Matchup: Toledo vs Air Force. Toledo has been involved in some of the wildest, craziest games of the season on the way to an entertaining 8-4 record and losing its coach to Illinois. Air Force won 7 games again running the always entertaining flexbone option offense.
Matchup Pedigree: Solid. Toledo has a long tradition of winning at the non-BCS level, even stringing a 35 game win streak together in the early 1970s. Air Force has consistently been the best service academy and, before Navy's recent run, the only service academy competitive at a high level.
Locale: Why? The stadium is fine, but nobody wants to go to cold weather bowl games such as this one in Washington.
Entertainment Value: Tons. Toledo scored 126 points in two games at one point during the season. It went 1-1. In that same stretch it gave up 126 points. It went 1-1. Air Force runs the always fun to watch triple option. This is probably the best mid-major matchup outside of the Sun Belt Champ against MAC champ game coming later in the bowl season.
Corporate Nonsense: Big bonus points to Northrop Grumman for presenting the game and not making this the Northrop Grumman Military Bowl. In addition, Northrup Grumman's status as a Cybersecurity defense company fits in well with the Military Bowl. For once, this section is not nonsense at all. I don't know what to do with myself.
Bowl Pedigree: Zero. This game matched UCLA and Temple and a few years ago. Blah.
Game Prediction: Air Force will execute well as usual, and as usual it won't matter because the top offense it is facing is going to blow the Falcons up. After the Air Force defense gets destroyed, the Air Force offense won't have the time to catch up because, if you hadn't noticed, running the option means coming from behind is near impossible.
Toledo 45, Air Force 28
Should you watch: Absolutely. Toledo is one of the most entertaining teams in all of college football. Air Force is interesting to watch. Even with the only slightly above average records, watch without shame.
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