The South Eastern Conference (SEC) has become the Mecca of the College Football world over the past few seasons and with good reason. The SEC is 5-0 in the BCS title game since the system was installed in 1998. The 2nd best conference win percentage comes from the Pac-10 who is 1-1 overall. No other conference has a winning record.
If you’re not impressed by that factoid then hopefully you notice that the last three national champions have all been from the SEC. Florida in 2006, LSU in 2007, and Florida once again in 2008. With Alabama making their way to the Title game this year, the SEC has an excellent chance to make it four straight and improve the conference record to 6-0 overall. That’s pretty damn good.
For the Hokies and Coach Beamer, this will be their fifth shot at an SEC team since they have joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004. Tech is a lowly 0-4 against said conference since joining the ACC. In 2004, the Hokies faced the Auburn Tigers in the Sugar Bowl and lost 16-13. In 2006, Tech faced the Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach bowl and lost 31-24, then just one year later the Hokies faltered in a 48-7 drubbing at the hands of LSU. Finally, at the beginning of this season, Tech lost to Alabama down in Atlanta 34-24.
However, with Virginia Tech and Tennessee in the Chick-fil-a bowl looming, the Hokies have a chance to reverse this negative trend and finally capture that elusive SEC win that has been avoiding the Hokies since 2002.
Virginia Tech will face Tennessee down in Atlanta for the first time since the Hokies jump-started Peyton Manning’s career in the 1994 Gator Bowl. Although first year coach Lane Kiffin was able to lead his Volunteers to a bowl game this season, Tennessee is far from being Alabama who the Hokies played earlier this season.
Tennessee is a good match-up for the Hokies as long as Tech is mentally prepared and is ready for this game. Tennessee has just the 58th ranked run defense, giving up over 148 yards per game. The Vols defense did hold possible Heisman winner Mark Ingram to just 99 yards back on October 24th but they also surrendered 282 rushing yards to Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss last month. Those stats bode well for Ryan Williams who will enter the bowl game fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game with 128.
The Vols will bring their Tampa 2 that was made famous by the Tampa Bay Bucs in the NFL during their Super Bowl season in 2003. The Tampa 2 is fairly simple and is basically what you use when you play NCAA Football 10 drop into a cover 2 out of the 4-3 formation. The safeties cover deep, the linebackers spread the field and the defense keeps everything in front of them. The smaller, yet quicker defensive line is designed to put pressure on the quarterback without having to use blitzes.
On the offensive side of the ball, Tennessee isn’t a whole lot better. They are 48th in total offense, 43rd in rushing offense, and 47th in passing offense. Although the Hokies defense isn’t at the level it was back in the 2006 season, Tennessee shouldn’t be able to consistently move the ball against Bud Fosters group. Tech finished the season ranked 14th in the country in total defense, which is the Hokies lowest ranking since the 2003 season.
On paper, the Hokies should have success in this bowl game. Tennessee is a good team but not a great team like the Hokies saw in Atlanta earlier this year.
However, games don’t take place on paper. But for Frank Beamer and his Virginia Tech Hokies, this would be a great chance to reverse the SEC curse that has hung over the heads of the Tech fan base for the last six years and finally garner that elusive win over a team from the best conference in College Football.
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