Gator Bowl preview: Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Written by: Brainiac
What: Gator Bowl
Who: Texas Tech (8-4) vs. No. 21 Virginia (9-3)
Where: Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
When: Tuesday, 1 p.m.
WagerWeb.com line: Texas Tech -6 (59)
Texas Tech of the Big 12 and Virginia of the ACC meet for the first time ever in football at Tuesday’s Gator Bowl.
This will truly be a battle of opposites between Texas Tech’s high-powered offense and Virginia’s conservative attack and strong defense.
Tech leads the nation in passing offense (465.6 yards per game), is second in total offense (537.0 yards per game) and sixth in scoring offense (41.8 points per game). The Red Raiders don’t bother running much, as they rank No. 120 in rush offense, averaging 61.4 yards per game. In fact, the Red Raiders exceeded 100 rushing yards only twice this season.
Virginia ranked third in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing just under 19 points per game, behind star defensive end Chris Long, the son of former Raiders great Howie Long.
The Cavs allow 323.4 total ypg and have been good against the run, yielding just 113.0 ypg. The bad news is that they have been vulnerable against the pass, permitting 210.4 ypg. The defense has forced 21 turnovers, but it has excelled in bringing down opposing quarterbacks, racking up 40 sacks, led by Long’s 14.
Long will need to harass Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell. He led Division I with 441.5 yards passing a contest and 45 touchdowns. The Red Raiders have been held under 400 yards passing once this season, when they threw for 397 in a loss to Missouri. Harrell has thrown 14 picks; nine of the interceptions came in Tech's four losses
"We have never taken on a challenge of this nature before, against this type of offense," said Virginia coach Al Groh. "If we give up 25 points in this game it will be a heck of a job. That still means we have to get 26. So it creates a very different-type mentality for us in terms of strategizing for us and what the other team has."
Harrell's favorite target is Michael Crabtree, who led the country in touchdown catches (21), receptions (125), and receiving yards (1,861). Crabtree, the first freshman to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, had just four touchdowns in his last six games after catching 17 in his first six.
Virginia RB Mikell Simpson took over the starting job midseason and has scored at least one rushing TD in each of the five games he has started. QB Jameel Sewell can be effective with both his arm and legs. For the season, Sewell has thrown for 2,098 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 241 yards and four scores. Good news for Virginia is that Tech's run defense is bad; the Red Raiders allow 171.0 yards per game and have given up 200 yards four times in the past six games and six times total.
This is Texas Tech’s 31st bowl game and its eighth in a row. The Red Raiders have won four of their last five postseason ventures. Virginia is just 7-9 all-time bowl games, 0-5 in bowls played in Florida.
Prediction: Can’t much think of a reason why Virginia would win this game, barring about four interceptions from Harrell. TTU 35, Virginia 24.
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