WKU and JMU Set To Clash At Boca Raton Bowl

Boca Raton, FL—The 2024 Boca Raton Bowl, this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., will feature a solid matchup: the 8-5 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers of Conference USA vs. the 8-4 James Madison Dukes of the Sun Belt.

The storylines for both squads entering the FAU Football Stadium are intriguing. WKU is coming off a loss in the CUSA Championship to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Still, they’ll look to wrap up another quality season on a high note.

Meanwhile, JMU has gotten off to a hot start since joining FBS in 2022. The Dukes will appear in a bowl game for the second straight year, though they’ll look to win this one following their loss to Air Force in 2023.

The Portal Giveth and Taketh Away

For the team from Bowling Green, Kentucky, the transfer portal has been rough. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp was named the CUSA Offensive Player Of The Year, with 2,806 yards and 23 passing touchdowns. While he’s entered his name in the transfer portal, he has announced that he will play in this game.

The most ironic part is that Veltkamp did the same thing last year – entered the transfer portal (He stayed with WKU) before their bowl game, but still played in it, coming off the bench and leading the Tops to a win over Old Dominion.

WKU redshirt freshman QB Caden Veltkamp entered today's Famous Toastery Bowl IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

He ended up coming off the bench and finished with over 400 total yards and 5 passing TDs in a thrilling comeback victory.pic.twitter.com/dO9z69Wtyw

— 247Sports (@247Sports) December 19, 2023

While WKU lucked out with Veltkamp, backup quarterback TJ Finley, and wide receiver Easton Messer will not be playing in Boca. Messer recorded the second-most receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns with the team, so this is a massive loss.

That’s not to say the Tops don’t have weapons. Kissean Johnson had a solid season as WKU’s WR1, with 855 yards and seven touchdowns. If they want to look to the running game, Elijah Young can take them there. With 868 yards and three touchdowns, he created a spark for their rushing offense at the latter end of the season.

The Defense Wins Championships

WKU’s high-end offense will be a great challenge for the defense from Harrisonburg, Virginia. James Madison has a solid offense, but their defense is where the magic happens. This is a fitting ending for first-year head coach Bob Chesney, taking over for Curt Cignetti who’s now in the CFP with Indiana.

Keep an eye out for Eric O’Neil, a game-changer on the defensive line. He was a Sun Belt All-Conference First-Team selection with 49 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, and an interception.

𝗝𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗕 𝗗𝗢𝗕𝗕𝗦.

▪️10 Tackles
▪️2.0 Sacks
▪️11.0 TFL & 9.0 Sacks for the Dukes Unit pic.twitter.com/yeAzuBJuTg

— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) October 28, 2024

Another threat for Veltkamp will be senior linebacker Jacob Dobbs. He’s damaged opposing offenses with 73 total tackles, (31 solo) over three tackles for a loss, and three sacks. For his effort, he was named to the Sun Belt All-Conference Second Team.

What makes the defense especially scary is their ability to create turnovers. They recorded 17 interceptions, the most in the Sun Belt. Defensive back Terrence Spence led the way in that category with five of his own.

Final Thoughts

The big story of this game has to be Western Kentucky’s offense vs James Madison’s defense. WKU’s defense and JMU’s offense are both good, but not at the forefront of their teams.

Unlike the Hilltoppers, the Dukes have not been hit as hard in the portal. WKU hasn’t been in the FBS that long but has built a solid amount of success through their defense.

The Hilltoppers offense, when faced with especially difficult defenses, has struggled in the past. They only put up seven points against Louisiana Tech, 19 in their first meeting against Jax State, and 12 in the championship.

I do think this will be a close game, but James Madison has a bit more wiggle room on both sides of the ball.

JAMES MADISON – 28

WESTERN KENTUCKY – 20