9 things to know as Arkansas faces Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl

Arkansas and Virginia Tech football helmets are displayed during Belk Bowl Media Day on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, N.C. The Razorbacks and Hokies are scheduled to play Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Arkansas and Virginia Tech football helmets are displayed during Belk Bowl Media Day on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, N.C. The Razorbacks and Hokies are scheduled to play Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

— The Arkansas Razorbacks have three wins against Top 25 teams this season.

Coach Bret Bielema knows to earn a fourth Thursday night in the Belk Bowl his team will need to find a way to slow down Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans.

Evans has been Mr. Everything for the 18th-ranked Hokies (9-4) this season, establishing single-season school records for yards passing (3,303), TD passes (27) and total offense (4,062) while also leading the team with 759 yards rushing and 10 TDs.

Belk Bowl Ticket

No. 18 Virginia Tech (9-4, 6-2 ACC) vs. Arkansas (7-5, 3-5 SEC)

Time: 4:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Line: Virginia Tech by 5

Series Record: First meeting

"His size and mobility in the run game — you don't have a quarterback that runs with that much authority a lot of times," Bielema said. "You usually face a guy who slides or avoids contact. He seems to thrive off contact."

Evans said one of players he patterns his game after is Panthers 6-foot-5, 245-pound quarterback Cam Newton, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn and NFL Most Valuable Player. On Thursday night, Evans will play in the same stadium where Newton now plays on Sundays.

At 6-foot-3, 238 pounds, Evans is a little smaller than Newton, but not by much.

"The way he plays the game of football — he does anything it takes to win," Evans said of Newton. "I am pretty sure he likes to throw the ball more but coach has to run him more and that is what he does to win the game."

When asked if Evans reminds him of Newton, Hokies coach Justin Fuente broke into a smile, "Well, you're talking about the guy who was the NFL MVP. In terms of having a big strong arm and being a powerful and skilled runner, it's a long stretch to connect those two. But I can see some reason to connect them."


Some other things to watch in the Belk Bowl:

BUILT FORD TOUGH

Look for Evans to rely heavily on wide receiver Isaiah Ford in the passing game. He's the only ACC player to hold sole possession of his school's career records for receptions (204), yards receiving (2,911) and TD catches (24). Ford is three catches shy of breaking his own Virginia Tech single-season record of 75 he established last year.

WILLIAMS READY TO RUN

Arkansas (7-5) is expected to attack the Hokies on the ground with Rawleigh Williams III, who leads the SEC with 1,326 yards rushing and 68 total first downs. He's also tied for third with 12 TD runs. The Hokies know they can't just key on Williams as a runner though. He's the only non-QB in college football to run for four TDs in a game and throw a TD pass, accomplishing that feat against Mississippi State.

WALKER READY TO RETURN

Williams will get some help in the backfield from running back Kody Walker, who has been cleared to play in the Belk Bowl following what has been an injury-plagued career at Arkansas. Walker broke a bone in his foot in a 49-30 loss to No. 1 Alabama on Oct. 8. Walker has been through eight surgeries during his college career. He received news that he might have a chance to play in a bowl game about a month ago and Bielema said "from that point forward he was walking around with a red beam on his head."

REPLACING BEAMER

With a win in the Belk Bowl, Fuente would become the first coach in Virginia Tech history to win 10 games in his first season. Fuente said Beamer helped make his transition very easy. "I mean he was immensely popular," Fuente said. "There may never be a person in the history of the school that means as much to Virginia Tech and maybe even Blacksburg as Frank Beamer. The way coach is and his genuine love for Virginia Tech and how humble he is and how supportive he has been, the things everyone thinks were huge hurdles weren't. That allowed us to coaching the football team and handling the transition internally."

ALLEN LOOKING GOOD

Razorbacks quarterback Austin Allen isn't sure whether he'll walk away with a bowl victory or not, but he knows he'll be walking away looking good after the game. As part of bowl sponsorship from Belk department stores, Allen said he wound up getting three new suits for about $200. "They had a buy one, get two suits free," Allen said. "And then you get 20 percent off that, and if you sign for a credit card you get another 20 percent off. So it was pretty awesome."

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The Hokies are looking for their fourth bowl victory in the last five seasons. A win would give them their first 10-win season since 2011 and make Justin Fuente the first Virginia Tech coach to win 10 games in his first season. Arkansas is looking to become the only SEC West program to win a bowl game in each of the last three straight seasons. The Razorbacks looking for their fourth win against a ranked opponent this season.

KEY MATCHUP

Virginia Tech QB Jerod Evans vs. Arkansas LB Brooks Ellis: The dynamic Evans has already established school single-season records for yards passing, TD passes and total yards from scrimmage. But he can also run the ball, ranking 10th in the ACC at 58.4 yards per game along with 10 TDs. Ellis, a senior, is the rock of the Arkansas defense and is 15 tackles shy of 300 for his career.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Virginia Tech: WR Isaiah Ford had 12 catches for 227 yards and a TD in the Independence Bowl win vs. Tulsa last season. He is the only ACC player to hold sole possession of his school's record for receptions (204), yards receiving (2,911) and TD catches (24).

Arkansas: RB Rawleigh Williams III has reached the 100-yard rushing plateau in a league-best seven games this season while his 1,326 yards rushing are the fifth-best single-season total in school history. Williams rushed for 205 yards and four TDs on 15 carries earlier this season against Mississippi State.

FACTS & FIGURES

Virginia Tech has played well in the state of North Carolina this year, beating the North Carolina Tar Heels 34-3 and the Duke Blue Devils 24-21. ... Arkansas QB Austin Allen has thrown multiple TD passes in eight of 12 games. .. Arkansas and Boise State are the only two FBS teams to have a 300-yard passer and a 1,300-yard rusher in each of the last two seasons. ... Arkansas is averaged 32.9 points per game over the last three seasons, fourth-best in the SEC. ... Arkansas WR Drew Morgan looks to lead the team in yards receiving in back-to-back seasons since Marcus Monk.

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