We are days away from a very, very big day in Virginia Tech Football. I’ve probably read more articles, blog posts, pre-game reports, and forum posts on the upcoming Virginia Tech vs Alabama Game than any game ever, but unlike most big Hokie football games, I just don’t have a gut feel for this one. There really isn’t any result that would surprise me.
In pondering this game, one thing that does occur t me is that no matter the outcome, the result will set the stage for a very eventful Virginia Tech football season.
I’m probably less than 50% accurate, but after watching Hokie football for 20+ years, when as these big games approach I usually have some sort of gut feel for the outcome. For the 2004 Season Opening Game vs. USC at FedEx field (a game that this Bama game keeps gets comparing to), going in I had a feeling the underdog Hokies would surprise USC and play them close (I was right). Virginia Tech generally has underrated talent when facing the big boys for first time, and their defensive schemes are unusual enough to throw them off. In the 2005 ACC Championship game, I really thought the Hokies would finally get the FSU monkey off our back, and that loss to the 14 point underdog Seminoles is one of my worst Hokie memories.
But this game, I really have no idea. Doing too much pre-reading probably has clouded my mind. Could Alabama like LSU just have too much SEC talent and speed for the still rather young Hokies from the ACC? Could Saban’s big game legend continue, and Beamer’s recent futility with SEC games as well, resulting in yet another SEC romp over the overmatched Hokies? Plus, the Hokie linebackers are young, the running backs are green, and let’s face it, Alabama’s defense is pretty much all back from last year and they were a top 5 unit. I wouldn’t be surprised, though I will be shocked at another 48-7 type debacle of 2 years ago at LSU.
Or could this be the game where VT takes the big game success they’ve had the last 15 years over teams like Texas, Nebraska, Miami, and WVU to the next level and really applies to a big league SEC team? If we look back and see that the Alabama new QB and OL were simply overwhelmed by Bud Foster, something that’s happened any number of times, no one should be surprised. Virginia Tech knows how to win big games: get some big plays by a few playmakers (Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams, Greg Boone, anyone), win the special teams battle, and a get a defensive touchdown. There you go, VT beats Alabama the typical way, and I won’t be all that surprised.
Virginia Tech vs Alabama Football Tickets on StubHub
Or the game could be a nail biter. Either team could win by a field goal, or last second score, or a game that is filled with plays that could have tilted the game in the opposite direction. This in my mind is the most interesting result of all, in that it will legitimize the national championship hopes of BOTH teams. If VT looses narrowly to Alabama, especially a game that was in their grasp, the mindset of the Hokie fans will be “hey we are a legit top 5 team, just win the ACC and see what happens”.
This brings me to the real point of this post. A big game first game of the season like this more than anything sets the stage for a drama filled season, no matter the result. If the Hokies win (especially if they win big) and whoa!, we are giddy, strap on and let the Hokie national championship hype machine spin. If we lose but lose narrowly, in essence we are still in the picture, still optimistic, and sometimes laying in the weeds of a national championship race is not a bad place to be.
Plus, if we can go 11-1 and win the ACC, just think what this team will be in 2010. Of course there will be some that will point to a narrow loss as just another example of Beamer and the Hokies inability to win “the big one”.
A blowout loss to Alabama will set the stage for a different type of roller coaster, as Hokie fans evaluate the short term and long term implications. How much did we miss Darren Evans? Is the defense too young? Is Tyrod Taylor just no progressed enough in the passing game? Is the ACC just too inferior? Is Beamer ever going to be able to win a big game?
I suspect no matter the outcome, the Virginia Tech football message boards will be on full throttle come Sunday and stay that way through the season.
Go Hokies!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Very nice article. Very balanced. I am a big Alabama fan and I have seen some crazy articles this week from both sides. Good luck this week. Roll Tide.