Maryland 3.5 vs Va Tech – It’s a day full of good games. Just not this one. .
Maryland started out 4-0 but cratered as the schedule toughened, finally beating Rutgers over Thanksgiving to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech finished 6-6, which led to the departure of Justin Fuente as head coach.
Not only is Va Tech changing coaching staffs but 7 players opted out or are transferring including five starters.
On offense, leading pass-catcher Tayvion Robinson is transferring to Kentucky, leading receiver by yardage Tre Turner is skipping the game to prepare for the NFL Draft, and starting QB Braxton Burmeister entered his name into the transfer portal. Oh, and backup QB Knox Kadum entered the transfer portal too, which means 3rd stringer Connor Blumrick will be starting
Maryland started out 4-0 but cratered as the schedule toughened, finally beating Rutgers over Thanksgiving to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech finished 6-6, which led to the departure of Justin Fuente as head coach.
Not only is Va Tech changing coaching staffs but 7 players opted out or are transferring including five starters.
On offense, leading pass-catcher Tayvion Robinson is transferring to Kentucky, leading receiver by yardage Tre Turner is skipping the game to prepare for the NFL Draft, and starting QB Braxton Burmeister entered his name into the transfer portal. Oh, and backup QB Knox Kadum entered the transfer portal too, which means 3rd stringer Connor Blumrick will be starting
The good news is that RB Raheem Blackshear, despite declaring for the NFL Draft, is expected to play in the bowl game. Blackshear was the team's leading rusher and also caught more passes than any Hokie left playing.
Virginia Tech had the 90th-ranked total offense this fall, they will likely play even worse with all the missing pieces.
There’re key pieces missing on the defense too with DT Jordan Williams, DE Amare Barno, CB Jermaine Waller all out for the game.
Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa (yes, Tua's brother) should have an easy time of it. He has thrown for well over 300 yards in four of the last five games, only missing the mark against scUM.
I’ll take a Maryland to cover against a Va Tech that was not too good to begin with, missing too many pieces
Virginia Tech had the 90th-ranked total offense this fall, they will likely play even worse with all the missing pieces.
There’re key pieces missing on the defense too with DT Jordan Williams, DE Amare Barno, CB Jermaine Waller all out for the game.
Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa (yes, Tua's brother) should have an easy time of it. He has thrown for well over 300 yards in four of the last five games, only missing the mark against scUM.
I’ll take a Maryland to cover against a Va Tech that was not too good to begin with, missing too many pieces
Clemson -2.5 vs Iowa State – And now the good teams start playing.
If I were to tell Clemson and Iowa State before the season that they’d be playing each other in a bowl game in Florida, you would have assumed it would’ve been the Orange Bowl in a CFP semifinal. But those dreams died early for both teams. Clemson and Iowa State came into the season ranked in the top 10, but by the end of September, they each had two losses and were out of the playoff chase.
Instead of the CFP, they will battle it out in Orlando in the illustrious Cheez-it Bowl.
The ISU passing game, behind QB Brock Purdy was superb, finishing first in the Big 12. The Cyclone attack was complimented by star RB Breece Hall’s 1,464 yards and 20 TDs. Too bad he went down the NFL opt out path.
Clemson’s offense was a huge disappointment and the main reason they missed the CFP this year. For the season, Clemson is 103rd in the nation in passing offense and 57th in rushing offense and 80th in the FBS in scoring offense. Pitiful
If I were to tell Clemson and Iowa State before the season that they’d be playing each other in a bowl game in Florida, you would have assumed it would’ve been the Orange Bowl in a CFP semifinal. But those dreams died early for both teams. Clemson and Iowa State came into the season ranked in the top 10, but by the end of September, they each had two losses and were out of the playoff chase.
Instead of the CFP, they will battle it out in Orlando in the illustrious Cheez-it Bowl.
The ISU passing game, behind QB Brock Purdy was superb, finishing first in the Big 12. The Cyclone attack was complimented by star RB Breece Hall’s 1,464 yards and 20 TDs. Too bad he went down the NFL opt out path.
Clemson’s offense was a huge disappointment and the main reason they missed the CFP this year. For the season, Clemson is 103rd in the nation in passing offense and 57th in rushing offense and 80th in the FBS in scoring offense. Pitiful
QB DJ Uiagalelei took the money and ran. He came into the season grinning large on several magazine covers, pocketed some good NIL money courtesy of Dr. Pepper and then absolutely bombed. He completed a pathetic 55 percent of his throws with had nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. His 109 passer rating was last in the ACC.
And with all those results, somehow OC Tony Elliott got a promotion to HC at Virginia. Go figure
For all the problems with the offense, the Tiger defense was fantastic. They were tops in the ACC in both total defense and scoring defense, 2nd overall only to Georgia. Most of the credit is a result of the pressure they can bring from the front seven. DC Brent Venables, after years of being wooed by every major program looking for a new HC, finally decided to go to Oklahoma.
