blazers earned all-conference honors. Leading the group were first teamers Spencer Brown (RB) and Justice Powers (OT).
➤➤ Brown followed his Freshman All-American season in 2017 with another big year. He accumulated 1,149 rushing yards and scored 16 touchdowns (seventh nationally)
➤➤ The Blazers defense ranked among the nation’s top ten in six different categories. UAB is 10th in total defense (300.2 ypg) and second in third down defense (.250). It is also fourth nationally in sacks per game (3.31) and is 10th in scoring defense (17.3 ypg).
➤➤ UAB leads the nation in shutouts (3). The program previously registered just five shutouts in his entire history.
➤➤ Alabama Birmingham’s offense has converted 44.3 percent of its third down opportunities.
➤➤ Quarterback A.J. Erderly has battled a late season injury and his status for the bowl game is unclear. Freshman Tyler Johnson III stepped in for the C-USA title game, completing 9-of-15 for 140 yards with one TD and one interception.
➤➤ Brown carried 31 times for 156 yards and one TD in the championship game. Johnson added 56 yards and a score on 17 carries.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES (8-5, 6-2 MAC)
➤➤ After losing their first two outings of 2018, the Huskies won seven of their next eight, including six straight.
➤➤ NIU lost to Miami (13-7) and Western Michigan (28-21) in its final two regular season games.
➤➤ Northern Illinois was down 29-10 late in the third quarter against favored Buffalo in the MAC Championship game, but NIU scored the game’s final 20 points for a 30-29 victory.
➤➤ Northern Illinois is making its 10th bowl appearance in the last 11 seasons. However, NIU is looking for its first bowl win since 2011.
➤➤ The Huskie defense has held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing in seven games this season. Sutton Smith leads the nation in sacks with 15 and ranks second in the FBS in tackles for loss after recording two sacks and 3.5 TFLs in the MAC title game.
➤➤ Josh Corcoran is a bookend for Smith, recording 10.0 sacks from the other defensive end.
➤➤ Quarterback Marcus Childers threw for a career-high 300 yards with four touchdown passes on the way to MVP honors in the MAC Championship game.
➤➤ Sophomore Tre Harbison is the Huskies top rusher. He has carried 188 times for 985 yards (5.1 ypc).
➤➤ Jauan Wesley and D.J. Brown have combined for 104 receptions, 1,069 yards and seven scores.