West Virginia is a huge favorite over Georgia Tech in the 2006 Gator Bowl odds this season. The Mountaineers had high hopes of a BCS game and a possible national title, but they can still manage to win the school’s first ever Gator Bowl in this one. The school has been here three times in the last four years and five other times overall, but hasn’t gotten it done as of yet. They can’t treat this game as a letdown even though WVU had gotten up to no. 3 in the BCS standings before losing to Louisville on November 2nd. The Mountaineers capped that off with a loss three weeks later to South Florida, removing them from the Big East title contention and the coveted BCS birth.
You can bet the team will have plenty of reasons for hope in the future with a pair of outstanding sophomores in quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton. These two helped the Mountaineers rank 2nd in the nation with 302.3 rushing yards per game and fourth in total offense at 463 ypg. However, Georgia Tech is giving up only 88.5 ypg on the ground, which is good for 11th best in the nation. West Virginia though doesn’t lose much on defense either as they are giving up only 87.8 rushing ypg.
Georgia Tech also had BCS hopes and a chance in the ACC title game, but fell 9-6 to Wake Forest on December 2nd, it’s second straight defeat. The problem for the Yellow Jackets is that senior quarterback Reggie Ball has been ruled academically ineligible. This leaves inexperience under center and some possible problems on offense. The team has one of the best threats in the nation with Calvin Johnson, but they will need someone to get him the ball.
Will Tech be able to get the ball moving without Ball, or will West Virginia be able to run the score up a little bit on them? Our experts know and their NCAA football bowl picks are waiting to help take you to the promise land.
2006 Gator Bowl Odds:
Georgia Tech +10.5 -102 at Pinnacle
West Virginia -9 -105 at Bodog
UNDER 48.5 at VIP
OVER 47 -110 at Pinnacle