The National Championship Game has been set, with the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers set to go head to head in the title game, which is now still a week away. There is still some football to be played, though, as we get set to welcome in the New Year, with the biggest bowl games of the season set to come before the final game. In these games, we start to see players make decisions about whether to play or sit out and avoid injury ahead of the NFL draft.

You need to pay attention to these potential omissions before you wager, as they could have an impact on some of the upcoming bowl games. We will try to cover as many of these games as possible, so let’s get the ball rolling with the Belk Bowl, which will open the day on New Year’s Eve. The 8-4 Virginia Tech Hokies and the 7-5 Kentucky Wildcats will square off in Charlotte in a game that the bookies see as a close one. The Hokies are in as a 2 ½ point favorite, with the point total set at 46 ½.

Virginia Tech vs Kentucky 2019 Belk Bowl Odds, Game Info & Prediction

• When: Tuesday, December 31 at 12 PM EST
• Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: SiriusXM
• Live Stream: WatchESPN
• Belk Bowl Odds: Virginia Tech -2.5 (Total 46)

Wyoming vs Georgia State 2019 Arizona Bowl Lines, Analysis & Prediction

Why bet on the Virginia Tech Hokies?

The Virginia Tech Hokies closed out their regular season with a disappointing loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, but that aside, they had a strong finish to the year, winning 6 of their final 8 games of the season. Where this team proved to be a fantastic bet coming down the stretch, though, was against the spread, with the Hokies going 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

The Hokies play some good defensive football, which might help explain why 4 of their last 5 games have gone UNDER the point total. That said, 6 of their last 7 versus teams from the SEC have gone OVER. The Hokies are an unimpressive 1-5 SU in their last 6 games played on a Tuesday. They are also 4-1 ATS in their last 5 December games.

Team Stats

Offense

• Points per Game: 30.92
• Passing Yards: 217.33
• Rushing Yards: 172.92
• Yards per Play: 5.66

Defense

• Points per Game: 23.67
• Passing Yards: 237.00
• Rushing Yards: 123.33
• Yards per Play: 5.21

Why bet on the Kentucky Wildcats?

The Kentucky Wildcats once again stumbled through conference play in the SEC, which is no real surprise when you consider the quality of teams that they need to face when playing in the conference. They closed out the year with a 7-5 record, but they did have a solid finish to the season, winning 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5 to close things out.

Like the Hokies, the Wildcats played a solid brand of defensive football coming down the stretch, which helped them cover the spread in 5 of their last 6 games of the season. It also helped them hit the UNDER in 6 of their last 9 games, but that trend changes when they go against teams from the ACC, with 5 of the last 7 games against the conference going OVER.

Team Stats

Offense

• Points per Game: 26.33
• Passing Yards: 117.08
• Rushing Yards: 274.42
• Yards per Play: 6.17

Defense

• Points per Game: 18.42
• Passing Yards: 172.67
• Rushing Yards: 148.92
• Yards per Play: 5.21

Virginia Tech vs Kentucky 2019 Belk Bowl Betting Trends

• Wildcats are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
• Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games this season
• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kentucky’s last 7 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast conference
• Hokies are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games played on a Tuesday
• Hokies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played in December
• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Virginia Tech’s last 5 games

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Virginia Tech vs Kentucky

We could well be in for a bit of a defensive struggle in this one, as both defenses have the ability to slow down the opposition. I think the edge here needs to go to Kentucky and their ground game, so let’s take the slight upset.

Score: Virginia Tech Hokies 20 – Kentucky Wildcats 23