Game of the day: Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

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Game of the day:Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (+6.5, 38.5)

Neutral Site?

An impressive win in the Georgia Dome to begin last season paved the way for Alabama to become one of the biggest surprises college football.

Nick Saban?s squad came out firing on all cylinders to start 2008, with a 34-10 opening-day win in Atlanta against a Clemson squad that was ranked in the preseason Top 10. Expect the Crimson Tide to hold the edge in crowd support in Atlanta Saturday night this time around, despite the neutral site venue.

ACC Mediocrity

The ACC has struggled to step up against the big boys over the last decade. Since the BCS bowl structure was founded a decade ago, ACC teams are just 2-9 SU in BCS Bowls. It?s surely worth noting that Virginia Tech beat Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl last year ? the ACC was 1-9 as a conference in BCS Bowl Games prior to that victory.

Factoring pointspreads into the mix, the ACC isn?t getting much respect. This game features the two-time defending ACC champs, returning 15 starters, installed as a near touchdown underdog to an Alabama team that returns only four starters on the offensive side of the football.

Injuries and Suspensions

The NCAA reinstated Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones along with running back Mark Ingram on Wednesday on the condition that they repay the cost of a Gulf Coast fishing trip they took last spring. The ruling was very good news for the Crimson Tide. Jones was an All-SEC receiver as a freshman, while Ingram is set to replace All-SEC tailback Glen Coffee after leading the team with 12 touchdown runs as a freshman.

Alabama senior defensive end Brandon Deaderick isn?t expected to play on Saturday. Deaderick was shot in the arm during a robbery attempt over the weekend and was not released from the hospital until late Tuesday.

Virginia Tech?s star running back Darren Evans tore his ACL in preseason practice and is out for the season. Evans was a beast in the backfield last year, gaining more than 1,200 yards while punching in 11 touchdowns. Redshirt freshman RB Ryan Williams is expected to earn the starting nod for Frank Beamer?s squad.

Quarterbacks

Virginia Tech junior Tyrod Taylor split time with Sean Glennon last year, but the starting gig is all his in 2009. Taylor?s passing stats weren?t all that pretty in 2008. He posted a 57 percent completion rating, made 173 pass attempts that produced only 1036 yards and had a 2-to-7 touchdown to interception ratio. Taylor?s passing numbers should be better this year and the dual threat?s running numbers should exceed last year?s totals of 5.0 yards per carry and seven rushing touchdowns.

John Parker Wilson graduated in the offseason, leaving the Crimson Tide to search for a new starting quarterback. Junior Greg McElroy won the job in a three-way competition during spring practice, after patiently waiting three full years for his chance.

McElroy knows a thing about patience. In high school he sat behind future Missouri star Chase Daniel until his senior year before leading his team to the state title. McElroy?s college experience is limited to mop-up duty in blowouts, throwing 20 passes in eight previous games.

?He is very smart. Players really like him. He has a lot of positive leadership qualities,? coach Nick Saban told reporters.

Coaches Quotes

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer isn?t resting his hopes for the season on this one ballgame. Remember, the Hokies lost their opener to East Carolina last year, but still managed to win the ACC title.

?A win over a great program as good as Alabama would definitely be a big thing for Virginia Tech and the ACC,? Beamer told the media. ?The other side of it, it doesn?t make your season either way. If you beat Alabama you still have games to play, and if you lose to Alabama you still have games to play.?

Nick Saban still seems upset by Alabama?s failures in the SEC title game against Florida and their Sugar Bowl game against Utah, particularly on the defensive side of the football.

While the buzz around Tuscaloosa is calling this year?s defense one of the best Alabama defenses ever, Saban cut that talk short.

?Where it is now, we gave up 31 points in the last two games we played. Even though we were going against two of the best offenses in the country, we need to do better. There?s a lot of room for improvement,? Saban told the press.

 

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Tide-Hokies battle highlight of NCAAF Week 1 action
The first weekend of the 2009 NCAA College Football season provides some great matchups for football betting fans ? and betED.com has a great selection of wagers for all the games.

One of the most highly anticipated tilts of Week 1 features two top-10 teams with the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide battling the 7th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in a neutral-site game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (Saturday, 8 pm ET, ABC).

