The Liberty Bowl was supposed to be a confrontation between West Virginia and Tennessee, but as we know in 2020, nothing is set until the game officially begins. Tennessee had to give up bowling due to problems with the COVID-19 and the Army, looking for an extra game, was happy to replace the Vols.
The Black Knights now have the opportunity to win their 10th game for the third time in the past four seasons and for the fourth time overall in the program’s history. Coach Jeff Monken continues to do a great job at West Point and should be on the list for more Power Five coaching presentations.
Mountaineers are more in a rebuild mode. In Year 2 – or, in practice, Year 0.5 – Coach Neal Brown did a good job in his own right to take this program at least to the intermediate level of the 12 major classifications. West Virginia is led by a strong defense that for most of the year was the best unit of the Big 12. But the attack was hit or miss, plagued mainly by an incomplete offensive line game and wide receiver takedowns.
In fact, these two programs were played three times in its history, but the most recent game was in 1961, where West Virginia won 7-3. We could enter a similar competition almost 60 years later, with the types of defenses involved. So, who wins this confrontation? Let’s take a closer look at the plots and clashes to follow before making any expert choices either directly or against the spread below.
Storylines
West Virginia: As with any team facing the Army, interrupting the triple option is critical. You can usually quickly tell whether a defense is up to the challenge or not. Triple option teams will do one thing, and there is not much in the way of adjustments to the game that can be made. Although the Mountaineers’ running defense was good – they only allowed eight hits throughout the year – defending the option requires visual discipline and good angles. Dante and Darius Stills are forces along the D-line and the linebacker’s unity is also solid. If West Virginia can win in the first few casualties, he should be able to win the game.
Army: Holding the ball was a key factor in the Army’s success this year. The Black Knights have a +8 margin of rotation in nine wins and -3 in two defeats. Fumbles are not always expensive, which is what you would think of a team that controls the ball as much as the Army. Two interceptions influenced the Army’s worst performance of the year: a 38-12 loss to Tulane. Three fumbles almost proved too expensive to win a point over Georgia Southern. If the Army is going to get its tenth victory of the year, it needs to be good with ball security.
Want more college football in your life? Listen below and subscribe to the Cover 3 College Football podcast for high-level information and analysis beyond the battlefield, including a full preview of the Liberty Bowl below.
View information
Games: Liberty Bowl
Meeting: Thursday, December 31 | Time: 16h Eastern Time
Location: Liberty Bowl Stadium – Memphis, Tennessee
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Liberty Bowl prediction, choices
Most recent odds:
West Virginia Mountaineers -10
The line for this game started in West Virginia -7.5 and has now dropped to -7. A hook would give Army supporters a little breathing space if you want to go with the spread. Total points may be the best move, however. At 41.5, the total is low, but the Army has been solid and West Virginia’s attack is unreliable. You may sweat a little, but moving on here seems like a solid move. Choose: Less than 41.5 | West Virginia 24, Army 16
So, who wins the Army against West Virginia? And which side of the spread reaches more than 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of West Virginia vs. Army spread back, all from the advanced model in a 56-36 race in their top rated college football choices this season.