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Bowl Projections: Three-Way Race in ACC, Oklahoma State & WVU Favorites After 10 Weeks

After ten weeks of play, here are updated projections for the 27th Russell Athletic Bowl from around the college football media.

Mark Schlabach (ESPN):  Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Brett McMurphy (ESPN):  Florida State vs. Oklahoma State
Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com): Florida State vs. Oklahoma State
Bill Bender (Sporting News):  Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
College Football News: North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Jason Kirk (SB Nation): North Carolina vs. West Virginia

Following the tenth week of play, Virginia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina are in a tight race to receive the ACC’s bid in the Russell Athletic Bowl while, Oklahoma State tops West Virginia as the popular projection in the Big 12.

The latest projections have Oklahoma State facing Florida State and Virginia Tech. The Seminoles, who’ve found themselves squared up against the Cowboys for the fourth straight week, currently control the edge over the Cowboys 4-1 with the Cowboys last victory in the series coming in 1958.

Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech, who’ve been projected against each other for a third consecutive time, would be making their second trips to The City Beautiful. The Cowboys last appearance was in the 1976 at Tangerine Bowl when they defeated BYU 49-21. They have never competed in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Hokies only visit came in 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl when they defeated Rutgers 13-10 in overtime.

North Carolina and West Virginia is the final projected matchup, and like the others, has also been projected in a previous week’s projections. The two programs have not clashed on the gridiron since the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2008 when the Mountaineers defeated the Tar Heels, 31-30.