It'll be a battle of ranked teams on Thursday afternoon in Orlando, as No. 22 Virginia Tech will clash with No. 19 Oklahoma State in a game that will be well worth your time.
The Hokies won their last two, including a 10-0 shutout over rival Virginia, to finish 9-3 in a solid second season for coach Justin Fuente. The Cowboys were in the mix for the Big 12 title throughout most of the year, but November losses at home to Oklahoma and Kansas State dropped them to 9-3.
The Cowboys are 5.5-point favorites over the Hokies in the Camping World Bowl.
Viewing information
Date: Thursday, Dec. 28 | Time: 5:15 p.m. ET
Location: Camping World Stadium -- Orlando, Florida
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Watch ESPN, Watch ESPN apps
Storylines
Virginia Tech: The Hokies are led by freshman quarterback Josh Jackson, who threw for 2,743 yards, 19 touchdowns, tossed eight picks and added 274 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in a sizzling debut. Six different Hokies have more than 200 yards on the ground this season, and those options make it difficult for opposing defensive coordinators to prepare for the up-tempo attack. Leading receiver Cam Phillips will miss the bowl game after undergoing sports hernia surgery. As is always that case for the Hokies, the defense has been stellar this year, ranking No. 12 nationally in total defense (305.3 yards per game) and No. 17 in defensive yards per play (4.85).
Oklahoma State: Quarterback Mason Rudolph leads a Cowboy offense that is one of the best in the country. Rudolph was stellar through the air with 4,553 yards, 35 touchdowns and only tossed nine picks. Biletnikoff Award winner James Washington (1,423 yards, 12 touchdowns) leads a star-studded receiving corps that includes another 1,000-yard receiver in Marcell Ateman. Defensively, the Cowboys have been opportunistic, notching 16 interceptions in 2017 -- tied for the No. 14 spot in the nation. If the Pokes can steal an extra possession or two, it can turn a game sideways in a hurry.
Prediction
While I love the future of the Virginia Tech program under Fuente, the present of Mike Gundy's Cowboys is too much to ignore. When Gundy's Pokes can pair a dynamic offense with a defense that forces turnovers, it's a recipe for success. The secondary will pick off Jackson a few times, score seven instead of three and pull away late for a wild, fun, eventful cover. Pick: Cowboys -5.5
So what side do you need to be all over in the Camping World Bowl? Visit SportsLine now to get a strong pick for Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State from a proven computer model that went 8-1 on Championship Weekend.
Oklahoma State came out victorious in Orlando on Thursday night, beating Virginia Tech 30-21 in the Camping World Bowl. The game marked the Cowboys’ 12th straight bowl appearance, and head coach Mike Gundy is now 8-4 in bowl games since his first year in Stillwater in 2005.
The Hokies battled back throughout the night, including pulling within six points with 5:40 left in the fourth quarter. But ultimately, Oklahoma State’s offense was too much for the Hokies’ defense at the end, with the Cowboys scoring a clutch 38-yard field goal late in the fourth to seal the victory. Oklahoma State finishes the season 10-3.
4th quarter
2:34, Oklahoma State 30, Virginia Tech 21
Cowboys kicker Matt Ammendola makes a clutch 38-yard field goal to make it a nine-point game. Virginia Tech has to score fast to have a chance here.
3:24, Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 21
The Cowboys are deep in Hokies territory, and a score might be the nail in the coffin for VT.
5:40, Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 21
The Hokies are back in this ballgame with a Josh Jackson rushing touchdown to pull within six.
9:22, Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 14
Virginia Tech’s turnover woes continue after Josh Jackson throws an interception to Darius Curry.
14:45, Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 14
The Hokies made it deep in Oklahoma State territory, but Josh Jackson fumbles the snap for a big loss on 4th down. Cowboys get the ball back.
3rd quarter
00:45 Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 14
On fourth-and-10, the Hokies keep their next drive alive with this magnificent fake punt, executed by punter Chase Mummau who found Anthony Shegog.
