Bowl Projections: Seminoles-Mountaineers, Hokies-Cowboys Possible Matchups After Week 8

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

Mark Schlabach (ESPN): Florida State vs. Oklahoma State
Brett McMurphy (ESPN): Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma
Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com): Florida State vs. West Virginia
Bill Bender (Sporting News): Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
College Football News: Virginia Tech vs. Baylor
Jason Kirk (SB Nation): Florida State vs. West Virginia

For the second straight week, Florida State and West Virginia are among the favorites to visit Orlando this December. Heading into Week 9, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State have also jumped into the mix. Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com), Jason Kirk (SB Nation) and Mark Schlabach (ESPN) all kept their picks the same as last week.

The other three media members all have Virginia Tech visiting Orlando to face a different Big 12 opponent. ESPN’s Brett McMurphy has the Hokies squaring off with Oklahoma for just the second time ever and the first time since 1991, when the Sooners knocked off Virginia Tech, 27-17.

Bill Bender (Sporting News) has Virginia Tech meeting Oklahoma State for the first time since 1972. The two teams split their only two prior meetings. Baylor makes its first appearance in the projections with College Football News estimating the unbeaten Bears playing the Hokies. It would be the first time the two schools meet on the gridiron despite both programs existing for more than a century.