Russell Athletic Bowl

Bowl History: First … let’s start with the many names this Bowl has been known by … a) Sunshine Classic (1990), b) Blockbluster Bowl (1990-93), c) Carquest Bowl (1994 -97), d) MicronPC Bowl (1998),  e) MicronPC.com Bowl (1999-2000),  f) Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl (2001)  g) Mazda Tangerine Bowl (2002-03) & h) Champs Sports Bowl (2004-11)! The present day …   Bowl/Game … was founded in 1990 and has been played annually since that time. The current … official …. name for the Bowl is …. Russell Athletic Bowl! The first game pitted Florida State against Penn State, a game won the by the Seminoles, 24-17, on December 28, 1990! The defending Champion from last year’s game is FSU, who beat Notre Dame, 18-14, on December 29, 2011! The Bowl conference tie-ins are the Big East & ACC and the Bowl Payout is $2,325,000. 00 as of 2011!

Teams: Rutgers: Conference Affiliation: Big East; Overall Record 9-3, Conference Record 5-2: ….  vs ….   Virginia Tech:  Conference Affiliation: ACC; Overall Record 6-6; Conference Record 4-4, Divisional Record 3-2 (Coastal Division)!

Bowl Location: The Russell Athletic Bowl is played in Orlando, Florida! The hosting arena is Citrus Bowl (the Citrus Bowl has hosted the game from 2001 to present  …. Please Note ……  from 1990 to 2000 the bowl was played @ Joe Robbie Stadium /Pro Player Stadium …. which is located in Miami Gardens, Florida). The Citrus Bowl has a seating capacity of 64,438 & last year’s game (2011), played between FSU & ND …. the actual attendance was 68,305 or 104.38% of capacity!

Day, Date, & Time: Friday, 12/28/12 @ 4:30 CST

Network: ESPN

Best Wins: Rutgers: beat Syracuse, 23-15 & Cincinnati, 10-3 … both of these teams are in bowl games and were involved in the four-way tie atop the Big East; Virginia Tech: beat three bowl bound teams …. Georgia Tech, 20-17 in OT, Duke, 41-20, & Bowling Green 37-0!

Worst Losses: Rutgers: lost to Kent State, 35-23, …. the Scarlet Knights were undefeated, 7-0 going into the game … played @ High Point Solutions Stadium (Rutgers Home Field) & Louisville, 20-17 …. cost them the outright championship of the Big East and a birth in a BCS Bowl  Virginia Tech: lost to Pittsburgh, 35-17, who was winless @ the time of the game .. 9/15/12

Common Opponents: Cincinnati .. Va Tech lost to Cincy, 27-24, while Rutgers beat the Bearcats, 10-3 …. Pittsburgh .. both Rutgers 27-6 & Virginia Tech 35-17 lost to Pitt

Las Vegas Hotsheet: Opened as a Pick ’em game and has moved to …. Virginia Tech -2.5

Offensive Team Data: Rutgers: Total Yards, 341 YPG; Passing Yards, 215 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 126 YPG; Scoring Average 22 PPG, Turnovers, 1.67 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 36.8%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 71% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 52%

Offensive Team Data: Virginia Tech: Total Yards, 392 YPG; Passing Yards, 234 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 158 YPG; Scoring Average 26 PPG, Turnovers, 1.92 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 39.4%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 87% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 54%

Defensive Team Data: Rutgers: Total Yards, 321 YPG; Passing Yards, 216 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 105 YPG; Scoring Average 14 PPG, Turnovers, 2.24 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 37.4%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 67% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 42%

Defensive Team Data: Virginia Tech: Total Yards, 345 YPG; Passing Yards, 205 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 140 YPG; Scoring Average 24 PPG, Turnovers, 1.58 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 29.8%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 80% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 53%

Sully’s Game Simulator:  is a statistical analysis / predictor of how these teams will perform, based solely on their numbers, when they face off on the gridiron! Keep in mind, these stats were established against different teams and conferences and these differences must be taken into account to get a complete picture when attempting to predetermine a winner. If you are interested in how the Simulator works … read this part … if not … skip it! The process used is … we take Rutgers’ total yards on offense, add it to what Virginia Tech gives up on defense, …  get a total and then divide that number by 2 … to get the mean. We then invert the process by taking Va Tech’s total offense, add it to what Rutgers gives up on defense, get a total and divide that number by 2  to get the second mean… the greater number (with the exception of Turnovers) is then determined to have the advantage ( please note …. statistical advantage). We repeat this process in each of the eight statistical categories assessed!  That said… here are the results of the Head to Head Analysis:

Total Yards:  Advantage Va Tech 357 to 343

Passing Yards: Advantage Va Tech 225 to 210

Rushing Yards: Advantage Rutgers 133 to 132

Scoring: Advantage Rutgers 23 to 20

Turnovers: Advantage Rutgers 1.63 to 2.17

3rd Down Conversions: Advantage Va Tech 38.4% to 33.3

Red Zone All Scores: Advantage Va Tech 77% to 76%

Red Zone TD’s Only: Advantage Rutgers 53% to 48%

Individuals to Watch: Rutgers, QB, Gary Nova had better improve on his 58% completion rate or it could be a long day for the Scarlet Knights. While he passed for 2500 plus yards & 22 TD’s (not bad) … he also threw 15 INT’s (pretty sad)! While the Knight’s, RB, Jawan Jamison, has rushed for 1,054 yards this season … for an average of 4.4 yards per carry.  That said, the real star @ Rutgers is on the other side of the ball, Big East Defensive Player of the Year, senior LB, Khaseem Greene (also won the award a year ago in 2011). This guy had 125 tackles, 5.5 sacks, & 6 forced fumbles! Virginia Tech is led by 6’6” QB, Logan Thomas, who passed for 2,783, 17 TD’s,  while running for 9 more scores. When Thomas threw more than one INT this year … the Hokies are …. 0-5!  Va Tech will go as Thomas Goes… if he plays well … well … it could be Rutgers third straight loss!

Sully Says: Rutgers is backing into this game with two straight losses … a pounding by an improving Pitt, 27-6 and a 20-17 loss to Louisville  ….that was painful! The last loss cost the Knights their 1st ever … outright … Big East Championship and a birth into a BCS Bowl Game … the Sugar Bowl and a new Year’s Eve Date with the Florida Gators! Meanwhile, Va Tech, is the first Frank Beamer in 8 years, not to win at least 10 games during a respective season (Regular & Bowl) However,  by winning the final two games, they became the 6th team in NCAA history to qualify for 20 straight bowls (for those interested …. Florida State leads the way with 30 straight Bowl appearances …. followed by fellow Floridian …. Florida @ 21). Rutgers has got to feel some effect of …. what could of …. should of … been …. regarding their failures @ the end of their season (led Louisville late in the 3rd quarter, 14-3 … before falling, 20-17)!. The negative effect of where Rutgers is headed vs where they could/should have been… Sugar Bowl. While  for Va Tech…  the positive effect ofhaving found a way to keep the bowl streak alive and well ….  and is looking forward to ending their season with a bowl game they fought to be in!. Sully Says … based on how these teams were playing at the end of the season and what they accomplished or failed to accomplish …. look for Thomas (Va Tech QB) to have  a big game …. to set the stage for his Heisman run next year   ….  Va Tech wins & covers!