Army vs West Virginia: AutoZone Liberty Bowl prediction and game preview.
Army vs West Virginia: AutoZone Liberty Bowl Broadcast
Date: Thursday, December 31
Game Time: 4:00 ESPN
Venue: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, TN
Network: ESPN
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Army (9-2) vs West Virginia (5-4) Game Preview
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Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The AutoZone Liberty Bowl
– Army was originally set to go to the Independence Bowl, but the game was canceled due to a lack of other opponents options, at least at the time. In bowl limbo for a little bit, the Knights were able to quickly turn into a fill-in to play West Virginia when Tennessee had to opt-out.
The two schools have only played three times – Army is up 2-1 – and not since 1961.
– It might seem a bit crazy considering the program’s long and storied history, but this is just the ninth bowl game for Army. Head coach Jeff Monken is 3-0 so far with the Knights in bowls and the program has won four straight going back to 1986. Army is coming in on a run of three straight wins including back-to-back victories over Navy and Air Force to take the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
– It’s the great Army option rushing offense against the great Mountaineer run defense in what should be an interesting fight. West Virginia second-year head man Neal Brown was 3-0 in bowl games at Troy, but he’ll need a big day out of the NFL-caliber defensive line brother tandem of Dante and Darius Stills to slow down the Army ground attack.
Why Army, West Virginia Will Win
What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History
NEXT: Why Army Will Win, Why West Virginia Will Win, Army vs West Virginia Prediction
Why Army Will Win
– The running game still works. It’s not the dominant force it’s been in past seasons, but it’s still fourth in the nation, ie averages 281 yards per game, and it’s brilliant at grinding down the clock. The Knights operate at their own pace, their own tempo, and it all works in the system that keeps the defense off the field and fresh. Unlike past seasons under Jeff Monken – like 2017 and 2018 – this isn’t quite as explosive as it normally is, but it’s methodical, and it works.
West Virginia is 5-4 on the season. The four losses all came in the four games when the run D gave up 179 yards or more. Army only failed to his that once, gaining 134 yards in the snowy win over Navy.
– The defense – it’s good. Again, it all works within the system that starts with the offense grinding time off the clock, and then the defense does the rest. It’s second in the nation behind Wisconsin allowing just 271 yards per game, and it’s No. 1 in college football in pass defense. To be very, very fair, though, the stats are skewed considering the Knights haven’t faced anyone who throws. However, the system really is working. Tulane is the only team to come up with more than 27 points on this D.
– Army does a whole lot of the smaller things right. West Virginia gets hit with a whole lot of penalties – the most in the Big 12 – and Army doesn’t. The Knights are great at taking the ball away, they’re great at closing out drives with points, and while there is no passing game, it just takes one big play a game to open things up.
There’s a problem, though …
Why West Virginia Will Win
– West Virginia might have the system to deal with Army. Army HAS to win the time of possession by a large margin. West Virginia was second in the Big 12 at keeping the ball, holding it for 32:38 per game. To pull this off, Army HAS to win the turnover margin, and it might have to be at least +2. West Virginia turned it over the fewest times in the Big 12, giving it away nine times. And then there’s Army’s big problem No. 1 …
– Darius and Dante Stills. The Mountaineers have the defensive line around the Stills brothers to be a major pain for the Army ground attack. Yes, it’s all about precision, cuts, and a different sort of blocking scheme as opposed to pure power, but the Mountaineers have the linemen to hold up, and the rest of the D knows how top stop the run.
Head coach Neal Brown is good at putting together good run defenses, and this one allowed just 3.6 yards per carry and eight scores on the season. Army’s big problem No. 2 …
– Army didn’t face a whole lot of passing teams. Cincinnati can throw, and Tulane had its moments, but for the most part, Army played running teams like Navy, Georgia Southern, Air Force and Citadel. Jarret Doege isn’t Aaron Rodgers, but he has thrown for over 200 yards in every game, and most importantly in this, he doesn’t throw picks. He has given up three on the year, and two game in the win over Baylor.
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Army vs West Virginia Prediction, AutoZone Liberty Bowl Bowl History
What’s Going To Happen
Pick against Army in bowl games at your own risk. However, all three of the bowl victories under head coach Jeff Monken came against Group of Five programs – North Texas, San Diego State and Houston.
Army hasn’t played any Group of Five programs this season and it faced three FCS teams, but it was able to hang around with Cincinnati in a 24-10 loss. The second-best team on the schedule was Tulane, and the Knights lost 38-12.
