Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

Bearcats -2 1/2 vs. Hokies

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When the idea of the BCS matchups were thought up, it would have been laughable to think Cincinnati would somehow factor in sometime in the future. That is because from 1951-1997 the program failed to make a bowl game. Since then they have gone to seven bowl games in 11 seasons and will make their first BCS appearance in the systems 10-year history.

The Big East champion Cincinnati Bearcats will play in the Orange Bowl, New Years Day against Virginia Tech in Miami. This will be a rematch of the 1947 Sun Bowl in which Cincinnati beat Virginia Tech 18-6. Little did anyone playing or in attendance on that day know, but it would be one of the programs final bowl games until the late 1990s. That game was one of eight all-time meetings between the schools with each team winning four, including their last matchup, a 29-13 Virginia Tech victory in 2006.

Cincinnati is 5-4 in its nine bowl games and have won three straight, including last seasons victory over Southern Missisippi 31-21 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Virginia Tech Hokies are back in the Orange Bowl for a second straight season, but will look to come out on top, unlike last years 24-21 setback to Kansas. The loss was Virginia Techs fourth straight BCS bowl game loss, having lost to Auburn in the 2005 Sugar, Florida State in the 2000 Sugar and Nebraska in the 1996 Orange.

Cincinnati won the Big East in their first year in the conference after six seasons in Conference USA. Virginia Tech resided in that conference until 2004 before jumping to the ACC. They claimed the title in that conference by defeating Boston College, also a former Big East companion, 30-12, in the ACC championship game.

The Hokies are 7-13 in previous bowl games.

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