Old Dominion -5 (-110) over Western Kentucky
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- The quarterback situation for Western Kentucky is a mess going into this game, as we do not know whether or not Austin Reed is going to play.
- Old Dominion won two straight games to end the regular season, which got them to six wins and bowl eligibility.
The Bahamas Bowl is a tradition during the college bowl season where two teams take to paradise to play in a football game that is almost secondary to the experience for the athletes. In 2023, the game will take place in Charlotte as the Famous Toastery Bowl, but will return to the Bahamas after stadium upgrades are complete on the island. Here, we look at the history of the Bahamas Bowl and give you a preview of this year’s version as well.
2023 Famous Toastery Bowl Analysis
This year, the Bahamas Bowl will not be taking place in the Bahamas, but will go on in Charlotte as the Famous Toastery Bowl. And the key to the Famous Toastery Bowl will be whether or not Austin Reed of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers can take the field. Reed had a strong year for the Hilltoppers but his injury status has prompted a huge line movement in this game in favor of the Old Dominion Monarchs.
For Old Dominion, this game is a chance for them to finish this season with a 7-6 record. After a 4-6 start to the season, the Monarchs won two straight games to make it to bowl season. Look for the Monarchs to try and seize on the momentum of a strong ending to their season with a win in this matchup against a team dealing with major uncertainty at the most position on the field.
Bahamas Bowl History
The history of the Bahamas Bowl is not as extensive as some of the other games on the college football bowl schedule. But it has been around since 2014, with conference tie-ins to the MAC and Conference USA. Below is a list of the previously played editions of this game and which teams have come out on top in its history.
| Year | Winning Team | Runners-Up |
| 2014 | Western Kentucky | Central Michigan |
| 2015 | Western Michigan | Middle Tennessee |
| 2016 | Old Dominion | Eastern Michigan |
| 2017 | Ohio | UAB |
| 2018 | Florida International | Toledo |
| 2019 | Buffalo | Charlotte |
| 2021 | Middle Tennessee | Toledo |
| 2022 | UAB | Miami (OH) |
Bowl Game MVPs
There have been offensive and defensive MVPs in the Bahamas Bowl in every year of its existence dating back to 2014. Included in that list of MVPs have been some notable players in college football, with Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson being on that list. Below is the full list of offensive and defensive MVPs at the Bahamas Bowl/Famous Toastery Bowl.
| Year | Offensive MVP | Defensive MVP | Team |
| 2014 | Brandon Doughty | Derik Overstreet | Western Kentucky |
| 2015 | Jamauri Bogan | Grant DePalma | Western Michigan |
| 2016 | Ray Lawry | TJ Ricks | Old Dominion |
| 2017 | Dorian Brown | Javon Hagan | Ohio |
| 2018 | Christian Alexander | Edwin Freeman | Florida International |
| 2019 | Jaret Patterson | Malcolm Koonce | Buffalo |
| 2021 | Nicholas Vattiato | DQ Thomas | Middle Tennessee |
| 2022 | Trea Shropshire | Michael Fairbanks II | UAB |