5:37, Oklahoma State 27, Virginia Tech 14
The Cowboys respond with a quick strike and a nifty 65-yard touchdown pass from Mason Rudolph to James Washington. Hokies fans aren’t too pleased!
6:31 Oklahoma State 20, Virginia Tech 14
The Hokies make it a one-score game on a touchdown pass from Mason Rudolph — his receiver, Eric Kumah, came away with a nice catch, wrestling it away from his defender.
11:22, Oklahoma State 20, Virginia Tech 7
Oklahoma State gets a 13-point lead on a nice touchdown catch by Dillon Stoner. Mason Rudolph has 212 yards in the air already!
Halftime
Oklahoma State leads Virginia Tech at halftime 13-7. Virginia Tech is having production on the ground tonight so far.
Second quarter
00:45, Oklahoma State 13, Virginia Tech 7
The Cowboys take their second lead of the night on a 1-yard touchdown run from Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill.
7:28, Virginia Tech 7, Oklahoma State 6
Cowboys kicker Matt Ammendola nails a 36-yard field goal to pull within a point midway through the second.
10:40 Virginia Tech 7, Oklahoma State 3
The Hokies had a chance to score deep inside the red zone, but a fumble gives Oklahoma State the ball back.
First quarter
7:59, Virginia Tech 7, Oklahoma State 3
Virginia Tech responds to the Cowboys’ field goal with a Josh Jackson rushing touchdown on the Hokies’ first possession. Lot more points to come, probably!
12:17, Oklahoma State 3, Virginia Tech 0
The Cowboys drive into VT territory with ease on the first drive of the game, but the Hokies’ defense held Oklahoma State to just a field goal.
The Virginia Tech Hokies will be without their leading rusher and leading receiver when they face off against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Camping World Bowl game on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (live stream).
The high-flying Cowboys offense will pose a big challenge to a Hokies team that will likely struggle to get points on the board. Both teams head into the postseason with 9-3 records, but the momentum has been somewhat inconsistent throughout the year.
With Oklahoma State claiming some of the top offensive performers in the FBS, quarterback Mason Rudolph should continue his impressive senior campaign, thanks in part to wide receivers James Washington and Marcell Ateman, along with running back Justice Hill. Washington ranks No. 3 in yards receiving (1,423), Ateman comes in as the No. 20 receiver, and Hill claims the No. 18 spot in yards rushing in FBS.
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
Time : 5:15 p.m. ET
: 5:15 p.m. ET Location : Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla. TV : ESPN
: ESPN Streaming : WatchESPN
: WatchESPN Odds: Oklahoma State opened as 6.5-point favorites.
Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech news:
Oklahoma State’s offense is firing on all cylinders thanks to Rudolph.
The Cowboys feature the number two overall offensive effort referencing total offensive yards per game, averaging 576. They’re also no slouch when it comes to points per game. Clocking in at number three Oklahoma State averages 46.3 points per game.
The Hokies will already be without leading rusher for the bowl game as they take another blow on offense. Phillips had 71 catches for 964 yards and seven touchdowns. The Hokie offense wasn’t exactly explosive with those two (62nd nationally in total offense), but without them, Virginia Tech might struggle to move the ball offensively.
Despite a shaky offense, the Hokies’ defense has started to find a productive rhythm.
The defensive line managed to hang tough the entire season, and the new core of Tim Settle and Ricky Walker ended up a dominant factor. It was nice to see both Houshun Gaines and Trevon Hill step up. The Vinny Mihota pass rush disappearing act wasn't really his doing. Vinny became a critical run stopper and critical containment for mobile QBs.
Can the Hokies revitalize their offense?
It was a tough few weeks for the Hokies. First, the team got news that their leading rusher, McMillian, would be transferring for his final year of eligibility. On top of that, the running back — who claimed 439 yards this season — would not participate in the Camping World Bowl game.
Second, on the receiving side, Virginia Tech learned they would also be without their leading receiver, Phillips. The wideout recently took over the top spot in Virginia Tech’s record books in both receptions (236) and yards receiving (3,027), but he will have to miss the bowl game after undergoing sports hernia surgery.
