In the Camping World Bowl on Thursday, Oklahoma State’s voracious offense will face Bud Foster’s sturdy Virginia Tech football defense.
This game should be one of the better matchups in the postseason slate. Each team is brilliant on opposite sides of the ball, so it will come down to the Hokies’ secondary and Oklahoma State’s receivers.
The Cowboys have an offense that can rack up points, but the Hokies’ defense hasn’t allowed more than 28 points in a game this entire season.
In their last two games, the Hokies only allowed 14 points total. The Cowboys’ offense is a high-scoring slot machine that averages a whopping 40-plus points per game. Mike Gundy has recruited his offense well, but his defense couldn’t shore up a sand castle.
The Cowboys’ defense allowed 41 points a game, a stat that deletes any gains the offense makes. Here’s the deal — if Virginia Tech can capitalize on their unyielding defense, Oklahoma State’s rapid-fire offense will be neutralized.
Here’s how you can watch Thursday’s Camping World Bowl online:
Date: Thursday, Dec. 28
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: Camping World Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
Yes, the Hokies’ defense is awesome. They lead the nation in a variety pack of defensive stats. They are fourth in scoring defense and third in red-zone defense and they have only allowed 18 first downs per game. Virginia Tech also boasts six blocked kicks — top in the country. The Hokies have the 12th-ranked defense in the FBS.
The Cowboys are No. 1 in the country in passing offense with an impressive 392 yards per contest. They are ranked second in total offense, with almost 600 total yards per game. Quarterback Mason Rudolph is Swiss-watch efficient at moving the ball, and his nimble receiver, All-American James Washington, can move the ball downfield. He averages almost 120 receiving yards per game.
In order to win this game, the Hokies will not only need to stop the Cowboys’ harefooted offense — a tall order — they will need to score points offensively. Last month, the Hokies eked out a measly 15 points a game. The Hokies need to stop negative plays and limit vertical threats, because their ground attack has been spotty at best this year.
Prediction
Offensively, Oklahoma State may be the best team that the Hokies have faced this season. This game will be exciting because the teams are so well-matched — one of the country’s best offenses facing one of the strongest defenses.
Next: Predicting all 41 bowl games and CFB Playoff
Virginia Tech’s defense will make it hard for the Cowboys to make the big plays, but it won’t be enough to stop the explosive one-two punch of Rudolph and Washington.
Final Score: Oklahoma State 31, Virginia Tech 27