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St. Petersburg Bowl 2015, Connecticut vs. Marshall preview, predictions, odds and live stream info

By Nathaniel Reeves

Marshall Thundering Herd quarterback Chase Litton (14) hands the ball to wide receiver Hyleck Foster (2) during the first half agains Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports
Marshall Thundering Herd quarterback Chase Litton (14) hands the ball to wide receiver Hyleck Foster (2) during the first half agains Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports /
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Connecticut Huskies vs. Marshall Thundering Herd

Two of the nation’s stingiest defenses will clash when the Connecticut Huskies take on the Marshall Thundering Heard in the 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field.

Connecticut finished the season at 6-6 to qualify for the postseason for the first time since its 2010 Fiesta Bowl appearance. The Huskies won three out of four to close out the regular season, including a 20-17 victory over AAC champion Houston.

Second-year head coach Bob Diaco has quietly engineered one of the best rebuilding jobs in the country. Connecticut was able to reach the .500 mark behind a defense that allowed just over 20 points per game, led by sophomore cornerback Jamar Summers.

Marshall lost a ton of talent from the 2014 team that spent a chunk of the season ranked, but was still able to put together a 9-3 campaign. The Thundering Herd beat Purdue to open the season and finished 6-2 in a competitive Conference USA.

While many will remember last year’s squad for its electrifying offense, it was the defense that led Marshall to a successful season this time around.  The Thundering Herd allowed 13 points or fewer in seven separate games, with linebacker Evan McKelvey taking home Conference USA defensive player of the year honors.

The 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl starts at 11:00 AM eastern on ESPN and can be streamed on the WatchESPN app. Further details for the game are below:

Date: Saturday, December 26, 2015
Start Time: 11:00 AM eastern
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Stadium: Tropicana Field
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: ESPN Radio, Sirius XM channel 80
Ticket information: For ticket information, click here.

Keys to Victory

Both defenses are tough to score on and comparable in most categories. The key will be which offense can take care of the ball better and scratch out enough to take home the victory.

Neither offense was particularly great during the regular season, but Marshall appears to be more poised to succeed on the offensive side of the ball in this game. Freshman quarterback Chase Litton has shown flashes of promise this season, including throwing for 486 yards and two touchdowns against Charlotte, and should benefit from the extra bowl practices. If Litton has one of his better games of the season, the Thundering Herd will be in good shape.

If the Huskies are to come away with a victory, they will have to find some way to run the ball, which has been a struggle all season. The Marshall secondary has been excellent this year, allowing a completion rate of under 50 percent and just 5.7 yards per pass attempt according to TeamRankings.

Where Connecticut could find its advantage is in the turnover battle, as it was one of the top teams in turnover margin during the regular season. While the aggressive Marshall defense has been good at forcing turnovers, the Thundering Herd offense has been careless with the ball at times.

As the Huskies aren’t going to be able to generate many big plays, field position will be huge. Connecticut needs to handily win the turnover battle and get some contributions out of special teams to win the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Marshall -4
Moneyline: Marshall -190, Connecticut +165
O/U: 44

Connecticut is 5-7 against the spread this season, while Marshall enters with a mark of 7-5.

Prediction

The skill of the two defenses should keep this one fairly close and low-scoring, but Marshall will have just enough on the offensive end to pull out the victory.

The speed and experience of the Marshall defense is going to be a lot for the Huskies offense to handle. Connecticut’s offensive line has really struggled this season, so McKelvey and company could have a field day.

With Connecticut’s inability to run the ball, they will be forced to pass too often, which is not a recipe for success against Marshall. Even if the Huskies manage to avoid any major mistakes, it’s hard to see them moving the ball much.

It won’t necessarily be pretty for the Thundering Herd on the other side of the ball, but Litton will generate enough plays down the field for Marshall to eventually pull away.

Final Score: Marshall 24, Connecticut 13.

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