With another 2015-16 NCAA Football Bowl Game coming our way we see the 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl with the 6-6 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (AAC-West) playing the 6-6 Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC-Coastal) with the game being played at the Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana and the Independence Bowl game will start at 5:45 PM ET on ESPN TV.
The gambling odds for those that Bet on College football have the Hokies of VT a strong favorite at -14 with the Over/under at 61 ½ and -550 on the Money Line, then the underdog Tulsa Golden Hurricane are at +14 and +425 on the ML. This will be the last game for the Hokies Coach F. Beamer who has had a streak of 23 Bowl games who will retire after this game, and surely the teammates want him to end his career with a win. On the other side the Golden Hurricanes are happy to be in a Bowl Game after not making this scene for some 2 years.
The fans of the 6-6 Tulsa Golden Hurricane can be difficult opponent in this Bowl Game due to their “quick-fire spread” offense that this season has helped the team to score at minimum of 38 points in their last 5 of ultimate 6 games. That entails quick passing and complimentary running plays, led by their strong QB D. Evans who leads the team that is ranked 11th in the nation for offensive passing while averaging some 330 yards each game to date.
QB Evans this season has passed for 22 touchdowns and 3,959 yards, and depends on 2 targets in receivers K. Garrett and J. Atkinson, with Garrett scoring 7 touchdowns and 1,452 reception yards, while Atkinson has 4 touchdowns and 932 reception yards. Two other receivers that have done well are had long receptions with J. Hobbs averaging some 17.8 yards per catch and K. Lucas who averaged 15.7 yards on receptions.
With several options on receptions the Tulsa team could frustrate the Hokies pass defense that this season is allowing just 174 yard each game. Then if the passing game struggles QB Evans can revert to their running game with a RB trio of D. Brewer, R. Warren and Z. Langer. RB Brewer is the team leader with 732 yards rushing, while Langer has 17 touchdowns and 714 yards rushing, while Warren averages 7 yards per carry.
Tulsa in the last 10 games that they were the underdogs by 8 points or more, they lost those games.
For the fans of the 6-6 Hokies of Virginia Tech, surely you know your team can make this a difficult scene for Tulsa with their defense that ranks 2nd in the nation at forcing some 18 fumbles this season, and the Tulsa team actually fumbled some 20 times this season.
Virginia Tech additionally has a very strong defensive front 7 that has held opponents from having big ground gains, and their standout defensive player is LB A. Motuapuaka who has had some 67 tackles, 10 of which have been for a loss, as well as he leads the team with 3 forced fumble against opponents this season.
If the Hokies are to win this Bowl game they will need to keep the Golden Hurricanes from scoring. The Tulsa offense is weak with a passing game that is 71st in the nation averaging only 217 yards each game, and their rushing offense has only been averaging some 150 yards a game which ranks 95th.
The Hokies QB M. Brewer has struggled as of late just having some 57 percent completions and passing for 12 touchdowns and 1,360 yards with 6 interceptions. To have success he needs to complete some passes to star WR I. Ford. Ford leads the team with 940 yards on receptions for 10 touchdowns. Thus the QB Brewer WR Ford connection gives the Hokies a tool with which they can get through the Tulsa weak passing defense that has allowed 294 yards each game to date.
On rushing defense the Tulsa front is very weak as they allow some 239 yards per game rushing. With the Tulsa weak front 7 on defense, the Hokies can rush RB T. McMillan who to date has rushed for 962 yards and 5 touchdowns to date, as he gains some 5.4 yards on each of his carries this season. In the ultimate 8 games where the Hokies were listed as favorites, they won 5 of those games.
The online sportsbook betting prediction for this Bowl game is that the Virginia Tech Hokies are overpowering with their defense against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and they win the game covering the spread on the way.