The 2021 New Era Pinstripe Bowl features the 6-6 Virginia Tech Hokies against the 6-6 Maryland Terrapins. Here is the 2021 New Era Pinstripe Bowl Preview.
Virginia Tech fired Justin Fuente following the regular season, but they did make a bowl game with six wins. They have wins over two bowl eligible teams: North Carolina and Virginia. Their loss to Syracuse was the only defeat they had to a team that didn’t qualify for a bowl game.
The Hokies score 24.7 points per game, ranking them 92nd in the country. They rush for 189.8 yards (ranked 34th) and pass for 179.7 yards per game (ranked 109th).
Oregon-transfer Braxton Burmeister has been the quarterback for the Hokies this season. He has passed for 1,960 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions on 55.7 percent completion. The leading receiver for the Hokies was Tre Turner, but he opted out of the bowl game. Tayvion Robinson will be the new leading receiver after having 44 catches for 559 yards and five touchdowns. Kaleb Smith and running back Raheem Blackshear each have over 200 receiving yards and will need to step up as well.
Blackshear is the leading rusher on the team with 714 yards and six touchdowns. Burmeister is the team’s second leading rusher from the quarterback position with 521 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Malachi Thomas has been the second-best running back on the season with 433 yards and three touchdowns.
The defense allows 22.9 points per game, ranking 42nd in the country. They give up 166.1 rushing yards (ranked 87th) and 219.9 passing yards per game (ranked 55th). Linebacker Dax Hollifield leads the team in tackles with 88 and in sacks with 4.5. Defensive back Jermaine Waller has been impressive in the secondary with five passes defended and four interceptions on the season.
Maryland won six games to make their first bowl game since 2016. They beat one bowl eligible team, West Virginia, this season. All six of their losses came to bowl-eligible teams.
The Terrapins score 27.3 points per game, ranking 75th in the country. They rush for 131.2 yards (ranked 93rd) and pass for 307.1 yards per game (ranked 14th).
Taulia Tagovailoa, Tua’s brother, has been at quarterback for the Terrapins this season. He has passed for 3,595 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 68.4 percent completion. Nine different players have registered at least 200 receiving yards. Their leading receiver is Rakim Jarrett, who has 56 receptions for 769 yards and five touchdowns. Dontay Demus Jr., their second best receiver, is out for this game with a knee injury, so tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo will need to step up after posting 49 receptions for 433 yards and five touchdowns.
Tayon Fleet-Davis has been the leading rusher for the team with 664 yards and eight touchdowns on the year. Colby McDonald and Challen Faamatau each have over 200 rushing yards in relief of Fleet-Davis.
The defense allows 32.4 points per game, tying them for 105th in the FBS. They concede 157.5 rushing yards (tied for 78th) and 258.9 passing yards per game (ranked 109th). Defensive back Jordan Mosley leads the team with 77 tackles. Defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu has paced the team with six sacks. Jakorian Bennett has been great in the secondary with 11 passes defended and three interceptions.
Maryland’s defense will make it tough for them to win this game. Virginia Tech will be able to score enough points and slow down the passing attack of the Terrapins enough to win the game.
Virginia Tech Hokies 31 Maryland Terrapins 28
Make sure to check out our college football page for more content like 2021 New Era Pinstripe Bowl Preview!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!
What time is this game in each time zone plllease! We wanna root hard in MST for our Hokies
🍕🎉👍🏽🤩🧡🧡🧡♥️♥️
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