Iowa State’s defense is no slouch either. The Cyclones were tenth in the nation allowing just 310 yards per game and 21st in PPG allowed.
While Clemson got better as the season progressed, Iowa State was shaky down the stretch, losing three of four,
I’ll go with Clemson with the better defense, an offense that went from awful to OK late in the year against Iowa State missing their best player on offense.
And with all those results, somehow OC Tony Elliott got a promotion to HC at Virginia. Go figure
For all the problems with the offense, the Tiger defense was fantastic. They were tops in the ACC in both total defense and scoring defense, 2nd overall only to Georgia. Most of the credit is a result of the pressure they can bring from the front seven. DC Brent Venables, after years of being wooed by every major program looking for a new HC, finally decided to go to Oklahoma.
Iowa State’s defense is no slouch either. The Cyclones were tenth in the nation allowing just 310 yards per game and 21st in PPG allowed.
While Clemson got better as the season progressed, Iowa State was shaky down the stretch, losing three of four,
I’ll go with Clemson with the better defense, an offense that went from awful to OK late in the year against Iowa State missing their best player on offense.
Oregon +5.0 vs Oklahoma - While Iowa State and Clemson was a potential CFP matchup in early September, this game was a potential CFP matchup as late as mid-November. A few key losses later kept that from happening, this game should still to be one of the better bowl matchups between two top ten caliber teams. If you can recognize what's left on either team
In one of the strangest turns ever in the annual Coaching Carousel, both teams lost their head coaches to other Power five teams. Oregon’s Mario Critobal left for Miami (FL) while Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley bolted for Southern Cal. Oklahoma bought back the man, the legend, Bob Stoops to coach in the game while Oregon will be led by WR coach Bryan McClendon
The Ducks are not only losing their head coach, but their OC is leaving for a different gig too. Joe Moorhead, will stay behind to call plays one last time before taking over as Akron's HC.
The Duck offense is extremely young and playing in their first bowl environment for the most part, including three freshman receivers, a freshman tight end, and a freshman running back all seeing action on the field as either starters or regular rotation members. Don’t be surprised to see backup five-star QB Ty Thompson to join the fun too.
In one of the strangest turns ever in the annual Coaching Carousel, both teams lost their head coaches to other Power five teams. Oregon’s Mario Critobal left for Miami (FL) while Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley bolted for Southern Cal. Oklahoma bought back the man, the legend, Bob Stoops to coach in the game while Oregon will be led by WR coach Bryan McClendon
The Ducks are not only losing their head coach, but their OC is leaving for a different gig too. Joe Moorhead, will stay behind to call plays one last time before taking over as Akron's HC.
The Duck offense is extremely young and playing in their first bowl environment for the most part, including three freshman receivers, a freshman tight end, and a freshman running back all seeing action on the field as either starters or regular rotation members. Don’t be surprised to see backup five-star QB Ty Thompson to join the fun too.
Oklahoma's defense is much more of a question mark. DC Alex Grinch will follow Riley to USC and their leading tackler (LB Brian Asamoah), and top three sack masters (Isaiah Thomas/Nik Bonitto/Perrion Winfrey) are sitting this one out.
Oklahoma led the Big 12 in total offense but benched QB Spencer Rattler as he regressed as the season went on. His replacement, Replacement Fr. QB Caleb Williams was brilliant at times but also showed his inexperience too. Williams passed for under 200 yards in two of his final three regular season games while throwing almost as many interceptions (three) as touchdowns (four) during that span. Expect Stoops to keep the game plan simple with an emphasis on the run. He saw the tape of Utah blasting away at Oregon in back to back wins.
Defensively, Oregon will be missing the possible #1 pick in the draft in Kayvon Thibodeaux after he turned his attention to the draft about as soon as he walked off the field in Las Vegas during the Pac-12 Championship Game
I’ll take Oregon and the points in a game with so many missing pieces. No quatloos though.
Oklahoma led the Big 12 in total offense but benched QB Spencer Rattler as he regressed as the season went on. His replacement, Replacement Fr. QB Caleb Williams was brilliant at times but also showed his inexperience too. Williams passed for under 200 yards in two of his final three regular season games while throwing almost as many interceptions (three) as touchdowns (four) during that span. Expect Stoops to keep the game plan simple with an emphasis on the run. He saw the tape of Utah blasting away at Oregon in back to back wins.
Defensively, Oregon will be missing the possible #1 pick in the draft in Kayvon Thibodeaux after he turned his attention to the draft about as soon as he walked off the field in Las Vegas during the Pac-12 Championship Game
I’ll take Oregon and the points in a game with so many missing pieces. No quatloos though.