Bowl Projections: West Virginia & Virginia Tech Favorites To Meet In Orlando After 12 Weeks

After 12 weeks of play, here are updated projections for the 27th Russell Athletic Bowl from around the college football media.

Mark Schlabach (ESPN): Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
Brett McMurphy (ESPN): Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com): Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Bill Bender (Sporting News): Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
College Football News: North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Jason Kirk (SB Nation): Florida State vs West Virginia
Brant Parsons (Orlando Sentinel): North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Stewart Mandel (FOX Sports): Miami vs. West Virginia

West Virginia and Virginia Tech is the most common matchup projected by our select media members this week. Both Mark Schlabach and Brett McMurphy of ESPN as well as Sporting News’ Bill Bender have the teams squaring off against each other for the first time ever in a bowl. The two rivals have not met since 2005 but have played 51 times previously with West Virginia holding a 28-22-1 edge.

The Hokies were also projected to face Oklahoma State this week in Jerry Palm’s (CBSSports.com) projection. It is the fifth week in a row that this matchup has been spotlighted as a possible outcome. The two teams have only met twice, each getting the win at home.

North Carolina, Florida State and Miami also all received one projection this week. In each case, they were matched up against West Virginia. The Mountaineers and Tar Heels have only met twice — and not since 2008 — but have split the two meetings, both of which happened to be in bowl games. The Seminoles are 3-0 all-time against West Virginia, with all three wins coming in the Gator Bowl. Miami also has dominated the series with the Mountaineers holding a 16-3 edge including a 22-20 win the last time the two met in 2003.