Week 10 Bowl Projections: Could Heisman Hopeful Mason Rudolph and Oklahoma State Be Orlando Bound?

The 28th Camping World Bowl is still a month away, but it’s never too early to start predicting which ACC and Big 12 teams might be headed to Orlando. Here’s a round-up of projections from around the college football media world through Week 10.

Kyle Bonagura (ESPN): Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
David M. Hale (ESPN): NC State vs. Iowa State
Eric Single (Sports Illustrated): Virginia Tech vs. Iowa State
Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com): NC State vs. Iowa State
Bill Bender (Sporting News): Syracuse vs. Oklahoma State
Jason Kirk (SB Nation): Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
CollegeFootballNews.com: Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Brett McMurphy: Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia

Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia

• This game would be a rematch of the teams’ season opener in which Virginia Tech defeated West Virginia 31-24 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland
• Overall, the Mountaineers hold the 28-23-1 advantage in the series
• Virginia Tech appeared in the 2012 Camping World Bowl, a 13-10 overtime win over Rutgers, and also visited Orlando for the 2016 ACC Championship Game at Camping World Stadium, a 2000 road game against UCF and a 1991 neutral-site game against top-ranked Florida State
• West Virginia has appeared four times in the Camping World Bowl but has yet to leave Orlando victorious
• The Mountaineers’ most recent Camping World Bowl game was last year’s 31-14 loss to Miami
• West Virginia’s offense is currently ranked seventh in the nation and is averaging 516.3 total yards per game, which would put Virginia Tech’s No. 11 defense (300.6 yards per game) to the test.

NC State vs. Iowa State

• Teams have only met once previously on the gridiron, in the 1977 Peach Bowl; NC State won 24-14
• This would not only be the Cyclones’ first appearance in the Camping World Bowl, but their first-ever appearance in a Florida bowl game
• NC State has appeared in the Camping World Bowl five times — tied with Miami for the bowl record — and holds a 3-2 record in those games
• This season, both teams are ranked in the top 35 in the nation in rushing defense — NC State at No. 31 and Iowa State at No. 34
• They also both have some of the best turnover margins in the FBS as the Wolfpack are tied for 21st at +0.67 per game and the Cyclones are tied for 10th at +1.11

Virginia Tech vs. Iowa State

• This would be the first meeting between programs
• In this matchup, Iowa State would likely need to rely on its passing offense, ranked 36th nationally (267.1 yards per game), as Virginia Tech’s No. 17 rushing defense is allowing just 121.8 yards per game on the ground. (Iowa State currently averages 111.6 yards per game on the ground, 117th out of 129 teams.)
• The Cyclones’ total defense (367.1 yards per game) against the Hokies’ total offense (430.1) would be an interesting matchup, as they are ranked 40th and 42nd among FBS teams.

Syracuse vs. Oklahoma State

• No previous matchups between the programs
• Syracuse’s only appearance in the Camping World Bowl was a 51-14 loss to Georgia Tech in 2004
• Oklahoma State has never played in the Camping World Bowl
• Oklahoma State is known for its offense and is ranked in the top three of four different national categories including total offense (2nd, 579.4 yards), passing (3rd, 379.2 yards), team passing efficiency (3rd, 167.58) and scoring (2nd, 45.3).
• Syracuse’s defense has been allowing an average of 365.1 total yards on defense and 24.9 points per game

Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State

• The teams have split their head-to-head series all-time, 1-1, with the most recent meeting coming in 1972
• Virginia Tech’s only appearance in the Camping World Bowl was its OT victory in 2012 — the only overtime game in the bowl’s history
• This would be Oklahoma State’s first appearance in the Camping World Bowl and fourth appearance in a Florida bowl game, including the 1976 Citrus Bowl — known then as the Tangerine Bowl. The Cowboys beat BYU 49-21 in that game
• The Hokies vs. the Cowboys would be a matchup of strengths; Virginia Tech ranks fourth nationally allowing just 13.3 points per game, while Oklahoma State trails only UCF in scoring offense, averaging 45.3 points per game