It is officially bowl season! Outside of the highly anticipated College Football Playoff, which expanded to 12 teams this season, there is plenty of college football entertainment lined up for this December. Whether it is an upstart program or a team looking to finish a down season strong, these matchups are set to be very interesting and competitive. One such matchup for bowl season is the Boca Raton Bowl. Located at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, the game will see the James Madison University Dukes facing off against the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers.
The Dukes, in their first year of FBS play, went 8-4 overall and had a 4-4 record in their Sun Belt Conference games. Some of their key victories included a 20-point win over North Carolina and a 39-7 win over Coastal Carolina.
On the other side of the matchup, the Hilltoppers have an 8-5 record in 2024. Despite losing to Jacksonville State in the Conference USA Championship game, they beat the Gamecocks a week prior to the regular season. Western Kentucky also has key wins over Sam Houston State and Toledo.
Between the game itself and the different events leading up to it, the whole environment surrounding the game looks to be one that can’t miss.
And if you were looking for the all-in-one preview for the Boca Raton Bowl, you are in the right place! Sit back, get comfortable, and follow along as we break down everything you need to know about this year’s big event!
About the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl
If you are reading this article, you may be asking what the Boca Raton Bowl is.
On the bowl’s official website, they give a comprehensive peek into what the game is and how it comes together in mid-December.
“The Boca Raton Bowl, a postseason college football bowl game owned and operated by ESPN Events, has agreements with five conferences (American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt Conference) plus select independents for berths in this year’s game. The game has logged 10 successful years with cumulative viewership surpassing 30 million households and total sponsoring value over $250 million. Over 50 Boca Raton Bowl alumni have gone on to be selected in the NFL Draft and dozens more have entered the league as undrafted free agents. In all, six conference champions and another three conference division champions have played in the game. “
Additionally, the website touts the game as “a celebrated annual holiday tradition in South Florida featuring all the pomp and circumstance of traditional bowl event” that allows “the national spotlight to shine on Boca Raton and Palm Beach County.” It says that fans can expect “welcome parties, beach parties, luncheons, pep rallies, and other bowl week activities.”
The Boca Raton Bowl provides a mission statement on its website to show what it wants to accomplish with the game every year.
“The Boca Raton Bowl will provide a first-class experience to the student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, institutional administrators, alumni, and fans of the annual participating institutions; will be a quality partner to its affiliated conferences, organizations, and sponsors; and will conduct a one-of-a-kind event in its immediate community.”
What are these events, though? The next section of the article will dive into the events surrounding the Boca Raton Bowl.
Bowl Events: What to Expect
As highlighted on their website, there are plenty of activities and events during the week of the Boca Raton Bowl.
The festivities begin when the teams arrive on Saturday, December 14. In addition to the teams’ arrivals, the head coaches of James Madison and Western Kentucky will speak at the Cox Science Center.
Yesterday, on December 15, both teams also participated in beach parties. Located at Benny’s on the Beach, which is located in Lake Worth Beach Pier, Florida, the event took place from 12-5 P.M.
On December 16, the teams will take part in “Team Community Outreach.” James Madison and Western Kentucky will help volunteer at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital and West Palm Beach VA Medical Center.
Tuesday’s events are arguably the best of the week. From 12-1:30 P.M., the Kickoff Luncheon will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. In addition to a wide selection of food available, there will be media availability for coaches and players on both teams.
Later in the day, both teams will participate in the “Boca Raton Bowl Joint Teams Pep Rally.” From 6- 7:30 P.M., the public will get to experience a “pep rally featuring both of the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl teams’ bands, dancers, and cheerleaders.”
December 18 is gameday, and there is still one more event before the big game. According to the bowl game’s website, “Fan Fest and Family Midway is an interactive game day area with live music, food, drinks, community organization event areas, and a kid zone. Cheer on the Boca Raton Bowl teams, bands, and spirit squads as they walk right through Fan Fest upon arrival! Fan Fest is from 2:00 – 5:00 pm outside FAU Stadium.” This leads straight into the kickoff of the Boca Raton Bowl, which begins at 5:30 P.M.
With all of the events out of the way, it is time to get back into business, and that business is the football game.
Key JMU Player to Watch: George Pettaway, RB
With their starting quarterback out with an injury, James Madison will have to turn to the rushing attack as its main offensive focus in Boca. Luckily for them, that is a good thing for their chances to win the bowl game.
On the season, running back George Pettaway has 881 yards rushing on 148 attempts. He has averaged 6.0 yards per attempt and has five touchdowns on the ground. Pettaway has forced 26 missed tackles, has 487 yards after contact, and has 31 runs of ten yards or more. The running back has also contributed to the passing game, catching 24 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
Pettaway has shown great speed, explosiveness, and strength as a ball carrier for the Dukes this season. Whether in between the tackles or in space, the offense has been at its best when relying on the former four-star recruit. This should be the case against Western Kentucky, as the Hilltoppers have allowed an average of over 220 yards rushing per game.
James Madison has been very pass-happy at times in the 2024 season. To win against the Hilltoppers, the Dukes will have to let the dogs out and run the ball consistently with Pettaway.
Key WKU Player to Watch: Caden Veltkamp, QB
For Western Kentucky, the opposite is true for their prospects of winning the game.
During the season, the Hilltoppers averaged 262 passing yards per game and two passing touchdowns per game. Both marks rank in the top 40 of college football this season. This part of the Hilltoppers’ offense was led by Caden Veltkamp; on the season, he had 23 touchdowns and 15 big-time throws across 12 games this season.
Despite entering the transfer portal, the standout quarterback will be playing in the game, according to WKU head coach Tyson Helton.
WKU head coach Tyson Helton says that QB Caden Veltkamp will play in the Boca Raton Bowl despite being in the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/FmhP7KgHHg
— Dave Riggert (@DaveRiggert) December 14, 2024
Veltkamp being active is a big boost for the Hilltoppers’ offense. With his passing prowess, Western Kentucky will have a great chance to attack James Madison through the air. Whether vertically or horizontally, having Veltkmap in the lineup will ensure that the Hilltoppers can do everything that their offense is capable of.
The offense is at its best when the passing game is functioning at a high level. Veltkamp will have to continue to step up to the plate for the Hilltoppers to have a shot in this one; otherwise, James Madison will likely have an easy path to a Boca Raton Bowl victory.
Game Prediction for the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl
In a battle of attrition, the winner of Wednesday night’s game will have to get into a dogfight.
James Madison, despite lacking its quarterback, still has key contributors on offense and defense. They have a workhorse in Pettaway and are in a position to exploit the massive weaknesses in the Western Kentucky defense.
The Hilltoppers should be able to put up points against the Dukes on Wednesday as well. Due to their reliance on the passing game, Veltkamp’s production could significantly impact the Hilltoppers’ ability to attack the Dukes’ defense. But considering their record this season, plenty of production should be created by the Hilltoppers and Veltkamp.
What will the ultimate result be? Considering all the factors, I see James Madison handling business and winning their first bowl game at the FBS level. It will be a tough battle, but the Dukes could overcome the high-powered Western Kentucky offense with their timely defense and consistent offense. Give me the Dukes over the Hilltoppers, 30-27.