BetED.com College Football Betting Odds have the Crimson Tide as 6-5-point favorites and the over/under total at 38.

The Crimson Tide, 12-2 SU last season, fell to Florida in the 2008 SEC championship game and then to Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

The Hokies, meanwhile, won the ACC title in 2008 and are again favored to win the championship.

The teams have not met since 1998.

Earlier Saturday, the No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs take on the 9th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (3:30 pm ET, ABC).

The Cowboys are a 4.5-point favorite and the over/under is 61.5 at betED.com.

Georgia won 35-14 the last time the teams met on Sept. 1, 2007 as 6-point home favorites.

Also Saturday, the 20th-ranked BYU Cougars face the daunting task of knocking off the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners in a neutral-site matchup in Arlington (7 pm ET, ESPN).

Oklahoma is a huge favorite at -22.5.

BYU boasts a highly-touted quarterback in Max Hall and an explosive offense ? but Oklahoma has Heisman-winner Sam Bradford leading its offense.

BYU has gone 20-3 SU over its past 23 but just 1-8 ATS in its past nine.

On Monday, an all-Florida battle pits the Miami-Florida Seminoles against the No. 18 Florida State Hurricanes in Tallahassee (8 pm ET, ESPN).

Last season, Florida State won in a shootout, 41-39.

The Seminoles are 6.5-point favorites.

Check out all the NCAA Football Betting Odds at betED.com.

 

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Trends - No. 7 Virginia Tech vs No. 5 Alabama

Trends - No. 7 Virginia Tech vs No. 5 Alabama

Trends - No. 7 Virginia Tech vs No. 5 Alabama

ATS Trends

Virginia Tech
Hokies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Hokies are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog.
Hokies are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games in September.
Hokies are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.


Alabama

Crimson Tide are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Crimson Tide are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.


OU Trends

Virginia Tech
Under is 5-1 in Hokies last 6 games overall.
Under is 4-1 in Hokies last 5 games in September.


Alabama

Under is 7-2 in Crimson Tide last 9 games overall.
Under is 6-2 in Crimson Tide last 8 games as a favorite.
Over is 8-3 in Crimson Tide last 11 games in September.
Over is 5-2 in Crimson Tide last 7 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.


Head to Head
No Trends Available

 

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Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) (0-0 H) vs Virginia Tech Hokies (0-0) (0-0 A)

Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) (0-0 H) vs Virginia Tech Hokies (0-0) (0-0 A)

Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) (0-0 H) vs Virginia Tech Hokies (0-0) (0-0 A)

Game Time: 8:00 p.m. EDT Saturday, September 5

Stadium: Bryant-Denny Stadium Surface: Grass




RECORD ANALYSIS
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Virginia Tech Hokies HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL

Year-to-Date 6 - 0 3 - 4 9 - 4 1 - 4 4 - 3 5 - 7 0 - 3 5 - 2 5 - 5
Last 5 games 3 - 0 1 - 1 4 - 1 1 - 2 2 - 0 3 - 2 0 - 2 1 - 1 1 - 3
YTD vs. Conf. 4 - 0 2 - 3 6 - 3 1 - 3 3 - 2 4 - 5 0 - 3 3 - 2 3 - 5
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Alabama Crimson Tide HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL
Year-to-Date 7 - 0 5 - 1 12 - 1 4 - 3 5 - 1 9 - 4 0 - 3 3 - 3 3 - 6
Last 5 games 3 - 0 1 - 1 4 - 1 3 - 0 1 - 1 4 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 1 1 - 2
YTD vs. Conf. 4 - 0 4 - 1 8 - 1 2 - 2 4 - 1 6 - 3 0 - 3 3 - 2 3 - 5
AWAY VS. SPREAD HOME VS. SPREAD
Year-to-Date FAV DOG GRASS TURF FAV DOG GRASS TURF
Virginia Tech Hokies 0 - 1 3 - 2 3 - 2 1 - 1 1 - 4 0 - 0 1 - 4 0 - 0
Alabama Crimson Tide 3 - 0 2 - 1 5 - 1 0 - 0 4 - 3 0 - 0 4 - 3 0 - 0



TEAM LOGS/SCHEDULE:
( * = overtime)

