ESPN’s 2014 Week 15 Bowl Projections for the Virginia Tech Hokies
By Tim Thomas
Nov 28, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies tight end Bucky Hodges (7) celebrates with running back J.C. Coleman (4) and offensive lineman Wyatt Teller (57) and wide receiver Willie Byrn (82) and offensive lineman David Wang (76) and quarterback Michael Brewer (12) after scoring the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Hokies defeated the Virginia Cavaliers 24-20 at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The Virginia Tech Hokies got a huge win last Friday against Virginia which guaranteed that the Hokies would be going to a bowl game for the 22nd straight season. Now, many fans are wondering where the Hokies might end up playing with all sorts of potential options east of the Rocky Mountains and last year’s bowl destination, El Paso.
Just about every major site that covers college football is having some of their analysts put together their list of bowl projections including ESPN. This week, Mark Schlabach and Brett McMurphy both put out their latest bowl projections with bowls to be announced this Sunday.
Schlabach has the Hokies facing the Illinois Fighting Illini in the newly created Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit at Ford Field. Ford Field is the largest venue that the Hokies will be able to play in and with Virginia Tech having a passionate fan base and Illinois being fairly close, this type of game has the potential to sell out.
This seems like a very possible matchup for the Hokies and the chance to get a win over a power 5 conference school would be nice. However, a bowl game will be the Hokies’ chance to make a statement that they should be in the top 25 to start next season due to the lack of starters that are leaving. A matchup with a SEC team like Arkansas would be better for that but Illinois wouldn’t be too bad.
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Meanwhile, Brett McMurphy has the Hokies facing the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. This is the worst possible scenario due not only to the travel but the fact that this game is in a small baseball field with not too many great seats for fans.
This matchup wouldn’t be too bad and could actually be the matchup in the Military Bowl with the Hokies and Cincinnati both having a good chance to go to that bowl game. The Bearcats are as good of an opponent as Illinois but not the fantastic opponent like an Arkansas that could happen in the Independence Bowl. However, this would be a solid matchup especially if it was at a regular football stadium in the Military Bowl and not the Bitcoin Bowl.
Right now, I think the Whit Babcock bowl with the Hokies and Bearcats seems very likely in the Military Bowl but with the AAC having regular games this weekend and other factors still to be determined, a lot of things can still happen.