Editor’s Note: Enjoy 15% off our NEW NBC Sports EDGE+ Subscription this holiday season and get every tool (Fantasy, DFS & Betting) for every game at a great low price. Use promo code HOLIDAY15 at checkout. Click here to Buy Now.
What: New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Who: Maryland (6-6, 3-6 Big-10) vs Virginia Tech (6-6, 4-4 ACC)
Where: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York City, New York
When: Wednesday, December 29th, 2:15 ET (ESPN)
Opening line: Virginia Tech -1.5 (O/U 54)
Current line: Maryland -3.5 (O/U 55)
Most recent bowl result: Maryland lost to Boston College in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl. Virginia Tech lost to Kentucky 37-31 in the 2019 Belk Bowl.
Maryland at a glance: Mike Locksley’s Terrapins are a team that has seen numerous ups and downs on the season. They started off strong with a six-point win over West Virginia and rode that momentum into a four-game winning streak to start the season. Over the next seven games, they lost six of seven with only one of those losses coming by fewer than 17 points. It took a win over Rutgers in the final game of the season for the Terps to become bowl eligible. This team finds a different way to lose big in each outing.
Unlike their opponent, Maryland has only lost one player on to the transfer portal or the draft and that is running back Peny Boone. He only rushed for 289 yards on the season and wasn’t a major factor in any games this season. The best weapon in the arsenal for quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is wide receiver Rakim Jarrett. After the injury to Dontay Demus Jr, Jarrett stepped up in a big way, posting his three-highest reception totals afterward.
The defense is not a great unit, ranking 86th in SP+. What’s tough for the Terrapins is they lost freshman LB Branden Jennings, the top recruit in their 2021 recruiting class. They rank 104th in success rate and 92nd in explosive play rate allowed, which has been capitalized on numerous occasions. They have allowed more than 30 points on seven occasions with three of those being 51 or higher. One area where they can take advantage of the Hokies on offense is their pass rush. They rank 11th in blitz rate and 22nd in sack rate on standard downs. With the Hokies starting a third-string quarterback, this is one area where they can exploit a depleted offense.
The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
Virginia Tech at a glance: After firing head coach Justin Fuente, the Hokies needed a win in the final game of the season against rival Virginia. They were able to get it thanks to great performances from quarterback Braxton Burmeister and running back Raheem Blackshear. Unfortunately for the Hokies, Burmeister has entered the transfer portal and opted out of the bowl game. What hurts even more for the Hokies is his backup Knox Kadum did the same. They will be looking to start either Connor Blumrick or Tahj Brooks. Combined, they have 16 pass attempts on the season. Add in their two leading receivers Tre Turner (draft) and Tayvion Robinson (transfer portal) opting out of the game could spell disaster for an already lackluster Hokies offense.
On defense, they will be without star edge rusher Amare Barno and defensive lineman Jordan Williams who both declared for the draft. This will severely hinder the Hokies 42nd-ranked defense whose sack rate (80th) and pressure rate (108th) are already abysmal. The key on defense will be in the secondary where their havoc rate in the defensive backfield is their strength at 17th in the nation.
Key to the matchup: Which version of Taulia Tagovailoa will show up? The Terrapins’ success has hinged on the play of their junior quarterback. In six wins, Tagovailoa has 17 touchdowns and one interception compared to seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in six losses. The Hokies secondary has taken advantage of subpar quarterback play this season with 10 interceptions on the season. Tagovailoa has been incredibly up-and-down all season and his performance in the game will be key to whoever wins the game.
Best Bet: The Hokies are 8-4 to the under this season, but more specifically are 6-1 when the under is set at 54 or higher. Maryland’s 75th-ranked offense and Virginia Tech’s 92nd-ranked offense average a combined 52 points per game, and with Burmeister out, this should be a low-scoring game in the elements of New York. Betting Under 55 is the best bet in this game, as the offenses are likely to struggle mightily - especially if there is inclement weather.
PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner, and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