West Virginia will have a few problems with the Army ground game early on, but the lines will take over as the game goes on. The lack of a Knight pass rush will be an issue as the Mountaineers won’t take a whole lot of chances, won’t turn the ball over enough to matter, and will come away with a bowl win for the first time since the 2015 season.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Army vs West Virginia Prediction, Line
West Virginia 30, Army 14
Bet on Army vs West Virginia with BetMGM
West Virginia -7, o/u: 42
ATS Confidence out of 5: 4
– CFN Experts Picks: AutoZone Liberty Bowl Bowl
Must See Rating: 3
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AutoZone Liberty Bowl History
Dec. 31, 2019 Navy 20, Kansas State 17
Dec. 31, 2018 Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 33
Dec. 30, 2018 Iowa State 21, Memphis 20
Dec. 30, 2017 Georgia 31, TCU 23
Jan. 2, 2016 Arkansas 45 Kansas State 23
Dec. 29, 2014 Texas A&M 45 West Virginia 37
Dec. 31, 2013 Mississippi State 44 Rice 7
Dec. 31, 2012 Tulsa 31 Iowa State 17
Dec. 31, 2011 Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24
Dec. 31, 2010 UCF 10 Georgia 6
Jan. 2, 2010 Arkansas 20 East Carolina 17 (OT)
Jan. 2, 2009 Kentucky 25 East Carolina 19
Dec. 29, 2007 Mississippi State 10 UCF 3
Dec. 29, 2006 South Carolina 44 Houston 36
Dec. 31, 2005 Tulsa 31 Fresno State 24
Dec. 31, 2004 Louisville 44 Boise State 40
Dec. 31, 2003 Utah 17 Southern Miss 0
Dec. 31, 2002 TCU 25 Colorado State 3
Dec. 31, 2001 Louisville 28 BYU 10
Dec. 29, 2000 Colorado State 22 Louisville 17
Dec. 31, 1999 Southern Miss 23 Colorado State 17
Dec. 31, 1998 Tulane 41 BYU 27
Dec. 31, 1997 Southern Miss 41 Pittsburgh 7
Dec. 27, 1996 Syracuse 30 Houston 17
Dec. 30, 1995 East Carolina 19 Stanford 13
Dec. 31, 1994 Illinois 30 East Carolina 0
Dec. 28, 1993 Louisville 18 Michigan State 7
Dec. 31, 1992 Mississippi 13 Air Force 0
Dec. 29, 1991 Air Force 38 Mississippi State 15
Dec. 27, 1990 Air Force 23 Ohio State 11
Dec. 29, 1989 Mississippi 42 Air Force 29
Dec. 28, 1988 Indiana 34 South Carolina 10
Dec. 29, 1987 Georgia 20 Arkansas 17
Dec. 29, 1986 Tennessee 21 Minnesota 14
Dec. 27, 1985 Baylor 21 LSU 7
Dec. 27, 1984 Auburn 21 Arkansas 15
Dec. 29, 1983 Notre Dame 19 Boston College 18
Dec. 29, 1982 Alabama 21 Illinois 15
Dec. 30, 1981 Ohio State 31 Navy 28
Dec. 27, 1980 Purdue 28 Missouri 25
Dec. 22, 1979 Penn State 9 Tulane 6
Dec. 23, 1978 Missouri 20 LSU 15
Dec. 19, 1977 Nebraska 21 North Carolina 17
Dec. 20, 1976 Alabama 36 UCLA 6
Dec. 22, 1975 USC 20 Texas A&M 0
Dec. 16, 1974 Tennessee 7 Maryland 3
Dec. 17, 1973 N.C. State 31 Kansas 18
Dec. 18, 1972 Georgia Tech 31 Iowa State 30
Dec. 20, 1971 Tennessee 14 Arkansas 13
Dec. 12, 1970 Tulane 17 Colorado 3
Dec. 13, 1969 Colorado 47 Alabama 33
Dec. 14, 1968 Mississippi 34 Virginia Tech 17
Dec. 16, 1967 N.C. State 14 Georgia 7
Dec. 10, 1966 Miami 14 Virginia Tech 7
Dec. 18, 1965 Mississippi 13 Auburn 7
Dec. 19, 1964 Utah 32 West Virginia 6
Dec. 21, 1963 Mississippi State 16 N.C. State 12
Dec. 15, 1962 Oregon State 6 Villanova 0
Dec. 16, 1961 Syracuse 15 Miami 14
Dec. 20, 1960 Penn State 41 Oregon 12
Dec. 19, 1959 Penn State 7 Alabama 0
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