Liberty football, sans Hugh Freeze, to face MAC champion Toledo in Boca Raton Bowl

BOCA RATON – The Liberty Flames are set to face Mid-American Conference champions Toledo Rockets in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Florida Atlantic University Stadium in Boca Raton.

This marks the eighth time in nine years that the game hosts a conference champion. Conference champions are 5-2 in the Boca Bowl, with the two losses coming in 2014 and 2018 when two conference champions matched up against each other.

The Flames defense is nationally ranked at No. 1 in tackles for loss with 109.0 total tackles for loss and No. 4 in sacks with 41 sacks over the season.

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“We’re excited to welcome Liberty and welcome back MAC Conference Champions Toledo to Boca Raton in Palm Beach County,” said RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl executive director Doug Mosley. “This matchup is going to be amazing to watch unfold.”

Interim coach Josh Aldridge steps in for Hugh Freeze

Liberty (8-4) will be making their first appearance in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl game, coming in with a three-game bowl win streak.

This is the first opportunity coach Aldridge had as the head coach of this Liberty side, and he is certain to make sure he can keep a hold and connect with his players during their transitional period.

“It's a great situation,” said Aldridge. “I've recruited a lot of these guys. It's been my goal to not let them isolate themselves in a time of uncertainty, so we tried to do some things together. I think it has worked.

"I'm really looking forward to leading our team through this bowl game and put a stamp on our season. You know, we've had a lot of highs in this season and a couple lows. And I think this can be a great way to finish, especially for our seniors."

Liberty against the conference champs

The Flames are looking to secure their fourth straight bowl win after coming out on top at the Cure Bowl in both 2019 and 2020 and beating Eastern Michigan in the LendingTree Bowl in 2021.

Toledo was crowned Mid-American Conference champions for the first time since 2017 after defeating Ohio 17-7. The Rockets will hold their 20th postseason bowl game in their history, with a 11-8 record.

“I think they’re going to be really excited to play an opponent that just won their conference championship,” Aldridge said. “I think natural competitiveness will kick in and I think the ability to have time to get healthy and all those things and kind of wrap their mind around what’s going on around them here will allow them to kind of refocus and get ready for this big game.”

Aldridge said he hadn't watched Toledo enough to get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses, but noted the Rockets average 405 yards a game and have some very athletic players such as Dequan Finn, Jacquez Stuart and Micah Kelly.

Toledo looks to keep success running

Toledo will be playing in its second RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, with its first appearance coming in 2015 when Jason Candle debuted as head coach and defeated No. 24 Temple 32-17.

The Rockets are No. 1 in the MAC and ranked 39th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 32.1 points per game. This will be their 20th post-season bowl game with an overall bowl record of 11-8.

"Boca was at the top end of our list of desirable locations… and I think this is a great opportunity to play a really good football program that's really talented," Toledo athletic director Brian Blair said. "And for our fans to really soak in another opportunity to cheer on the rockets and (Jason) Candle for a tremendous championship season.”

Coach Candle’s side will be the eighth championship side in nine years to play in the Boca Bowl.

Candle will have a very difficult next few weeks on his hands as he prepares for the bowl game, but also has to take into consideration of the workload given to his players not just on the field, but in the classroom as well.

“There's a balancing act,” said Candle. “We just played in the conference championship game and now the bowl game. It's been a long haul we got some guys that are banged up and I got to give them a few days here to catch up, catch their breath and rest up.

"And we're coming down the homestretch of the semester for school so we're bouncing and juggling a little bit trying to finish up. But the main thing here is to get ready for the ball game and play so a little bit of a balancing act there and really took time for the coaches because there's so many things going on but nothing we're not used to and it's something I think we can do with great detail.”

After winning the MAC in 2017 with arguably the best offense in their program’s history, Candle rebuilt the team with a solid defense this season with players like Dyontae Johnson, Desjuan Johnson and Terrence Taylor, who were all freshman at the time.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton Bowl: Liberty to battle MAC champion Toledo sans Hugh Freeze