"While we're disappointed Cam won't be able to compete in the bowl game, hopefully he enjoys a speedy recovery as he prepares for the next step of his football journey," head coach Justin Fuente said in a release. "We appreciate Cam's many contributions and accomplishments during his Virginia Tech career and wish him the very best."
Phillips finished the season having hauled in 71 catches for 964 yards and seven scores, and earned first-team All-ACC honors thanks to five 100-plus yard games.
Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech prediction:
The Cowboys’ offense proves to be too much for the Hokies to contain, and with little offensive production to keep things even, Oklahoma State walks away with a postseason win. Virginia Tech has taken too many hits on offense to be able to recover and fall in a game that gets away from the Hokies early in the fourth quarter.
Be sure to check out all our bowl predictions here.
College football's first bowl game was almost its last
Virginia Tech will be on the East side
Oklahoma State Univeristy will be on the West side
Advanced parking can be purchased here.
Click here for our complete event guide!
Originally titled the Blockbuster Bowl, the game was born in Miami, Florida, in 1990 and thrived in its first year with a marquee matchup between Penn State and Florida State which drew more than 74,000 fans. After 11 seasons in South Florida, the game was acquired by Florida Citrus Sports and moved to Orlando. The first edition of the game in Central Florida was called the Tangerine Bowl, a tribute to the name of Orlando’s original bowl game (now the Citrus Bowl).
With each successive year in Orlando, the bowl has continued to make strides, at one point posting eight consecutive years of attendance increases (a standing record among bowl games). Over the past five years, the bowl has averaged just shy of 55,000 fans per game.
The game’s place in the postseason lineup has also improved significantly over its time in Orlando. In the new College Football Playoff era, the bowl will match the top selection from the ACC (inclusive of Notre Dame) outside of the CFP series against the second selection from the Big 12 outside of the CFP series.
Tickets to the Camping World Bowl are included in a Florida Citrus Sports membership. Click here to learn more!
VISIT THE OFFICIAL GAME SITE HERE.
College football bowl week forecast: Favorable conditions in store for Camping World Bowl in Orlando
By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather staff writer December 28, 2017, 8:35:24 AM EST
Three ranked matchups will take place on Thursday as the college football bowl week continues.
Take a look at the forecast for these major games:
Camping World Bowl - No. 22 Virginia Tech vs. No. 19 Oklahoma State - 5:15 p.m. EST
The Hokies will take on the Cowboys in Orlando for an ACC - Big 12 clash.
It will be a partly cloudy and comfortable evening at Camping World Stadium.
At kickoff, temperatures will hover in the upper 60s, falling to the mid-60s by the end of the game.
Winds up to 12 mph will gust at times, but they won't have any major impact on play. At most, some fans will want to bring along a sweatshirt or light jacket for the game.
For those tailgating before the game, it will be a partly sunny and dry day with a high near 70 F.
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Alamo Bowl - No. 13 Stanford vs. No. 15 TCU - Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
The Cardinal and Horned Frogs will square off in a Pac-12 - Big 12 showdown in San Antonio.
It will be rather chilly outside the Alamodome on Thursday evening with temperatures in the middle 40s during the game.
Fans will want jackets for the walk to and from the dome back to their cars.
For anyone tailgating prior to the game or enjoying the Riverwalk, it will be a cloudy and chilly day in San Antonio with an afternoon high near 50 F.
Holiday Bowl - No. 18 Washington State vs. No. 16 Michigan State - Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
The Cougars will take on the Spartans in San Diego on Thursday evening in a Pac 12 - Big 10 battle.
It will be a dry and comfortable evening in San Diego for the game with a kickoff temperature near 65 F that will fall to the upper 50s F by game's end.
The wind will be light and variable during the game. Most fans will be comfortable with nothing more than a light jacket or sweatshirt.
For those tailgating prior to kickoff, it will be a partly to mostly sunny afternoon in San Diego with a high temperature near 72 F along with a light wind.
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