Miami Beach Bowl

Gloomy Monday on my first day of "vacation" - hog up the couch and settle in for some football from sunny Miami Beach, 80 degrees and more empty seats than fans.

Western Kentucky vs. South Florida

Last year's Miami Beach Brawl Bowl in the game's inaugural year set the tone for craziness in the 2014 bowl season.  BYU and Memphis had enough of each other at the end of an overtime game.

The guys calling the game last year acted like they were disgusted by the unsportsmanlike behavior of both teams but deep down you know they loved it.  I'm sure the guys calling the game this year secretly hope it happens it again.

Spoiler alert - nope.  By the time this one ended both sides were too tired to fight.  It was Florida warm at game time and the roof was open at Marlins Park, where this game is played. 

I was actually having a hard time staying awake in the first quarter with USF grabbing a 14-0 lead and WKU quarterback Brandon Doughty struggling to get his passes to receivers. Doughty and the Hilltoppers finally woke up late in the second quarter and made it a game, 14-10 at half.

Completely different game in the second half.  Both teams decided to open up the playbook and let it all hang out.  Western exploded for 28 points in the third and hung on for the win, 45-35.

My pick:  South Florida (4-2)

Game notes:

-No way these guys were going to have a post-game brawl.  They put up over 1,200 yards of total offense.  They were exhausted.

-Candidate for strange play of BowlQuest - WKU punted on 4th and goal.  They had the ball at the six yard line but a penalty than a sack moved them out of field goal range.

-What celebrities were excited for watching their alma maters play on a Monday in December?

 For the Hilltoppers, none other than character actor Charles Napier, who you may best remember as Tucker McElroy, the leader of the Good Ol' Boys from The Blues Brothers.

 As you'll remember, The Good Ol' Boys were scheduled to play at Bob's Country Bunker but were late, giving the Blues Brothers a shot to play the theme from Rawhide. "Rawwwwww Hide!"

 Update:  Turns out Charles Napier died in 2011, so he probably didn't watch this game.

 For South Florida, they don't get much bigger than Mr. Terry Bollea, The Hulkster baby.

 Before Hulk Hogan ruled professional wrestling for decades, he was a quiet English major in Tampa.

-Bowl swag:  First bucket hat of BowlQuest; Bluetooth speaker; Oakley Blade Wet/Dry 30 backpack; Under Armour bucket hat and sunglasses; beach towel; waterproof cellphone case; commemorative football. Pretty weak, but hey, Miami Beach was nice for the WKU guys.

-I'd be remiss to not have a picture of Big Red, the WKU Grimace-like mascot. Boy No. 2 said what kind of mascot is that? 

 The good kind, Boy No.2.  He ain't no Spuddy Buddy, but pretty good.

Two games on Tuesday, The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl followed by the Boca Raton Bowl.