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3 things to know for the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl

Need a brief primer before you attempt to watch all 40 bowl games this season? We’ve got you covered. Here are three things you need to know about the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl.

MOTEL 6 CACTUS BOWL
Boise State Broncos (10-2) vs. Baylor Bears (6-6)
Dec. 27, 10:15 p.m. ET
ESPN

– Baylor is in danger of its first losing season since 2009 after posting a 6-6 record heading into Tuesday’s game. The Bears’ season started off well with six consecutive wins, but then the bottom fell out and the Bears have lost six straight. The Baylor defense has allowed an average of 43.6 points per game during the losing streak and scored more than 24 points just twice. During the first six games, the Bears did not score fewer than 35 points in any game.

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Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols has declared for the NFL draft. (Getty)
Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols has declared for the NFL draft. (Getty)

– Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols will be playing in his final game as a Bronco after announcing Monday that he planned to go pro. McNichols is ranked fifth nationally with 1,663 rushing yards and 2,185 all-purpose yards. He’s been the Broncos most potent offensive weapon with 23 touchdowns, which makes him the first Bronco to score 20 rushing touchdowns in two different seasons.

Overall, the Boise State boasts a 3,000-yard passer (Brett Rypien), a 1,600-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers (Thomas Sperbeck and Cedrick Wilson). Sperbeck and Wilson will become the first Boise State tandem with 1,000-yard seasons.

Zach Smith is set to make his fourth start of the season. (Getty)
Zach Smith is set to make his fourth start of the season. (Getty)

– Baylor freshman quarterback Zach Smith is primed to make his fourth start after taking over for Seth Russell, who was injured in the ninth game of the year. Smith has thrown for 1,151 yards, 10 TDs and six interceptions this season. This marks the first season the Bears don’t boast a 3,000-yard passer since 2009. Russell managed 2,126 before he was injured.

The Bears also don’t have a 1,000-yard rusher or a 1,000-yard receiver. Running back Shock Linwood, who is the Bears’ all-time leading rusher in school history with 4,213 yards, has opted to skip the bowl to focus on his NFL future.

Mascot fight prediction: A fight between a bronco and a bear would be quite the sight. The bear is definitely the predator in that situation and would probably win, but the bronco would definitely get some good shots in with those hooves.

Real predictions:
Graham Watson: Boise State 42, Baylor 17
Nick Bromberg: Boise State 55, Baylor 13
Sam Cooper: Boise State 45, Baylor 24
Chris Herbert: Boise State 35, Baylor 24

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!