6 reasons to watch Kentucky vs. VT in Charlotte’s final (but not really) Belk Bowl

It is time to bid the Belk Bowl — under its current moniker, at least — farewell.

Charlotte’s postseason college football game, sponsored by the city’s iconic department store since 2011 — will have a new title sponsor after Tuesday’s contest between the ACC’s Virginia Tech and SEC’s Kentucky (noon, ESPN).

There’s little doubt the game will return to Bank of America Stadium in 2020, but under the fourth name in its nearly 20-year history. It began as the Continental Tire Bowl in 2002, changed to the Meineke Car Care Bowl from 2005-10 and has been known as the Belk Bowl since.

Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s game between the Virginia Tech Hokies (8-4) and Kentucky Wildcats (7-5):

Farewell to Bud

This will be the final game for Bud Foster, Virginia Tech’s longtime defensive coordinator. Foster, who announced before the season that he would step down, has been at Virginia Tech for 33 seasons, most of them under former coach Frank Beamer. Under Foster, the Hokies led the nation twice in both scoring defense and total defense.

Kentucky’s do-everything QB

When injuries struck Kentucky’s quarterback corps, receiver Lynn Bowden Jr., volunteered to take over. In seven games at quarterback, he has completed 29-of-62 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 1,235 yards and 11 touchdowns. Before making the switch, Bowden had caught 30 passes for 348 yards. He won this season’s Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.

Dean Hood’s return

Kentucky assistant coach Dean Hood is no stranger to the Charlotte area. Hood was the Charlotte 49ers’ special teams and tight ends coach in 2016 before going to Kentucky. Hood was also Wake Forest’s defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 2001-07, during which the Deacons went to three bowl games and won the ACC championship in 2006.

But this will be Hood’s final game with the Wildcats. He was announced as Murray State’s head coach earlier this month and will take over with the Racers after Tuesday’s game.

Homecoming

Virginia Tech’s roster is typically loaded with players from the Charlotte area and this season is no exception: Sophomore defensive back Caleb Farley (Maiden), sophomore linebacker Dax Hollifield (Shelby), sophomore defensive lineman Zion Debose, junior tight end Ty Eller (Newton-Conover), freshman receiver William Kakavitsas (Providence), junior offensive lineman Brock Hoffman (Statesville), sophomore tight end Drake Deiuliis (Providence) and freshman receiver Elijah Bowick (Myers Park).

Farley (four interceptions) and Hollifield (two sacks, three interceptions) have played key roles on Foster’s defense.

Running Wildcats

Kentucky has the SEC’s top rushing offense, thanks in no small part to the addition Bowden at quarterback. The Wildcats average 274.4 yards per game, with Bowden accounting for 102.9 of them. But Kentucky has solid depth at the running back spot. Asim Rose averages 63.8 yards per game, Kavosiey Smoke averages 50.8 and Chris Rodriguez averages 42.9.

The Hokies counter with a defense that allows just 123.3 yards rushing per game, fourth lowest in the ACC.

Bowden isn’t that much of a threat with his arm, however. The Wildcats’ 117 yards passing and receiving yards per game are last in the SEC.

A little history

The last time Virginia Tech didn’t play in a bowl game was 1992. The Hokies have now played in the postseason for a nation-long streak of 27 consecutive seasons. But it has been since the 2016 Belk Bowl, when the Hokies beat Arkansas 35-24, that Virginia Tech last won a bowl game.

This is Kentucky’s fourth consecutive bowl appearance under coach Mark Stoops.

Belk Bowl

Who: Virginia Tech (8-4) vs. Kentucky (7-5)

When: Noon, Tuesday

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

Watch: ESPN

This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 11:48 AM.