FedEx Orange Bowl Preview

In the second installment of my BCS Bowls Previews we look at the FedEx Orange Bowl.  The Orange Bowl probably didn’t expect this matchup, however it was expected that this bowl game would be the least watched and anticipated bowls in the BCS. The ACC and Big East were probably not going field a BCS Championship Game team, and due to the state of the Big East and the ACC is tied to the Orange Bowl, it was nearly destine for them to collide in Miami for the FedEx Orange Bowl. Here is how each team paved their respective roads to Miami.

For Virginia Tech, it was fairly chaotic in the beginning with an early loss to East Carolina. After starting 2-0 in the ACC, they lost the next three of four games in the ACC, but they were able to gut out victories against Duke and Virginia and with a little luck from the lunacy that was the ACC this year, was able to clinch the ACC Coastal Division. After losing at Boston College (during the three of four losing stretch) 28-23, they stunned the Eagles for a 30-12 victory in the ACC Championship Game in Tampa; thus giving the Hokies the automatic berth into the Orange Bowl.

Cincinnati earned their spot in Miami by winning the Big East title and earning the automatic berth into the BCS. The Big East is not tied to a specific BCS bowl, and thus fell into the Orange Bowl when the BCS bowl selections were being happening. The Bearcats, started the year by getting thumped by the eventual Big XII Champion Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. But, they recovered nicely by going 6-1 in the Big East, including a big overtime victory at West Virginia that catapulted them into an outright Big East Championship. The Orange Bowl (after the BCS bowl replacement picks for the Sugar and Fiesta Bowls) got the final pick after the Fiesta and Sugar Bowls. Since Cincinnati was not taken by either bowl, the Orange Bowl was forced to pick them due to their automatic tie-in into the BCS.

The game will be a very ugly game offensively. Virginia Tech’s offense ranks 107^th (out of 119) in the nation compared to Cincinnati’s defense who ranks 26^th. On the other side, Cincinnati offense is 50^th to the Hokies’ 7^th ranked defense. From the numbers the Hokies won’t be able to run the ball, and the Bearcats won’t be able to move the ball against the Hokie defense, and thus that is what I think will happen.

Verdict in favor of….

Virginia Tech 21 Cincinnati 3

Virginia Tech will score due to all three phases of the game, one defensive touchdown, one special teams touchdown, and an offensive touchdown due to a short field created by the defense or special teams. Cincinnati will probably get some points in the first quarter, but when the Hokie defense makes adjustments they won’t get any.

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