3 things to know for the Russell Athletic Bowl

Need a brief primer before you attempt to watch all 40 bowl games this season? We’ve got you covered. Here are three things you need to know about the Russell Athletic Bowl.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL
West Virginia (10-2) vs. Miami (8-4)
Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. ET
ESPN

– Passing yards should be abundant in this game. Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya leads Miami’s 27th-ranked pass offense against a vulnerable West Virginia pass defense ranked 101st. Projected as a potential top five NFL draft pick before the season, Kaaya’s season has been characterized by many as a disappointment. Looking closer at the numbers, “disappointment” seems a bit of a stretch. Kaaya has thrown seven more touchdowns in 2016 than 2015 while maintaining almost the same completion percentage (61 percent), passing yards (3,250), and yards-per-attempt (8.4).

West Virginia should have success through the air as well. Its pass offense is No. 30 – averaging 267.4 yards per game – and will be matched against a Miami pass defense which surrenders 220 yards a game. Look for quarterback Skyler Howard to make plays against the Miami defense whether with his arm – 3,194 yards, 26 TDs – or his legs. He’s run for 400 yards and 9 TDs.

– Keep an eye on WVU running back Justin Crawford. A former junior college player and Taco Bell employee, Crawford dominated the Big 12 in his first season. Rushing for 1,168 yards and 4 TDs, the junior ran wild all season, averaging 7.4 yards-per-carry and earning the 2016 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award.

Miami’s Mark Walton rushed for 1,065 yards and 14 TDs on 5.5 yards-per-carry this season. Walton is a threat both running and receiving out of the backfield.

– With a 9-5 career bowl record, Mark Richt is quite successful in bowl games. With Lane Kiffin (Florida Atlantic), Butch Davis (Florida International), and Charlie Strong (South Florida) taking over Florida programs, beating the No. 14 Mountaineers in Richt’s first season would be a great way to create recruiting momentum in a suddenly cramped and always competitive state.

Alternately, West Virginia would achieve 11 wins with a bowl victory. The Mountaineers have not reached that mark since 2005 when a Rich Rodriguez-led WVU finished the season ranked No. 5 ranking with an 11-1 record.

Mascot fight prediction: This is the most lopsided fight of bowl season. No human can stop a force of nature. A human who resides in the mountains against a hurricane? With no beach experience, a Mountaineer will be just a plaything for a Hurricane.

Real prediction:
Graham Watson: West Virginia 27, Miami 16
Nick Bromberg: West Virginia 45, Miami 40
Sam Cooper: Miami 33, West Virginia 31
Chris Herbert: West Virginia 31, Miami 27