Virginia Tech vs. Tulane: 2023 Military Bowl game prediction, pick

Predictions for Virginia Tech vs. Tulane in the 2023 Military Bowl

Moving into the second half of the College Football Bowl Season, and we're starting to see more Power Five teams get on the field, and that's the case in this year's Military Bowl game, pitting Virginia Tech out of the ACC against Tulane, the class of the Group of Five the last two seasons, including a win over USC in last season's Cotton Bowl, but which missed out on a New Year's game this year.

Tulane appeared to be destined for one of the better bowls this season, but a loss to SMU in the conference championship game ended those hopes, finishing with 11 wins. Tech won two of its last three games, but hasn't won a bowl game since 2016.

• Virginia Tech: Finished 6-6 overall with a 5-3 mark in conference play, placing 5th in the ACC standings
• Tulane: 11-2 overall and 8-0 in conference play, finishing 2nd in the AAC

Virginia Tech vs. Tulane prediction, preview

When: Wed., Dec. 27
Time: 2 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network
Stream live: fuboTV (Try for free)

Military Bowl game odds

Courtesy of SI Sportsbook

Line: Virginia Tech -10.5
Total: 43.5 points
Moneyline: VT -380 | Tulane +300
FPI pick: Virginia Tech 54.1% to win

What to watch for

1. Who's left? All the success Tulane has enjoyed in recent years has resulted in a talent exodus as of this postseason, including head coach Willie Fritz, who took the job at Houston, quarterback Michael Pratt, and other key pieces including: WR Jha'Quan Jackson, OL Princeton Pines, CB Jalen Monroe are going to the draft, while safety DJ Douglas and wideout Chris Brazzell are transferring.

2. Drones Attack. Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones took hold of the job early in the season and finished with just under 2,000 yards passing with 15 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, adding 642 yards rushing and four scores on the ground. Tech ranked 10th nationally in explosive plays in the last two months of the season and can create plays in space when not under a lot of pressure.

3. About that pressure. Despite the personnel losses, Tulane still packs a punch when working on defense. It ranks 9th in rush defense, 19th with a 36.7% defense success rate, 23rd with 34 sacks, 26th with 82 tackles for loss, 15th in EPA, which measures explosive plays allowed, and is top 25 in defensive "havoc percentage," a metric that calculates TFLs, forced fumbles, pass breakups, and interceptions. If the Green Wave can shut down the ground game and move Drones around the pocket, they can credibly disrupt the Hokies' offense.

Tulane vs. Virginia Tech prediction

Don't overlook what Tulane will lose for this game, but don't overlook what they keep, either. This team still has plenty enough depth — quarterback Kai Horton played a close game in a loss to Ole Miss early in the season when Pratt was injured, and tailback Makhi Hughes led the AAC with 1,290 rushing yards and seven scores — especially on defense to make it a game against the Hokies' attack. 

But can the Green Wave match Virginia Tech's overall physicality advantage? In the end, the latter's performance on the defensive line and its relatively more balanced offense should cancel out any gains Tulane can make rushing the passer and running the ball.

College Football HQ picks...

• Virginia Tech wins 26-17
• Doesn't cover the spread
• And hits the under

Bet on the Military Bowl here

Join FanDuel here to claim $200 worth of bonus bets after wagering just $5 on any game.

Claim $200 in Bonus Bets instantly when you Bet $5 with DraftKings.

Get $200 in Bonus Bets with Bet365 here when you Bet Just $1 on any college football game.

Get up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets with Points Bet right here.

Or get $1,500 paid back in bonus bets from BetMGM if you don’t win.

---

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks