Liberty Bowl: West Virginia vs Army Picks

The lowest college football betting total of the bowl season is a New Year's Eve showdown between the West Virginia Moutaineers and the Army Black Knights in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. 

The Mountaineers enter as 7-point favorites with the O/U opening at 43.5 before moving down to 41. 

We break down the college football odds with our free picks and predictions for West Virginia vs. Army at the Liberty Bowl on Thursday, December 31, with kickoff at 4 p.m. ET.

Liberty Bowl: West Virginia Mountaineers vs Army Black Knights Betting Preview

Weather

It's expected to be wet and messy at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, with temperatures between 41 and 62 degrees, pouring rain and winds reaching up to 12 miles per hour. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.

Key Injuries

West Virginia: Scottie Young S (Eligible), Bryce Ford-Wheaton WR (Questionable), Sam James WR (Questionable), Tony Fields II LB (Out).
Army: None.
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.

Betting Trend to Know

Army is 5-1 ATS in its last six games against Big 12 opponents. Find more NCAA betting trends for West Virginia vs. Army.

Against the Spread (ATS) Pick

West Virginia is coming off an ugly 36-point loss to Iowa State but still finished the regular season with a 5-4 record and have gone 5-2 ATS in their last seven games. 

West Virginia was originally supposed to face Tennessee in the Liberty Bowl, but after the Vols had to back out due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Army stepped up to the plate. While Tennessee plays in a tougher conference, the Black Knights have been far more deserving of a bowl game this season, finishing with a 9-2 record and fresh off back-to-back wins over rivals Air Force and Navy. 

Army has played very well on defense, holding FBS foes to just 269.4 yards and 14.9 points per game, both numbers good for second-best in the country.

Although the Black Knights have beaten up on some pathetic offenses, including Navy and Louisiana Monroe, they also held up in their biggest test of the season against unbeaten Cincinnati – holding the Bearcats to 331 yards and forcing two turnovers. 

With the Mountaineers mustering just 23.1 ppg against FBS opponents, we're not convinced they can cover a touchdown spread in what should be a wet and windy defensive battle. 

PREDICTION: Army +7 (-110)

Over/Under Pick

We already discussed Army's defensive dominance, but West Virginia isn't far behind the Black Knights, despite playing against superior offenses. 

The Mountaineers are holding FBS opponents to just 308.6 ypg, good for sixth in the nation, and are 10-4 to the Under in their last 14 games.

Although leading tackler Tony Fields II has decided to opt-out of the bowl game, the Mountaineers still have plenty of talented defenders, including former Arizona safety Scottie Young, who will make his WVU debut after recently being deemed eligible.

Army's old-school option offense churns out yards on the ground but averages just 22.8 ppg and plays at a very slow pace, preferring to move the ball methodically and control the clock. 

As we mentioned, the O/U total for this matchup is the lowest of all bowl games at 41. However, with a pair of dominant defenses, two offenses that struggle to get into the endzone, and messy weather in the works, we're expecting a battle of attrition and taking the Under. 

PREDICTION: Under 41 (-110)

Liberty Bowl: West Virginia vs Army Betting Card

• Army +7 (-110)
• Under 41 (-110)

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