Virginia Tech Hokies
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
08/30/08 Sat @ECA 22 - 27 L -11.5 -9 L -14 50 44.5 O +- 4.5 G
09/06/08 Sat FUR 24 - 7 W 0 0 W 17 0 0 O +-31.0 G
09/13/08 Sat GATECH 20 - 17 W -10 -6.5 L -3.5 43 39.5 U -2.5 G
09/20/08 Sat @NC 20 - 17 W +2 +3.5 W 6.5 44 44 U -7.0 G
09/27/08 Sat @NE 35 - 30 W +6 +7 W 12 46 47 O +-18.0 T
10/04/08 Sat WKTY 27 - 13 W -28 -28 L -14 0 0 O +-40.0 G
10/18/08 Sat @BC 23 - 28 L +3.5 +3 L -2 42 40 O +-11.0 T
10/25/08 Sat @FLST 20 - 30 L +6 +6.5 L -3.5 45 44 O +- 6.0 G
11/06/08 Thu MD 23 - 13 W -2.5 -3 W 7 42 41.5 U -5.5 G
11/13/08 Thu @MIA 14 - 16 L +3.5 +4 W 2 42 41.5 U -11.5 G
11/22/08 Sat DUKE 14 - 3 W -17.5 -15.5 L -4.5 0 0 O +-17.0 G
11/29/08 Sat VA 17 - 14 W -10 -7.5 L -4.5 38 38 U -7.0 G
12/06/08 Sat BC 30 - 12 W 0 0 W 18 38 38 O +- 4.0 G


Alabama Crimson Tide
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
08/30/08 Sat @CLEM 34 - 10 W +5 +4.5 W 28.5 46 46.5 U -2.5 G
09/06/08 Sat TLN 20 - 6 W -27 -30 L -16 0 0 O +-26.0 G
09/13/08 Sat WKTY 41 - 7 W -33 -28 W 6 0 0 O +-48.0 G
09/20/08 Sat @AR 49 - 14 W -9.5 -9 W 26 49 47.5 O +-15.5 G
09/27/08 Sat @GA 41 - 30 W +8 +6.5 W 17.5 45 45.5 O +-25.5 G
10/04/08 Sat KY 17 - 14 W -16.5 -15 L -12 47 44 U -13.0 G
10/18/08 Sat MS 24 - 20 W -15 -12.5 L -8.5 48 49 U -5.0 G
10/25/08 Sat @TN 29 - 9 W -5 -5.5 W 14.5 40.5 40 U -2.0 G
11/01/08 Sat ARST 35 - 0 W -24.5 -24 W 11 0 0 O +-35.0 G
11/08/08 Sat @LSU 27 - 21 W -3 -3.5 W 2.5 46 46.5 O +- 1.5 G
11/15/08 Sat MSST 32 - 7 W -20 -21.5 W 3.5 0 0 O +-39.0 G
11/29/08 Sat AUB 36 - 0 W -17 -14.5 W 21.5 41 40.5 U -4.5 G
12/06/08 Sat @FL 20 - 31 L +8.5 +10 L -1 50 54 U -3.0 G



PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY VIS SC HOM SC OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS




STATISTICAL AVERAGES:


AWAY/HOME RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
VATECH (off) 23.4 15 42 128 3.0 21 12 0.6 137 6.5 265 0.9 0.6
AL (def) 7.7 12 28 72 2.6 31 15 0.5 157 5.1 229 0.7 1.0
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
VATECH (def) 22.9 15 34 94 2.8 27 15 0.6 208 7.7 302 1.1 1.4
AL (off) 29.3 19 42 201 4.8 23 13 0.6 167 7.3 368 0.6 0.7
ALL GAMES RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
VATECH (off) 22.2 17 45 168 3.7 21 12 0.6 128 6.1 296 0.8 0.6
AL (def) 13.0 13 28 79 2.8 33 17 0.5 178 5.4 257 1.2 0.7
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
VATECH (def) 17.5 14 33 107 3.2 24 13 0.5 170 7.1 277 1.2 1.1
AL (off) 31.2 19 41 196 4.8 23 14 0.6 171 7.4 367 0.5 0.7



SCORING AVERAGES:

