Virginia Tech Football: CBS Sports Ranks Virginia Tech's Bowl Matchup
A perfect number of 82 college football teams are bowl eligible this year, meaning there will be no 5-win bowl teams, and last year Minnesota was one of those teams. The Gophers started off the 2023 season with a 5-3 record, including a win against No. 24 Iowa. It seemed like a sure thing that Minnesota could pick up a win in the last four games of the year, they did not, but they still caught a bowl game bid and beat Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Now, Minnesota has seven wins in the 2024 season and they have already received their bowl desination. The Gophers will be taking on the 6-6 Virginia Tech Hokies in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
This is Virginia Tech's second consecutive bowl game under head coach Brent Pry, Virginia Tech's first time having consecutive bowl games since 2019 and 2018. The 2024 Hokies' season was highlighted by wins against Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Marshall. Virginia Tech's schedule set them up for way more wins than they received. The Hokies were upset by Vanderbilt. Miami just barely defeated Virginia Tech in the last seconds of the game, but Virginia Tech could've easily left the regular season with more wins than six.
But did they? No. They're in the Duke's Mayo Bowl and CBS Sports ranked their bowl matchup as the 21st best matchup among all of the 42 games.
Per Brad Crawford:
"Who doesn't love a good mayonnaise bath to begin the new year? P.J. Fleck hopes to improve to 6-0 in bowl games with the Golden Gophers in Charlotte against the Hokies. Virginia Tech was ranked inside the preseason top 25 in August before a season-opening loss at Vanderbilt tempered expectations a bit. Three losses in November means this team is stumbling into the bowl game with the only silver-lining opportunity coming in the form of a win."
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.