College Sports

High-scoring UCF squares off vs Marshall in Gasparilla Bowl

Posted December 22, 2019 6:00 am

By The Associated Press

Desiigner, center, a Brooklyn rapper, poses with Marshall and UCF players before the OnBikes Player Build as part of a Gasparilla Bowl NCAA college football event Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa, Fla. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP) The Associated Press

Gasparilla Bowl: Central Florida (9-3, 6-2 American) vs. Marshall (8-4, 6-2 Conference USA), Monday at 2:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).

Line: UCF by 17 1/2.

Series record: UCF 8-3.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Concerns about a letdown may be tempered with UCF playing about 100 miles from its Orlando campus in nearby Tampa, Florida. The Knights played in New Year's Day bowl games the previous two seasons, beating Auburn two years ago in the Peach Bowl and losing to LSU in the last season's Fiesta Bowl. Marshall has a knack for bowl success under coach Doc Holliday; the Thundering Herd are 6-0.

KEY MATCHUP

The quick-strike, high-scoring Central Florida offense against the Marshall defense. The Knights average 43 points and 536.6 yards but have the ball just 26:22 per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UCF: True freshman quarterback Gabriel Dillon has thrown for 3,393 yards and 27 touchdowns.

MARSHALL: Sophomore running back Brenden Knox may play a major role in helping the Thundering Herd's defense by keeping UCF's offense off the field if he has success in the ground game. The Conference USA MVP leads the league with 1,284 rushing yards.

FACTS & FIGURES

The game is being played at Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and UCF's in-state and conference rival South Florida. ... UCF is 34-4 since the start of the 2017 season. ... Marshall is allowing 23.1 points a game.

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Central Florida quarterback Dillon Gabriel (11) runs out of the pocket during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against South Florida, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.) The Associated Press

Central Florida running back Otis Anderson (2) sprints away from South Florida players during the second half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.) The Associated Press

Central Florida quarterback Dillon Gabriel (11) throws a short pass during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against South Florida, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.) The Associated Press

Marshall head coach Doc Holliday, right, laughs with associate athletics director David Steele as players participate in the OnBikes Player Build as part of a Gasparilla Bowl NCAA college football event Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa, Fla. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP) The Associated Press

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