The West Virginia Mountaineers are 10-2 straight up and against the spread in their last 12 games as an underdog of three points or less. The Mountaineers will try to earn another win as a small underdog in the Russell Athletic Bowl over the 8-4 Miami Hurricanes.
Russell Athletic Bowl odds: 10-win West Virginia an underdog vs. Miami
The West Virginia Mountaineers will be looking to continue to pay out as small underdogs when they face the Miami Hurricanes in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
West Virginia is a 2.5-point underdog in Orlando at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last eight games against teams with winning records, the Mountaineers are 6-2 SU.
Playing in a conference known for its offensive powerhouses and lackluster defenses, West Virginia enjoyed success playing solid defense and doing just enough on offense to get the job done. The Mountaineers went 10-0 SU and 5-5 ATS against teams outside of Oklahoma, but got crushed by double-digits in losses to the Cowboys and Sooners. With a victory in the Russell Athletic Bowl, West Virginia would reach 11 wins for the first time since 2007.
The Mountaineers and Hurricanes have met six times since 1998. Miami holds a 6-0 SU and 3-3 ATS edge in those six games per the OddsShark College Football Database.
Betting Line / Total: Miami -2.5 / 57 Points
Trend: The total has gone under in six of Miami’s last seven games in December.
Trend: West Virginia is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games in the postseason.
The Hurricanes ended their regular season with plenty of momentum, winning each of their last four games by double-digits en route to a 4-0 SU and ATS run. Miami hopes to keep that momentum flowing into bowl season where it will be looking for its first postseason win since 2006. The team is 0-6 SU in its last six postseason appearances and 0-5 ATS in its last five. The Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against Big 12 opponents.
The total for the Russell Athletic Bowl is set at 57 points. The UNDER is 6-1 in Miami’s last seven bowl games.
West Virginia earned a win in last year’s Cactus Bowl, but the Mountaineers are just 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS in their last six bowl games. Both of these teams had similar seasons, showing flashes of brilliance but landing a tier below the top teams in their respective conferences. Similar talent and motivation levels should produce a very competitive game.
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Miami Hurricanes
When: Wednesday, December 28, 5:30 p.m. ET
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
