The Belk Bowl has become a favorite among fans during the bowl season, and on New Year's Eve, Virginia Tech will bring the nation's longest active bowl streak (27 seasons) into this year's contest as they square off with Kentucky. We're in store for another potentially exciting ACC vs. SEC matchup when these two teams take the field in Charlotte to begin the bowl slate on the last day of the decade.
Both of these teams were defined in 2019 by strong midseason turnarounds that propelled them into the postseason. The Hokies started the year with a 2-2 record that included losses to Boston College and Duke, only to win six of their final eight postseason games and come just one win shy of making the ACC Championship Game as the Coastal Division champion. Kentucky started 2-3 on the season and went on to win five of its final seven games, including three straight wins with at least 400 rushing yards thanks to the play of all-purpose everything Lynn Bowden.
Kentucky leads the all-time series between these programs 11-6-2, and the geographic proximity of the schools and the fan bases -- not only to each other but also to the Charlotte-based bowl game -- promises to deliver a festive environment in Bank of America Stadium. While the series dates back to 1926 and there might be some familiarity among the fans, this will be the first time these two programs have played since 1987.
Storylines
Kentucky: The 2019 season was an affirmation year for Mark Stoops' program. After finishing in the top-15 of the polls with double-digit wins and multiple NFL Draft picks, it was expected that this would be a rebuilding year for the Wildcats. That notion was reinforced when injuries started to pile up and the team got off to a 2-3 start. But instead of folding, Kentucky was able to revamp its offense and find new ways to play winning football. Coaches always harp on overcoming adversity as one of the biggest keys to the big-picture success in college football, and to be able to turn things around in the middle of a season speaks to the foundation and mental fortitude of Stoops' locker room.
There was a time when Stoops just getting Kentucky to a bowl game was something to overcome and celebrate, now he's got a chance to lead the Wildcats to back-to-back bowl wins for the first time since the Rich Brooks era (three straight wins from 2006-08).
Virginia Tech: This will be the final game with legendary defensive coordinator Bud Foster leading the Lunch Pail Defense. Foster has spent 33 seasons at Virginia Tech, with 24 of them as defensive coordinator. Following the Belk Bowl, he, like Frank Beamer before him, will transition into a new position as an ambassador for the athletic department. Foster won the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach, in 2006 and finished as a finalist on three other occasions (1999, 2001, 2005). Under his leadership, Virginia Tech's defense has sent 45 different players to the NFL Draft, including four Pro Bowlers and three Super Bowl champions. Since 2000, only Alabama (27) has more FBS shutouts than the Hokies (24) and Foster's defense ranks No. 1 among all FBS defenses since 1996 in sacks, third-down percentage and opponent's completion percentage.
Foster's impact on the culture of Virginia Tech football goes hand in hand with Beamer's as he was by his side for every season of the Hall of Famer's program-defining tenure. When Justin Fuente got the job in Blacksburg, retaining Foster was a no-brainer. With Foster's retirement, Fuente has decided to keep it in the family with the promotion of safeties coach Justin Hamilton to defensive coordinator. Hamilton is a Virginia native who played for Beamer and Foster from 2002-05 and coached four seasons at VMI prior to joining the Virginia Tech staff in 2018.
Viewing information
Event: Belk Bowl
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 31 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium -- Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN.com
Belk Bowl prediction, picks
Virginia Tech's defense will be well-prepared for Kentucky, but I do think that the success of Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins in the regular season finale suggests that the Hokies might have some trouble with Bowden. My favorite play here is the over -- Belk Bowl overs are a principle -- but as I'm predicting a shootout, I'll take the Wildcats and the points. Pick: Kentucky (+3.5)
Who will win Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you should back, all from the seasoned expert who has hit on six of his seven all-time picks involving the Hokies.
