Russell Athletic Bowl 2016: West Virginia vs. Miami TV Schedule, Time and Odds
The 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl pits two old foes against one another when the West Virginia Mountaineers and Miami Hurricanes collide.
These two know each other from their Big East days and figure to put on a rather evenly matched bowl game considering both balanced offenses average 30 or more points per game.
The Mountaineers (10-2) only went down at the hands of Oklahoma and then-No. 9 Oklahoma State this year, closing the season on a two-game streak. The Hurricanes (8-4) dropped four in a row during a rough midseason stretch, but closed the year on a four-game tear.
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With plenty of momentum on both sides, this one looks like one of the week's better matchups.
Russell Athletic Bowl 2016
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 28
Time (ET): 5:30 p.m.
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 57
Spread: Miami (-3)
Team Injury Reports
| Kyzir White | S | Ques Wed |
| Ka'Raun White | WR | Out for season |
| Antonio Crawford | CB | Ques Wed |
| Jaleel Fields | DL | Out for season |
| Jake Long | CB | Out for season |
| Xavier Pegues | DL | Ques Wed |
| Yodny Cajuste | OL | Out for season |
| Brendan Ferns | LB | Out for season |
| Dravon Askew-Henry | S | Out for season |
| Gerald Willis | DL | Out Wed |
| Jeff James Jr. | DB | Out Wed |
| Jovani Haskins | TE | Out Wed |
| Michael Irvin II | TE | Out Wed |
| O'Juan Carney | WR | Out Wed |
| Cedrick Wright | DB | Out Wed |
| Nick Linder | OL | Out for season |
| Adrian Colbert | DB | Prob Wed |
| Scott Patchan | DL | Ques Wed |
| Tucker Beirne | QB | Ques Wed |
| Tyreic Martin | DL | Out Wed |
| Lawrence Cager | WR | Out for season |
| Trayone Gray | RB | Out for season |
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Taking to the Air
West Virginia has enjoyed the majority of its success this year thanks to quarterback Skyler Howard.
The versatile quarterback completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,194 yards and 26 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He also ran for 400 yards and nine scores, leading the team in the final category.
Howard spreads the ball well to his weapons, which is why three of his favorite targets sit on minimums of 40 catches, 583 yards and five touchdowns. Which isn't to suggest the Mountaineers don't run the ball well either, as the team averages 5.4 yards per carry with 22 scores. Lead back Justin Crawford scored four times while rushing for 1,168 yards.
This all makes for an offense ranking among the top 12 at 506 yards per game on average, something only other potent offenses have been able to match. For instance, then-No. 9 Oklahoma dropped 56 points on the Mountaineers in the 56-28 affair.
Howard will look to keep the Hurricanes honest Wednesday while controlling the clock. Should he fail, Miami and a potent quarterback of its own could pull away in a hurry.
Setting the Table for the Future
Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya is a household name as a guy with an NFL future.
This year, Kaaya has completed 61.2 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns to seven interceptions, operating a balanced offense formidable on all fronts. Lead back Mark Walton rushed for 1,065 yards and 14 touchdowns on a 5.5 per-carry average, while Joseph Yearby flanked him with 592 yards, seven scores and six yards per carry.
It was Kaaya, though, who put on a ridiculous run to end the season, throwing 10 touchdowns against one interception over the team's final four games—all wins.
For the junior, the focus remains getting the program a bowl win and righting the ship for classes to come, as captured by Christy Cabrera of the Sun Sentinel:
"To play ourselves into a fairly good bowl game and finish the season with a five-game win streak, I don’t think that’s happened here in a while. I don’t think we’ve won a bowl game in who knows how long, so just to finish on that high note, it’d be huge. It would set the platform for next year.
"
It is important to note the 8-4 record for Miami is slightly misleading. Three of the losses came by seven points or fewer. One was a three-point loss on the road against Notre Dame. Another was a one-point loss to then-No. 23 Florida State.
In other words, these Hurricanes are hardly ever out of a game with Kaaya and a potent offense leading the way. All that remains is taking down a familiar foe.
Prediction
From a picks standpoint, this one looks like the flip of a coin.
On one hand, West Virginia knows how to handle strong passing attacks after weathering life in the Big 12. On the other, few quarterbacks in the nation are as talented or red hot as Kaaya.
Historically speaking, Miami dominates this series in 16-3 fashion. Those tasked with picking this latest installment should expect a 17th win for the Hurricanes.
In what looks like a quarterback battle, Kaaya seems to have an edge based on his play and future potential. Look for him to lead a critical drive late as he marches toward accomplishing his goal.
Prediction: Miami 27, West Virginia 23
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
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