Virginia Tech Hokies (away) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 5.1 7.1 12.2 4.6 6.6 0.0 11.2
POINTS ALLOWED 3.0 8.3 11.3 5.7 5.9 0.0 11.6



Alabama Crimson Tide (home) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 9.4 7.4 16.8 8.6 3.9 0.0 12.5
POINTS ALLOWED 0.4 2.4 2.8 2.0 2.9 0.0 4.9



Virginia Tech Hokies (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 4.6 7.2 11.8 5.4 5.0 0.0 10.4
POINTS ALLOWED 2.4 6.2 8.6 4.1 4.8 0.0 8.9



Alabama Crimson Tide (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 10.2 8.5 18.7 7.8 4.2 0.5 12.5
POINTS ALLOWED 2.1 2.8 4.9 2.4 5.7 0.0 8.1



VALUE INDEX COMPARISON TO LAS VEGAS LINE:

LV POINTSPREAD VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING LINE EDGE
Virginia Tech Hokies 62.5 -1.5 8.0
Alabama Crimson Tide 57
LV OVER/UNDER VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING EDGE
OVER/UNDER 49.5 UNKNOWN

 

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(5) Alabama (0-0) vs. (7) Virginia Tech (0-0)

(5) Alabama (0-0) vs. (7) Virginia Tech (0-0)

(5) Alabama (0-0) vs. (7) Virginia Tech (0-0)



Saturday, September 5th, 8:00 p.m. (et)


GAME NOTES: One of the most anticipated matchups of the 2009 season takes place this weekend in Atlanta, as top-10 foes Alabama and Virginia Tech meet in a key non-conference matchup from the Georgia Dome.

The fifth-ranked Crimson Tide are coming off a 2008 season in which they ran the table in the regular season and climbed to the number one spot in the national rankings as a result. A 31-20 loss to Florida in the SEC title game, ended Alabama and Nick Saban's hopes of a national title. A deflated Alabama squad was relegated to the Sugar Bowl, where the team fell to a strong Utah squad, 31-17.

Alabama's quick return to national prominence under Saban has paid immediate dividends, as Saban recently signed a contract extension with the university that will keep him in Tuscaloosa through the 2017 season.

"Coach Saban has impressively led the Alabama football program back to national prominence in a short period of time," said UA Director of Athletics Mal Moore. "That success has been evident in all facets - on-field results, his embrace of Alabama's athletics and academic culture, recruiting, and community service. In every way, Coach Saban has positioned our program among college football's elite."

Saban will get a chance right out of the gate to repay the university for its confidence in him, as Virginia Tech poses a real threat.

The seventh-ranked Hokies come into the 2009 campaign with the ACC title in their sights. Frank Beamer's squad was able to win the conference a year ago, although it didn't come easy. Still, with nine wins on the year and the ACC crown in tow, Tech earned a BCS bowl bid and bested Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl, 20-7.

This game marks the 12th all-time meeting between these two teams on the gridiron. Alabama won the first 10 matchups, but Virginia Tech finally earned a victory in this series in the inaugural Music City Bowl in 1998.

With the departure of John Parker Wilson under center, Greg McElroy steps into the void. With the job securely in place McElroy has to now go out and prove he is the man for the job, something Coach Saban certainly believes.

"I think Greg has done a lot to gain the respect of his teammates and has done a good job of effectively executing what we want to do," says Saban. "How he responds to a game-like situation is why we have to play him. I'm not really concerned about it, we're just going to do everything we can to support him and help him and develop so that he can manage it the best he can."

McElroy will have the luxury of throwing to one of the nation's premier wideouts in Julio Jones, who finished with 58 catches for 924 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman last season. Also, Marquis Maze will be a guy to watch on the outside.

The ground game will be spearheaded by Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch, who are more than capable of carrying the load. Ingram rushed for 728 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman last season, and although the offensive line has suffered some major losses, the rushing attack is still viewed as one of Alabama's strengths.

There is much more stability on the defensive side of the ball, as nine starters are back from one of the best defensive units in the nation. It all starts up front, with mammoth defensive tackle Terrence Cody. The 365-pound beast may prove to be the nation's elite interior defensive lineman by season's end. He will be flanked by veteran ends Brandon Deaderick and Lorenzo Washington. However, Deaderick was recently involved in a robbery attempt and suffered a gunshot wound to the arm. It is not known how much time he will miss.

