Russell Athletic Bowl 2012 picks and predictions

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl, on Friday, Dec. 28 at Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

Football fans who enjoy defense will want to tune into the Russell Athletic Bowl, as both Rutgers and Virginia Tech are ranked in the top 25 of total defense. Consequently, points will be at a premium when the Scarlet Knights and Hokies square off.

CBS Sports' Matt Rybaltowski wrote about his keys to the game, and predicts that Rutgers will come out victorious on Friday, predicting a 23-21 for Rutgers.

Joey Johnston of NBC's College Football Talk also predicts a low-scoring affair. Johnston has the Hokies defeating the Scarlet Knights, 19-16.

ESPN's simulations predicts two different results. NumberFire predicts a 20-19 win for Virginia Tech, while AccuScore predicts a 23-22 win for Rutgers.

Kickoff between Rutgers and Virginia Tech is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 28. Televised coverage can be found on ESPN.