Virginia Tech vs Minnesota: Hokies Close as 9.5 Point Underdogs in Dukes Mayo Bowl Game
It is nearly kickoff time in Charlotte for the Dukes Mayo Bowl between Virginia Tech and Minnesota. Ever since the game was announced nearly a month ago, the Golden Gophers have been favorites in this game and that has not changed as we get closer to kickoff. According to Fanduel Sportsbook, the Hokies are going to be 9.5 point underdogs tonight vs Minnesota and the total is set at 43.5.
This will mark Virginia Tech’s third time playing in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The Hokies hold a 1-1 record in the bowl game that was formerly known as the Belk Bowl. Most recently, Virginia Tech lost to Kentucky 37-30 in 2019. The Hokies’ only win in this bowl game was in 2016 when the No. 18 Hokies took down Arkansas 35-24.
The Hokies have now made consecutive bowl games for the first time since the 2019 and 2018 seasons. As it stands, Brent Pry is undefeated in bowl games with a 41-20 win against No. 23 Tulane in the Military Bowl last year.
On the other side, this is Minnesota’s fourth consecutive bowl game. The Gophers are 7-0 in their last seven bowl games and P.J. Fleck’s bowl game record as a head coach is 5-0.
This year, Minnesota holds a better record than Virginia Tech. The Gophers went 7-5 this year with a 5-4 record against the Big Ten. Fleck’s squad picked up some signature wins against No. 11 USC, No. 24 Illinois, and Wisconsin.
There is a reason that the Golden Gophers are going to be more than a touchdown favorite in this game. Virginia Tech is going to be missing a lot of their regular contributors from the season and there are going to be a lot of new faces around.
At quarterback, Pop Watson is going to be making another start with Kyron Drones out for this game. Watson played a lot of the game against Duke and started in the rivalry win over Virginia. He has been solid this season, throwing for 400 yards with one touchdown and one interception. This is a solid Minnesota defense and Watson needs to take care of the ball in tonights game.
How will the Hokies fare running the ball tonight? They are going to be without one of the best running backs in the country in Bhayshul Tuten and without Xavier Chaplin and Braelin Moore on the offensive line. If the Hokies cannot run the ball tonight, will Watson and this receiving corps of Ali Jennings, Ayden Greene, and Stephen Gosnell be able to win their matchups?
On the other side of the ball, there are similar questions about how will Virginia Tech replace several key players. Aeneas Peebles, Sam Brumfield, Mansoor Delane, Dorian Strong, Jalen Stroman, Mose Phillips, and others are going to be missing from this game. Hokies legend Bud Foster is going to be helping with the defense, though not officially calling plays, and I wonder how much of a difference that will make. Virginia Tech needs difference makers to steop up tonight.
Minnesota has a really solid offense and one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country in Max Brosmer. Running back Darius Taylor gets a lot of the attention, but Brosmer has really come on this year and is an accurate passer who knows where to go with the football. With so many guys missing in the secondary for Virginia Tech, I think Brosmer might have a solid game.
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Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell