2024 Boca Raton Bowl

Last updated

2024 Boca Raton Bowl
11th Boca Raton Bowl
1234Total
Western Kentucky0140317
James Madison70101027
DateDecember 18, 2024
Season 2024
Stadium FAU Stadium
Location Boca Raton, Florida
MVPOff.: JC Evans (QB, James Madison)
Def.: DJ Barksdale (NB), James Madison)
Special Teams: Ryan Hanson (P, James Madison) [1]
Referee Nolan Dumas (Mountain West) [2]
Attendance15,808
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
ESPN Radio
Announcers Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), and Coley Harvey (sideline) (ESPN)
Chris Carlin (play-by-play) and Freddie Coleman (analyst) (ESPN Radio)
Boca Raton Bowl
 < 2023   2025 > 

The 2024 Boca Raton Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 18, 2024, at FAU Stadium located in Boca Raton, Florida. The 11th annual Boca Raton Bowl game featured the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers from Conference USA against the James Madison Dukes from the Sun Belt Conference. The game began at approximately 5:30 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN. [3] [4] The Boca Raton Bowl was one of the 2024–25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season.

Contents

Teams

The game featured the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers against the James Madison Dukes. This was the first time that the two programs ever played each other. [5]

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky finished their season with an 8–5 overall record and a 6–2 record in Conference USA play. Tied with Sam Houston for second place in the conference, the Hilltoppers' win over the Bearkats on October 16 gave them the tiebreaker and the berth in the 2024 Conference USA Football Championship Game, where they lost to Jacksonville State.

This was Western Kentucky's third Boca Raton bowl, the most appearances in the game to this point; the 2017 Hilltoppers won the 2016 edition over Memphis, and the 2021 Hilltoppers won the 2021 edition over Appalachian State.

James Madison Dukes

James Madison finished their season with an 8–4 overall record and a 4–4 record in SBC play, tied for third place in the East Division with archrival Old Dominion. This was James Madison's first Boca Raton Bowl. Starting quarterback Alonza Barnett was unable to play due to injury, resulting in backup Billy Atkins getting the start. [6] JC Evans split snaps with Atkins in the bowl game, winning Boca Raton Bowl Offensive MVP. [7]

Game summary

2024 Boca Raton Bowl
Quarter1234Total
Western Kentucky0140317
James Madison70101027

at FAU StadiumBoca Raton, Florida

  • Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024
  • Game time: 5:32 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 77 °F (25 °C) • Wind: 8 mph (13 km/h) north
  • Game attendance: 15,808
  • Referee: Nolan Dumas
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), and Coley Harvey (sideline)
  • Box score
Game information
First Quarter
  • (8:03) JMU – JC Evans 7 yard run, Noe Ruelas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 3:48; James Madison 7–0)
Second Quarter
  • (13:34) WKU – Moussa Barry 17 yard pass from Caden Veltkamp, Lucas Carneiro kick (Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 2:57; Tied 7–7)
  • (0:51) WKU – Dalvin Smith 11 yard pass from Caden Veltkamp, Lucas Carneiro kick (Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 1:55; Western Kentucky 14–7)
Third Quarter
  • (8:09) JMU – Kyi Wright 1 yard pass from JC Evans, Noe Ruelas kick (Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 5:56; Tied 14–14)
  • (2:25) JMU – Noe Ruelas 28 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 4:20; James Madison 17–14)
Fourth Quarter
  • (14:13) WKU – Lucas Carneiro 31 yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 3:12; Tied 17–17)
  • (9:20) JMU – Taylor Thompson 21 yard pass from Billy Atkins, Noe Ruelas kick (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:53; James Madison 24–17)
  • (1:57) JMU – Noe Ruelas 25 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 1:05; James Madison 27–17)

Statistics

StatisticsWKUJMU
First downs1419
Plays–yards59–31870–394
Rushes–yards20–1646–212
Passing yards302182
Passing: compattint25–39–017–24–0
Time of possession23:2836:32
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western KentuckyPassing Caden Veltkamp 25/39, 302 yds, 2 TD
RushingElijah Young11 rushes, 37 yds
ReceivingDalvin Smith2 receptions, 76 yds
James MadisonPassingBilly Atkins16/23, 181 yds, TD
RushingGeorge Pettaway14 rushes, 100 yds
ReceivingOmarion Dollison6 receptions, 82 yds

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References

  1. Paul, Ben (December 18, 2024). "James Madison 24-17 Western Kentucky, Boca Raton Bowl 2024". bocaratonbowl.com. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  2. Austro, Ben (December 9, 2024). "2024-25 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  3. Cobb, David. "2024-25 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  4. Kelley, Kevin. "College football bowl schedule for 2024-25 season released". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  5. "Winsipedia - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. James Madison Dukes football history". Winsipedia. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  6. "James Madison secures its first bowl victory after topping Western Kentucky in Boca Raton". The Washington Times . AP. December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  7. Tobias, Naji (December 19, 2024). "South Florida hero: QB JC Evans earns Boca Raton Bowl Offensive MVP honor". FL Teams. Retrieved January 12, 2025.