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2009 Orange Bowl Odds – Virginia Tech v. Cincinnati Football Picks & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on December 31, 2008

hokies-bearcats

As is New Year’s Day tradition, the Orange Bowl will conclude the most anticipated day of college football each year. This year’s matchup pits Big East champ Pitt up against ACC champ Virginia Tech. While playing in a major bowl game is nothing new for the Hokies, a win by Cincinnati would put the Bearcats on the map as an elite program. NCAA football odds makers have listed Cincinnati as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 41.5.

No. 12 Cincinnati makes its first ever BCS bowl appearance against No. 21 VA Tech. The last time these teams met in a bowl, Cincy came out on top as the 18-6 victor in the Sun Bowl. That was back in 1947. Soon after, the Bearcats’ football program would fall into obscurity, missing out on the bowls from 1951-1997. Now, the Bearcats are back and second-year head coach Brian Kelly deserves the bulk of the praise.

Last season, Kelly led Cincy to a 9-3 regular season and then beat So. Miss 31-21 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl. This season, Cincy has improved with an 11-2 regular season mark, capturing its first every Big East title and BCS bowl appearance.

These two teams have met eight times throughout history and are knotted at four wins a piece. The most recent meeting came in September of 2006 when the Hokies defeated the Bearcats 29-13. That loss dropped Cincy to 1-3 on the season, but since that game, the Bearcats have not looked back. Cincy finished the 2006 season 8-5 and is now 28-7 since the defeat in Blacksburgh, making the Bearcats a popular play for football betting experts during that span.

VA Tech coach Frank Beamer is highly regarded as one of the finest in the country and his team will be making a second straight Orange Bowl appearance. The Hokies will be asked to toss history aside if they hope to win this game. Virginia Tech lost 24-21 to Kansas last year – its fourth straight defeat in a BCS bowl. The Hokies fell to Auburn in the 2005 Sugar Bowl, Florida State in the 2000 Sugar, and Nebraska in the 1996 Orange. VA Tech also carries the weight of the ACC as it seeks to end the conferences eight-game losing streak in BCS bowls. Interestingly enough, the Big East, which is often criticized as being a weaker league, has won its last three BCS games.

VA Tech reached the Orange Bowl by beating then-No. 18 Boston College 30-12 in the ACC championship game in December 6, becoming the first team to ever win the game twice. VA Tech continues to win with its defense. The Hokies gave up 17.5 points per game this season, and held nine of their 13 opponents below 20. They forced 30 turnovers, including four games with four takeaways or more. Its this opportunistic defense that has the Bearcats focusing on ball security.

Offensively, the Hokies are a run-first team, led by redshirt freshman Darren Evans. Evans ran for 1,112 yards and 10 touchdowns. His season was highlighted by a 253-yard effort November 6 in a 23-13 victory over then-No. 23 Maryland. Sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor had only two TD passes in 151 attempts this season, but posted an efficient 57.0 completion percentage. If you like the Hokies to break the ACC bowl jinx, bet Virginia Tech at BetUS.

While defense is VA Tech’s calling card, offense is Cincinnati’s. The Bearcats averaged more than 375 yards per game and put up 27.3 points per contest. Junior QB Tony Pike completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 18 scores against just seven picks. Cincy has one of the best wide receiver duos in the country in Marshawn Gilyard and Dominick Goodman. Gilyard had 74 catches for 1,118 yards and 10 touchdowns and Goodman caught 78 balls for 977 yards and seven touchdowns. The Bearcats have the added pressure of being expected to win and if they don’t, it will just fulfill everyone’s thoughts that the Big East is a weak conference, even though that has clearly not been the case. If you like the Bearcats to hold it down for the Big East, bet Cincinnati at -2.5 at BetUS.

Editor’s Note: Jimmy Boyd unleashes his 4* Major Orange Bowl BEST BET on this game in his New Year’s Day football picks package.

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