‘Little ol’ Kentucky’ is an underdog against Virginia Tech. That could be good.
READ MORE
UK in the 2019 Belk Bowl
The University of Kentucky will play Virginia Tech in the 2019 Belk Bowl on Dec. 31. Read more about the Wildcats’ opponent and destination.
Expand All
Quinton Bohanna wasn’t aware that he and his teammates are considered a three-point underdog against Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.
“We are, for real?” Bohanna said after a reporter mentioned it.
Bohanna rolled his eyes briefly and laughed. He and his teammates are used to it, he said — and their performance, betting-wise, backs that statement up.
“We’re not just happy to be here,” Bohanna said. “We know what we want, and that’s holding that trophy up in Bank of America Stadium.”
UK went 7-5 on the field this year but finished 9-3 against the spread, matching Auburn for the best mark by any Southeastern Conference team. In total it tied with five teams for a 75-percent win percentage against the spread; Clemson was alone in first place at 76.9 percent (10-3) before it played Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Saturday.
Two of UK’s outright losses — at Mississippi State (28-13) and at South Carolina (24-7) — were also losses against the spread (it was a 5.5-point underdog against the Bulldogs and a 3.5-point underdog to the Gamecocks). Kentucky was favored by a point over Tennessee at home but lost 17-13; it won and covered its other six games as a favorite.
The Wildcats covered the spread three times as underdogs but only actually won one of those games — 29-7 over Missouri (against whom they were favored by 9.5 points). They covered against Florida (29-21 loss as a 10-point dog) and at Georgia (21-0 as a 23.5-point dog).
Virginia Tech finished 8-4 in actuality but was 6-6 when it came to betting. The Hokies lost three times as a favorite — 35-28 to Boston College (4.5-point favorite), 45-10 to Duke (2.5-point favorite) and 39-30 to Virginia (1-point favorite).
Only one other SEC team — Texas A&M — opened as a betting underdog in the postseason. The Aggies defeated Oklahoma State, a 4.5-point favorite, 24-21 in the Texas Bowl on Friday.
UK finished its season on a three-game win streak punctuated by back-to-back victories in which it piled up historic rushing totals. Virginia Tech had a three-game streak of its own going before falling to Virginia, and is making its 27th straight bowl appearance, the longest run in the country.
That’s helped the Hokies generate more cachet in the minds of the general college football fan than has Kentucky, which will play in its fourth straight bowl but has only 12 total appearances over the same period of time Virginia Tech has built its collection.
Even if the Wildcats had been favored, they’ve conditioned themselves to play like underdogs dating back to the preseason. Given the circumstances they’ve navigated to get to Charlotte, that feeling is probably more earned than ever.
“We’re little ol’ Kentucky with a receiver at quarterback and no-names all across the roster,” Bohanna said with a grin. “We’re gonna see when we get out there and play.”
NASCAR
On Saturday morning, the team drove out to Charlotte Motor Speedway — about 20 miles from downtown in Concord, N.C. — prior to practice. They were offered the opportunity to hop into a NASCAR stock car and take a lap around the 1.5-mile track. The cars reached speeds of up to 170 miles per hour.
No one who wanted to partake was turned away — though a slightly larger car was needed to accommodate Marquan McCall (6-3, 365 pounds) after track officials were unable to wrap a belt around him inside his original car.
“I barely got in and out but the last one was good, so, it was fun,” McCall said with a laugh. “That was the most craziest thing I’ve ever did. I’ve never been that, like, excited I guess. I’m still in shock right now.”
It was the first of two NASCAR-related experiences in store this weekend as part of Belk Bowl festivities — a dinner at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, located in downtown Charlotte, is scheduled for Sunday.
Kash Daniel wore a Dale Earnhardt “3” hat to the speedway. It was “faster than a dirt track,” he said.
“It’s almost like gravity going against you,” Daniel said. “That was pretty cool.”
Daniel doesn’t watch too much NASCAR these days but he loved watching races in his youth with his dad. He and C.J. Conrad have been to a race together during their time at UK.
What’s more nerve-wracking: getting into a NASCAR or waiting on the sidelines before a football game kicks off?
“Right before a football game,” Daniel said with a grin as engines roared behind him. “This, I’m just out here having fun.”
Belk Bowl
Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech
When: Noon Tuesday
Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Records: UK 7-5; Virginia Tech 8-4
TV: ESPN
This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 4:41 PM.