The linebacking corps has star power as well in standout junior Rolando McClain, who posted 95 tackles and three sacks a year ago.

The guy to watch in the secondary is safety Justin Woodall. He posted 47 tackles and four picks last season. With the departure of standout Rashad Johnson, Woodall has a chance to shine as one of the true defensive leaders for Alabama.

The 2009 offense for Virginia Tech will look much different than Coach Beamer envisioned even a few weeks ago, as sophomore star Darren Evans has been lost for the season with an ACL tear. Evans set an ACC record for rushing yards as a freshman, with 1,265 yards and 11 TDs in 2008. A few of the youngsters in the backfield will be asked to fill the void and the hope is that players like redshirt freshman Ryan Williams, true freshman David Wilson and redshirt sophomore Josh Oglesby can help assuage the loss.

There is much more stability under center, as duel threat Tyrod Taylor returns for his junior season. Taylor was hampered by injuries in 2008 and split time with now departed Sean Glennon, but still managed to rush for 738 yards and seven TDs, while throwing for over 1,000 yards.

Beamer has all the confidence in the world in his signal-caller.

"I think Tyrod is going to have a heck of a year. I think his throwing is going to be better, his decision-making is going to be better and I think he works very hard at it. He's a smart kid and very competitive."

The team's top five receivers return to Blacksburg and although this is a run- first team, it will certainly help to have some experience on the outside. Sophomore Jarrett Boykin had a solid freshman season in 2008, as the 6-2, 215- pounder led the team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (441), with two TDs. Tight end Greg Boone is a reliable relief valve with All-ACC type of talent.

Three starters return along the offensive line, including bookends Ed Wang (6-5, 310) and Blake DeChristopher (6-5, 303).

The Hokie defense has been one of the premiere stop units in the entire country for awhile and 2008 was no different, as Tech was stingy in just about every facet of the game, including limiting opponents to just 175.0 passing yards per game. The defense returns seven starters from that squad, so expect more of the same in 2009.

Getting after the quarterback is something this defense did well last year, amassing 35 sacks in all. Gone is Orion Martin (13.0 TFLs and 7.5 sacks), but plenty returns up front, including All-American candidate Jason Worilds (6-2, 240) on the outside. The junior end led the team in 2008 in TFLs (18.5) and sacks (8.0). Senior tackle Cordarrow Thompson (6-2, 308) is disruptive in the middle, racking up 6.5 TFLs and three sacks a year ago.

The linebacking corps is loaded as well, with players like seniors Cody Grimm (71 tackles, 7.5 sacks and two INTs) and Cam Martin (51 tackles, two sacks) headlining the group.

The secondary returns three of the four starters from a year ago, but the one glaring departure is All-American Victor Harris, who was tied for the team lead with six interceptions in 2008. This is still one of the best secondaries in the country, with playmakers like senior cornerback Stephan Virgil (43 tackles, six INTs) and senior safety Kam Chancellor (52 tackles, two INTs) roaming the defensive backfield.

The Crimson Tide deflated the ACC faithful in last season's season-opener, destroying what was supposed to be a great Clemson program. Virginia Tech is too good to allow that to happen again. This game pits two of the nation's top defensive units, so don't expect a shootout. How well McElroy handles the pressure, will determine this one. The Hokies will bring it from all angles and will try to limit Jones down the field. In the end however, one or two big plays could be the difference and simply put, Alabama has more playmakers.

Predicted Outcome: Alabama 23, Virginia Tech 17

 

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College Football Matchup - (5) Alabama vs. (7) Virginia Tech

