The 2019 Belk Bowl features two teams in Kentucky and Virginia Tech that have had up-and-down, inconsistent seasons. Both teams head into this game looking for their quarterbacks to carry the load like they did throughout the latter part of the season.
How They Got Here
Kentucky (7-5)
The Wildcats needed to win the final three games of their season, and they did. Head coach Mark Stoops rallied his troops to outscore their final three opponents — Vanderbilt, Tennessee-Martin and Louisville — by a combined 99 points to secure a spot in a bowl game and overcome the midseason slump where they lost five of seven games.
All season, there were some stark differences between their wins and losses. Although their defensive unit always kept them in the game and never allowed 30 points, the offense didn’t always complement that. In fact, they scored over 37 points per game in wins, compared to 11 in losses.
During the three-game win streak to end the season, Kentucky dominated on the ground, averaging north of 460 yards, compared to about 213 yards in the first nine games.
Virginia Tech (8-4)
The Hokies are an extremely unique team, because their offensive gameplan seems to be a cliché. They seem to favor the passing game, but they need the run.
They have been a high-scoring offense throughout the year, scoring 30.9 points per game, which ranked sixth in the ACC, but they tend to possess the ball more than you’d expect — and are more successful when they do so.
Virginia Tech has to lean on the ground game more than it might like to. No, it’s not the most exciting way to win, but it’s effective for the Hokies; in wins, the team averages 21 pass attempts and a completion percentage of 63 with 196 rushing yards, compared to their losses, when they passed the ball 31 times and completed 51 percent of attempts with 127 rushing yards.
Player to Watch
Kentucky: Lynn Bowden Jr.
In week six against Arkansas, Lynn Bowden Jr., listed as a wide receiver and mostly on the special teams unit to that point, replaced injured Sawyer Smith as Kentucky’s starting quarterback. Since the change, he has essentially been the team’s whole offense, and he showed that last time out.
In the regular season finale against Louisville on Nov. 30, Bowden rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns. He leads the team with 1235 rushing yards and 348 receiving yards — which is 488 more rushing yards than any of his teammates.
Virginia Tech: Hendon Hooker
Earlier this season, sophomore quarterback Hendon Hooker was nursing a streak of 124 consecutive passes without an interception. The streak has since been snapped, but he has had a solid year, starting six games for the Hokies.
Altogether, he has passed for 1,126 yards, 10 touchdowns and no picks in the six games he’s started. He’s also rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns in those games.
2019 Belk Bowl Betting Picks: Hokies -2.5 O/U 47
I’m going to roll with Lynn Bowden Jr. and the Kentucky Wildcats to cover 2.5 points. This should be a lower scoring defensive affair, so I will be taking the under on 47 points.
You can view all of our 2019 bowl previews here.