GAME NOTES: The 2008 Gator Bowl will mark the first-ever meeting between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Virginia Cavaliers on the gridiron. The Red Raiders capped off another successful regular season campaign by notching their biggest win, a 34-27 upset of eventual Big 12 Champion Oklahoma on November 17th. The victory over the Sooners improved Tech's record to 8-4, helping the program reach its 31st bowl game and its eighth in a row. The Red Raiders have won four of their last five postseason ventures, and they are 2-1 all-time in the Gator Bowl. As for Virginia, it went 9-3 during the regular season and that was a nice rebound from last year's 5-7 finish. This is the Cavs' 17th all-time bowl appearance and its second Gator Bowl berth. The team's first appearance in the Gator Bowl came in 1991 and wound up being a 48-14 setback to Oklahoma. Virginia is just 7-9 all-time bowl games, and that includes an 0-5 mark in bowls played in the state of Florida.

The Red Raiders boast one of the top scoring offenses in the nation and that is directly attributed to their spread attack, as the team is producing a robust 41.8 ppg behind an impressive 475.6 passing ypg. Quarterback Graham Harrell has flourished in this pass-happy offense and he has completed a highly efficient 72.7 percent of his throws for an average of 441.5 ypg. If that wasn't impressive enough, Harrell has also thrown for 45 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, and that isn't very many picks considering he has attempted 644 passes this season. Harrell's go-to guy is freshman Michael Crabtree, who rewrote the record books this season. Crabtree, the first freshman to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, leads the country in catches (125), receiving yards (1,861) and touchdown receptions (21). Danny Amendola has been completely overshadowed by Crabtree this season, but he has also put together a campaign worthy of recognition, catching 103 balls for 1,177 yards and five scores.

Considering how often and quickly the Red Raider offense can score, the Texas Tech defense really hasn't done a bad job in holding off opposing teams, allowing 25.8 ppg and 367.1 total ypg. The unit has fared well against the pass (196.1 ypg), but has shown it can be exploited on the ground (171.0 ypg). Coming up with big plays isn't something this unit is known for, as Tech has forced just 19 turnovers and recorded a modest 23 sacks. Brandon Williams is the team's top pass rusher with five sacks and 11.5 TFLs to his credit, and Jamar Wall is a dangerous player in the secondary, picking off a team-high five passes.

The Virginia offense isn't going to strike fear into opposing defenses, as the unit is averaging just 24.1 ppg and only 329.2 total ypg. The Cavs aren't averaging a lot of yards on the ground (126.2 ypg), but 21 of the offense's 33 touchdowns have come via the run. Virginia lost leading rusher Cedric Peerman (585 yards) midway through the season, but Mikell Simpson has done a nice job filling in, rushing for 400 yards and seven scores. He is also a threat in the passing game, catching a team-high 38 balls for 366 yards and another touchdown. Quarterback Jameel Sewell has done a good job managing the team this season and he can be effective with both his arm and legs. For the season, Sewell has thrown for 2,098 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 241 yards and four scores. Jonathan Stupar has caught 37 of Sewell's passes for 344 yards, while Tom Santi has hauled in 33 balls for a team-high 402 yards and three touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball is where Virginia has really made a name for itself this season, limiting foes to a mere 18.8 ppg and 323.4 total ypg. The unit has been tough to run against, yielding just 113.0 ypg, but it has been vulnerable against the pass, permitting 210.4 ypg. The defense has forced 21 turnovers, but it has excelled in bringing down opposing quarterbacks, racking up 40 sacks. Leading the way for the Cavs is Chris Long, the son of former NFL star Howie Long. Chris earned the 2007 Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end, ranking third in the nation with 14 sacks. He also leads the team with 19 TFLs, and ranks third in total stops with 75. Jon Copper has also had a solid campaign, and he leads the Cavs in tackles (103) to go along with nine TFLs and three sacks.

The Cavaliers simply don't have the firepower to keep up with Texas Tech, which will use its passing game to build a big lead and earn the victory.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texas Tech 34, Virginia 17