College Football Matchup - (5) Alabama vs. (7) Virginia Tech

College Football Matchup - (5) Alabama vs. (7) Virginia Tech

(5) Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) vs. (7) Virginia Tech Hokies (0-0)
Date: Saturday, September 5th
Kickoff: 8 p.m. (et)
Site: Georgia Dome (71,996) -- Atlanta, Georgia
Surface: FieldTurf
2008 Overall Record: Alabama 12-2; Virginia Tech 10-4
2008 Home Record: Alabama 7-0; Virginia Tech 6-0
2008 Away Record: Alabama 5-0; Virginia Tech 2-4
2008 Neutral Record: Alabama 0-2; Virginia Tech 2-0
Versus Opposing Conference: Alabama vs. ACC (77-33-1)
Versus Opposing Conference: Virginia Tech vs. SEC (26-49-5)
Current Road Win/Loss Streak: Alabama 5W
Current Home Win/Loss Streak: Virginia Tech 8W
Television: ABC
Announcers: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters
All-Time Series: Alabama (10-1)
Last Meeting: December 29, 1998 (Virginia Tech, 38-7 in Music City Bowl)
Series Streak: Alabama has won 10 of the 11 meetings.

Season Schedule/Results
Alabama Crimson Tide
Sep 5 - vs. Virginia Tech, 8:00 PM (at Atlanta, GA)
Sep 12 - vs. Florida Intl, 7:00 PM
Sep 19 - vs. North Texas, 12:20 PM
Sep 26 - vs. Arkansas, 3:30 PM
Oct 3 - at Kentucky, TBA
Oct 10 - at Ole Miss, 3:30 PM
Oct 17 - vs. So Carolina, TBA
Oct 24 - vs. Tennessee, TBA
Oct 31 - Open
Nov 7 - vs. L-S-U, TBA
Nov 14 - at Miss State, TBA
Nov 21 - vs. Chattanooga, TBA
Nov 27 - at Auburn, 2:30 PM
Virginia Tech Hokies
Sep 5 - vs. Alabama, 8:00 PM (at Atlanta, GA)
Sep 12 - vs. Marshall, 1:30 PM
Sep 19 - vs. Nebraska, 3:30 PM
Sep 26 - vs. Miami-Florida, TBA
Oct 3 - at Duke, TBA
Oct 10 - vs. Boston College, TBA
Oct 17 - at Georgia Tech, TBA
Oct 24 - Open
Oct 29 - vs. North Carolina, 7:30 PM
Nov 5 - at East Carolina, 7:30 PM
Nov 14 - at Maryland, TBA
Nov 21 - vs. NC State, TBA
Nov 28 - at Virginia, TBA



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Can the Hokies surprise Alabama?

Can the Hokies surprise Alabama?

Can the Hokies surprise Alabama?



The ABC Saturday night college football schedule starts out with a doozy of a game between Alabama and Virginia Tech, a pair of top 10 teams in most polls. The Crimson Tide come off their best season in many years, as they started 12-0 in 2008 before dropping their final two games. They are a 6-point favorite over a Hokies? team that is expected to reign over the ACC in ?09. Nearly two-thirds of bettors at Sportsbook.com like ?Bama?s chances of getting it done on the number.

Alabama played in the SEC title game and made a BCS bowl game, are greater things on the horizon for Nick Saban?s (19-8, 12-13-1 ATS) third year in Tuscaloosa? It depends and the answer won?t really be known until later in the season. Where the tricky part is the offense, junior Greg McElroy has waited his turn and is now the big man on campus for the Crimson Tide. McElroy has professed to be ready and sophomore sensation Julio Jones will be one of his favorite targets to pass to. The offensive line has to be reworked with three outstanding starters gone and running back Glen Coffee leaving early. On defense, there are zero question marks with nine starters back and improving depth in support. All-American nose tackle Terrance ?Mount? Cody is poised for a colossal campaign and is reportedly leaner and meaner than ever. Rolando McClain is a headache at linebacker and the secondary has aggressive ball-hawks. The Tide have won last five of six as favorites.




Does it seem possible that Virginia Tech was ever bad under coach Frank Beamer? You have to go back to 1992 to find the last losing season in Blacksburg. The Hokies have won 10 or more games eight times in the last decade including five in a row (38-24-1 ATS). With 14 starters back in the fold, this opening game could determine if Virginia Tech is national contender or one of the best in the ACC. Junior Tyrod Taylor in the undisputed leader of the offense. He?s worked diligently to become better passer and expects to see the results. With Darren Evans out with an ACL tear an unproven yet versatile running core will have to step up, running behind an offensive line that came into its own late last season.

Jason Worilds might be just 6?2 240 pound defensive end; however he?s up field before the tackle is even out of his stance pressuring the quarterback, leading another stern Hokies defense.

