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WKU football bowl game 2021: Western Kentucky to face Appalachian State in Boca Raton Bowl

Dec 3, 2021; San Antonio, TX, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (5) celebrates a touchdown catch with wide receiver Daewood Davis (18) during the first half of the 2021 Conference USA Championship Game against the UTSA Roadrunners at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2021; San Antonio, TX, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (5) celebrates a touchdown catch with wide receiver Daewood Davis (18) during the first half of the 2021 Conference USA Championship Game against the UTSA Roadrunners at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Western Kentucky football has accepted a bid to face Appalachian State in the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Hilltoppers (8-5) will face the Mountaineers (10-3) at 11 a.m. Dec. 18 at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.

WKU is coming off a 49-41 loss to UTSA in the Conference USA championship despite a 577 yard passing, four touchdown night from quarterback Bailey Zappe.

More: Turnovers haunt Western Kentucky in Conference USA championship loss to UTSA

This will be WKU's eighth appearance in a bowl game since joining the FBS in 2009. They have appeared in seven in the last eight years and three straight under head coach Tyson Helton. They last won a bowl game in 2019 against Western Michigan in the First Responder Bowl. Georgia State crushed the Tops last season in the LendingTree Bowl.

WKU's is familiar with this bowl game, winning it in 2016 over Memphis under interim coach Nick Holt. The program's former coach, Jeff Brohm left to take over at Purdue.

App State has been one of the best teams in the Sun Belt on a yearly basis. Currently led by second year head coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers posted wins over CUSA opponent Marshall, Coastal Carolina when they were ranked 14th and also played against Miami when they ranked 22nd in the second game of the season and dropped a 25-23 decision.

Dec 3, 2021; San Antonio, TX, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) runs the ball against the UTSA Roadrunners defense in the first half of the Conference USA championship game at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2021; San Antonio, TX, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) runs the ball against the UTSA Roadrunners defense in the first half of the Conference USA championship game at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

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The team is coming off a 24-16 loss to No. 24 Louisiana in the the league championship.

Current Louisville coach Scott Satterfield coached in Boone, North Carolina as head coach from 2013-18. Clark, who has a master's degree from U of L, was an assistant under Satterfield for four years before being promoted to head coach.

These programs have met just twice in their history, with App State winning both games in 1985 in North Carolina and 2000 in Bowling Green, respectively.

Reach Dominique Yates. Twitter: @RealDYates. Email: dyates@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Boca Raton Bowl 2021: Western Kentucky football to play App State