Birmingham Bowl Matchup

Posted December 03, 2017 6:00 am

By The Associated Press

No. 23 South Florida (9-2, 6-2 AAC) vs. Texas Tech (6-6, 3-6 Big 12), Dec. 23, 12 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Birmingham, Alabama.

TOP PLAYERS

South Florida: QB Quinton Flowers set school records with 605 total yards and 503 passing yards in a 49-42 loss to No. 10 UCF in the regular-season finale. Flowers' 11,395 total yards is 46 yards shy of the league's career mark set by Temple's Philip Walker from 2013-16.

Texas Tech: QB Nic Shimonek has passed for 3,547 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

NOTABLE

South Florida: 1-3 against Big 12 teams, all during the regular season. Ranks eighth nationally in total offense, averaging 508.6 yards per game. First-year coach Charlie Strong trying to lead team to its second straight season with double-digit wins.

Texas Tech: Last played at Legion Field in 1989, beating No. 20 Duke 49-21 in the 1989 All-American Bowl. Finished regular season with a come-from-behind win over in-state rival Texas, scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 27-23.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

South Florida: Third straight postseason appearance; 5-3 overall in bowl games. Beat South Carolina 46-39 in overtime in last year's Birmingham Bowl.

Texas Tech: 38th bowl appearance and has won four of its last five. That's the 20th-most bowl games in the FBS.

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More AP college football: collegefootball.ap.org and twitter.com/ap_top25.

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