The Hokies are 12-4 ATS in their first road game of the season.

Odds-makers have made their case about this matchup. Bama opened as a six-point choice despite a new quarterback and just four returning offensive starters. That speaks volumes about what they think about the difference between SEC and ACC. This is a special opening matchup and Virginia Tech is 17-6 ATS in September road encounters. The Tide is 16-1 SU in opening tilts since 1992, but just 5-10 ATS during that time.

 

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Man behind UA flap called victim of fishing expedition

Man behind UA flap called victim of fishing expedition

Man behind UA flap called victim of fishing expedition
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Curtis Anderson has reluctantly cut off contact with Alabama football players Julio Jones and Mark Ingram, as the school requested, and has received threats because he provided what the NCAA deemed "impermissible benefits" to Jones and Ingram, Anderson's attorney said Friday.

"He hasn't called the players or talked to them and he's not going to," Athens attorney John Plunk told The Birmingham News.

Plunk said Anderson has been "miserable" since Anderson himself told The News two weeks ago that he had taken Jones and Ingram on a fishing trip that brought an Alabama investigation and an NCAA ruling.

The players were required to repay to charity the cost of the fishing trip and other unspecified benefits Anderson provided them, restoring their eligibility for tonight's opener against Virginia Tech.

"The last 10 days have been awful for him," Plunk said of Anderson. "He's getting 40, 50 calls a night from crazies. People say, `If we lose this game, you're going to be in trouble.'

"If nothing else, they're implied threats."

Who is Anderson, the 56-year-old Athens businessman who owns Eagle Wholesale Supply and has found himself at the center of this controversy?

Plunk should know. He said he and Anderson "grew up together, went to church together and graduated from Athens High School together.

"I've been his attorney all these years," Plunk said, "and other than that, I've just been a friend."

 

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5 things to watch in football nationally

5 things to watch in football nationally

5 things to watch in football nationally
Saturday, September 05, 2009

1. ABC. The bigger winner this weekend will be ABC, which should have huge ratings today. First, there's No.13 Georgia at No.9 Oklahoma State. Then for the nightcap, it's No.5 Alabama at No.7 Virginia Tech. Fans migrate in droves to games that include rankings. Getting two of the three ranked games in Week 1 back-to-back will be a ratings winner for ABC.

2. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech. I'm interested to see what Alabama hangs its hat on offensively. Without three starting offensive linemen from a year ago and running back Glen Coffee, can the Tide still methodically run the ball and mix in play-action passes? Hidden yardage from penalties and special teams returns figure to play a key role in today's defensive struggle. Alabama 16, Virginia Tech 9, thanks to Leigh Tiffin.

3. Georgia at Oklahoma State. Complete toss-up game. Mike Gundy's sheltering of Oklahoma State players from the media for much of the summer raises an eyebrow. This is like the Super Bowl for Oklahoma State, which doesn't usually get this much love, whereas Georgia has been there, done that. For no other reason than the game is in Stillwater, call it Oklahoma State 31, Georgia 28.

4. BYU vs. Oklahoma. The Sooners will be without all-American tight end Jermaine Gresham (14 TD catches in 2008). If his knee injury causes him to sit out a while, it would be devastating to Oklahoma's offense. BYU always has an explosive passing offense. But I like the Sooners' defense to carry the offense for a little while this year and win 24-10.

5. Greg Paulus. Why would you possibly want to watch Minnesota-Syracuse? Because Syracuse's new quarterback is Duke's former point guard and one of the most villified players in college basketball. Paulus, once recruited in football by Notre Dame, hasn't played the sport since high school and has his work cut out for him. But it's a fascinating story to watch develop.

STAT OF THE WEEK:

Long-suffering Iowa State fans drew 48,831 on Thursday against North Dakota State for the head coaching debut of former Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads. It was the largest opening-game crowd for Iowa State since 1987, and that came against rival Iowa. Iowa State won on Thursday, snapping a 10-game losing streak Rhoads inherited from current Auburn coach Gene Chizik, whose debut in 2007 drew 1,500 less than Rhoads' opener.

