Virginia Tech @ Kentucky preview

BELK BOWL STORYLINES

1. Quarterbacks that led a midseason resurgence at their respective schools do battle when Virginia Tech meets Kentucky on Dec. 31 in the Belk Bowl at Charlotte, N.C. Lynn Bowden, Jr., a receiver turned quarterback who recently declared for the NFL draft, took over as the signal caller with the Wildcats sporting a 2-3 record and proceeded to go 5-2 the rest of the way. The Hokies were 2-2 when Hendon Hooker was inserted at quarterback and the sophomore posted a 6-2 mark while giving his team a chance to win the ACC Coastal Division before a loss to rival Virginia.

2. Bowden, an AP All-American who won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player, is the only player in the country to lead his team in rushing and receiving, and averages 8.2 yards per carry while producing five straight 100-yard ground games to end the season - capped by a career-high 284 yards and four touchdowns against Louisville. The junior finished the season with 1,235 rushing yards, 1,136 of which he gained in the final seven games, and 11 rushing touchdowns. Bowden, who has 1,303 receiving yards and six touchdowns in three seasons in Lexington, didn't do much through the air, completing 46.8 percent of his passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions.

3. Hooker didn't wow anybody with his legs as he averaged less than three yards per carry, although some of the can be attributed to the 16 sacks he took - six of which came in the loss to Virginia in the regular season finale. The 6-4, 228-pounder from Greensboro, N.C., was a more than adequate passer as he threw 10 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in leading the Hokies to six straight wins while averaging 38 points in those games before the Virginia contest. Hooker likes to spread the ball around, but his main targets have been Tre Turner, Damon Hazelton and Tayvion Robinson, who accounted for 92 receptions for 1,434 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Hokies, who scored the final 35 points to take the 2016 Belk Bowl 35-24 over Arkansas.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN. LINE: Virginia Tech -3

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (8-4): Bud Foster, the longest continually tenured assistant coach at the same school, leads the defense for the final time before calling it a career and being replaced by safeties coach Justin Hamilton. After a rough start, Foster's unit peaked in November, allowing 9.3 points per game and pitching two shutouts before giving up 39 points to Virginia and hopes to bounce back as the Hokies make their 27th straight bowl appearance - the longest active streak in the nation. Caleb Farley, an All-ACC first team selection at cornerback who has already announced that he plans to return to school next season, led the ACC with 16 passes defended and is seventh in the nation with 1.5 per game while linebacker Rayshard Ashby was a second team honoree who has 106 tackles, including 14.5 for loss.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (7-5): One need look no further than the offensive line, which includes a pair of AP All-SEC first team members in center Drake Jackson and guard Logan Stenberg, as to why the Wildcats have the No. 4 rushing attack in the FBS at 274.4 yards per game. The rest of the line, which has paved the way for Bowden and running backs Christopher Rodriguez, Jr., Asim Rose and Kavosiey Smoke to churn out 3,293 yards and 33 touchdowns, is made up of tackles Landon Young and Darian Kinnard and guard Luke Fortner. The defense for the Wildcats, who can earn their 32nd win in the last four seasons - the most since Bear Bryant led the team to 34 victories from 1949-1952, has surrendered an average of 11.6 points in the last five games and is led by DeAndre Square, Kash Daniel and Calvin Taylor Jr.



PREDICTION: Kentucky 27, Virginia Tech 23