Miami

Hurricanes Headed to Russell Athletic Bowl

The Hurricanes will take on the Mountaineers in the Russell Athletic Bowl on December 28th

The Miami Hurricanes will face off against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Russell Athletic Bowl on December 28th.

The bowl announcement came on Sunday and began the countdown to Miami's final game of 2016. Miami was in the mix for several bowl games and will get to play closer to home with this appointment, as the Russell Athletic Bowl will be held in Orlando.

The Mountaineers enjoyed a 10-2 season and saw strong production from senior Skyler Howard at the quarterback spot. Howard tallied 26 touchdowns to go along with ten interceptions during WVU's regular season. The QB ended the season on a high note with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in his final two games.

West Virginia's running game was also solid with Justin Crawford rushing for 1168 yards. The junior only amassed four touchdowns, but still broke loose for a 63-yard run during the year. Crawford could be one of the more important players to watch on the 28th.

On Miami's end, Brad Kaaya will attempt to put a strong ending on his year. The quarterback had 23 touchdowns and only seven picks. It was a remarkable season with some ups and downs for the team. Kaaya has shown an ability to control the game and keep the offense moving. The Mountaineers will look to throw off Kaaya's tempo right from the start in this one.

Helping Kaaya have a big season was Mark Walton, who himself posted solid numbers. Walton ran the ball into the end zone 14 times this season and also eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground.

West Virginia opened the year with six straight wins, while Miami was 4-0 at one point. The Hurricanes would end up with a four game skid followed by another four-game win streak. The Mountaineers meanwhile stayed consistent throughout the season.

The Russell Athletic Bowl will be televised on ESPN at 5:30 p.m.

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