SIGN OF THE TIMES:

In a week where the American Football Coaches Association has encouraged every team to shake hands before the game, Oregon and Boise State did - and then got in a fight after the game. Oregon's LaGarrette Blount threw the sucker-punch heard around the world Thursday. Oklahoma State has decided against shaking hands with Georgia. The SEC is leaving it up to each school to decide whether to shake hands. The SEC says at least Vanderbilt, Florida and Mississippi State will do the pre-game handshake to promote sportsmanship.

 

[Lumi]

For Hokies, a perfect shot

BLACKSBURG

Frank Beamer has been managing expectations for months now.

He believes his seventh-ranked Virginia Tech football team has the talent to contend for a national title and knows tonight's opener against No. 5 Alabama could kick-start a run to the BCS championship game.

But Beamer also saw what happened after then-No. 10 Clemson was routed in Atlanta by the Crimson Tide to start last season. The Tigers never recovered. So Beamer has been singing the same song all summer:

"It doesn't make your season either way," he'll tell anyone willing to listen. "You've still got games to play if you beat Alabama, and you've still got games to play if you lose to Alabama."

This is true. Tech will have at least 11 other games after this one. But the Hokies might not get another chance like this - to knock off a highly ranked team, an elite program with a trophy case full of national title trophies - for some time, maybe even years.

At the moment, there's not another regular-season opponent so tough, so rich in tradition, on Tech's schedule until the Hokies travel to Ohio State in 2014.

"You're talking about the program of all programs," defensive coordinator Bud Foster said of the Crimson Tide. "That's the program everybody wants to be like."

To get some of what Alabama has - a collection of 12 national championships - the Hokies have to beat teams like the Crimson Tide. For that reason, not everyone is in tune with Beamer about how important this game really is.

"Everybody's looking at: When is college football going to get a playoff?" tailback Josh Oglesby said. "To me, the season is like a 13-game playoff, and this is our first big test."

For junior quarterback Tyrod Taylor, this game could be a showcase. He spent the past two seasons sharing snaps, scrambling for his life, answering questions about a hitch in his throwing motion and a lack of touchdown tosses.

Tonight's game, against an Alabama defense that ranked third nationally in yards allowed last season, will be the first time Taylor takes the rei ns and runs the offense all alone. To prove his passing has improved. To show he can carry the Hokies into uncharted territory.

In many ways, tonight's showdown is bigger than the Orange Bowl victory Taylor led at the end of last season over a distinctly unsexy Cincinnati squad.

"I've been waiting for this game," Taylor said. "It's a chance for me to go out and make a name for myself. I'm ready.... I know a lot of critics have said we aren't going to be explosive at all. But I believe we have the right playmakers... and we're excited."

Clemson felt that way too. It entered last year's opener with a veteran quarterback, two star tailbacks and a speedster at wide receiver. Then Alabama smacked the Tigers in the mouth from the start. Some say they were swallowed up by all the hype that preceded the kickoff.

The Hokies also run that risk.

Oglesby said he has never heard so much buzz around Blacksburg leading up to a game. In classes, other students are happy to lend their support - or pencils or calculators... anything he might need.

"People are extra friendly," Oglesby said. "A lot of people realize the opportunity. They're excited about the game, just really excited."

The players have also been besieged by the media throughout the preseason, asked over and over about beating the Tide and the prospect of winning it all. But the Hokies have vowed not to get lost in the lights.

"We're going to be Virginia Tech - no Clemson slip," cornerback Stephan Virgil said. "We need this. We need this win to go to the next level. To go to the next level, we also need a national championship. And the road to the national championship starts with Game 1, which is Alabama."

Said safety Dorian Porch: "It's a business trip, and we need to go take care of business."

Much has been made of this game's importance to the national reputation of the ACC. Some are counting on Tech to prop up a league that has taken a beating in big games recently.

The Hokies must win, the theory goes, to give the ACC its first legitimate national title contender since Florida State in 1999. Coincidentally, the Seminoles played Tech in that title game.

Foster feels a little differently.

"We're not representing the ACC," he said. "We are in one aspect, but we're representing Virginia Tech. Florida State and Miami and North Carolina, they're not helping us in this game.... It's Stephan Virgil lining up against Julio Jones. It's us against them."

On that, all the Hokies can agree. What the outcome means remains to be seen.