The Belk Bowl in Charlotte is another matchup between the ACC and the SEC. Virginia Tech will try and continue its resurgent season against an inconsistent Arkansas team in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ticket sales have been reported as brisk for this one so the crowd should be one of the better ones outside of the New Year’s Six bowl games. The Hokies enter the game as a touchdown favorite over the Razorbacks. This game is one of those bowl games where it depends on which version of both teams shows up. Will the Hokies team that blew out North Carolina in Chapel Hill show up, or will it be the team that stumbled at home against Georgia Tech? For Arkansas, will it be the Razorback squad that blew out Florida, or the team that got blown out by Auburn? Most likely, it will be the team that wants to be there more that comes out on top.
When you break down what Arkansas has struggled with, scoring defense stands out. Yes, the Razorbacks score points, but they give up over 30 points-per-game as well. Their Achilles heel on defense is stopping the run. They give up over 200 yards-per-game on the ground. They don’t force many turnovers either and are on the negative side of the turnover margin this season. On offense, their passing game, behind the arm of junior quarterback Austin Allen, is their strong suit. However, the Hokie defense is great against the pass so whoever breaks through this particular battle could lead their team to a win. They key could be whether or not the Razorbacks can keep the Virginia Tech defense honest by getting sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III involved early in the run game. He averages 5.7 yards-per-carry, while the Hokies give up less than 4 yards-per-carry. Again, something has to give here.
For Head Coach Justin Fuente, his ability to lead the Hokies back into the spotlight this season has relied much on the multi-talented quarterback play of junior quarterback Jerod Evans. Evans enters the game with over 4000 yards of total offense and comes in as the Hokies’ leading rusher. His ability to be a dual-threat in this game is vital to his team winning, as is protecting the ball. Look for him to try and get the ball in the hands of All-ACC wide receiver Isaiah Ford, as well as versatile NFL prospect, Bucky Hodges. On defense, the Hokies are in the Top 20 in the nation in total defense. As stated earlier, their pass defense is their strength as they sit in the Top 10 in the nation in passes defended. That could be key as one area the Razorback’s Allen has struggled is throwing interceptions. Virginia Tech has won the turnover margin in all of its wins and has lost the turnover in a major way in its losses.
This game could be a good one. It also has the feeling of a dud if the Razorback team that got blown out a few times shows up. One thing is for sure; the Hokies won more big games than the Razorbacks did this season. They enter this game wanting to close out the year with 10 wins in Fuente’s first season in Blacksburg. Arkansas enters the game with no real momentum and has looked uninspired most of the year.
As I stated before, the team that wants to be here most will win this game. That team will be the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Virginia Tech 35 Arkansas 21