One team is trying to prove the preseason hype was justified. The other is hoping to spring a big upset.
Such is the state of affairs today when Ohio University (2-0) visits Lane Stadium to take on No. 18 Virginia Tech (1-1). Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
The Hokies, a preseason Top 10 choice and pick to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, has stumbled out of the blocks. Tech was less than dominant in a 17-7 win over East Carolina, then was blown out by No. 2 LSU 48-7 last week.
Veteran Tech head coach Frank Beamer, trying to inject some life into an offense that has just two touchdowns and 427 total yards on the season, made a switch at quarterback this week when he named true freshman Tyrod Taylor the starter over junior incumbent Sean Glennon. Taylor is the first true freshman to ever start for Beamer, and the first freshman to start under center for the Hokies since Michael Vick in the mid 1990s.
Taylor, a fleet-footed thrower, gives the Hokies another dimension, and another option if the Tech offensive protection issues continue. Ohio head coach Frank Solich said whoever the quarterback is will present some problems with the athletes the Hokies have available at the other spots.
?You can?t get too concerned about who we?re facing, or which quarterback we?re facing,? Solich said. ?I know they got a great deal of talent on the offensive side of it.
?Their line is huge. The tight end is big. They can muscle you, or they can out-athletic you in terms of going through the air,? he added. ?Any kind of approach they take, they have the chance to be successful. We?re going to have our hands full.?
The Bobcats figure to have an even more difficult task with the Hokie defense. Returning starters dot the unit, which has led the country in total defense each of the past two seasons. Forget the fact the Tech defense was burned for 48 points and nearly 600 yards last week, the Hokie defense will be fast and should be in a surly mood.
?They?re a great team defensively, obviously,? said Ohio quarterback Brad Bower. ?They do have a lot of great athletes out there, but we have some good ones of our own.
?Right now, we think the coaches have put in a great game plan for us,? he added. ?It?ll be interesting to see how we match up against them and we?ll see how it goes Saturday.?
If the Bobcats can generate any offense, Bower will have to play a large part. The Hokies are sure to give Ohio tailback Kalvin McRae ? averaging better than 100 yards per game and tied for the national lead in scoring at 18.0 points per game ? plenty of attention.
Bower, who leads the Mid-American Conference in passing efficiency, and the Ohio passing game have been solid through two weeks, but the degree of difficulty will magnified substantially today.
?A lot of people are doing a lot of good things,? he said. ?The receivers, the protection up front has been great. And I?ve been throwing it fairly well and developing some confidence. We just have to go out and make the plays when we have the opportunity to make them.?
The ?Cats, usually solid on special teams, can?t count on having an advantage there either. The Hokies, under Beamer, have been considered one of the best special teams programs in the country over the last decade.
Add in the fact the ?Cats will be on the road in one of the loudest stadiums in the country, and there?s plenty of reason to believe this might be the week Virginia Tech puts it all together.
Ohio, burned 45-0 in a September 2005 trip to Blacksburg, is eager to prove it?s a different team than it was two years ago however.
?We?re a better football team,? Solich said. ?I don?t know what that all means in terms of facing them this year versus two years ago.
?I know we?re more athletic, we have more team speed. We?re hoping that plays out to help us in this game,? he added. ?But Virginia Tech has all of those things on both sides of the ball and in special teams.?
With the confidence level rising after last year?s winning season, and last week?s come from behind victory, the ?Cats are determined to not be awed by the moment or the stage.
?We?ve played in some other hostile environments ? like Rutgers ? so we?re kind of used to that by now,? said Ohio linebacker Taj Henley. ?We?re not going to be shell-shocked to see 75,000 or however many people are there.
?We?re just going to play football,? he added. ?Once the whistle blows, the crowd is out the window. We?re there to play ball.?
Streaking
Today?s game will be the first time since 2005, and just 13th time since 1990, that Ohio had faced a team ranked in the Top 25. The Bobcats are 0-12 in the previous matchups with the closest call coming in a 23-20 loss at Kansas State in 1997. The Hokies are untouchable at home in non-conference games. Virginia Tech has won 26 straight non-conference tilts in Lane Stadium.
Such is the state of affairs today when Ohio University (2-0) visits Lane Stadium to take on No. 18 Virginia Tech (1-1). Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
The Hokies, a preseason Top 10 choice and pick to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, has stumbled out of the blocks. Tech was less than dominant in a 17-7 win over East Carolina, then was blown out by No. 2 LSU 48-7 last week.
Veteran Tech head coach Frank Beamer, trying to inject some life into an offense that has just two touchdowns and 427 total yards on the season, made a switch at quarterback this week when he named true freshman Tyrod Taylor the starter over junior incumbent Sean Glennon. Taylor is the first true freshman to ever start for Beamer, and the first freshman to start under center for the Hokies since Michael Vick in the mid 1990s.
Taylor, a fleet-footed thrower, gives the Hokies another dimension, and another option if the Tech offensive protection issues continue. Ohio head coach Frank Solich said whoever the quarterback is will present some problems with the athletes the Hokies have available at the other spots.
?You can?t get too concerned about who we?re facing, or which quarterback we?re facing,? Solich said. ?I know they got a great deal of talent on the offensive side of it.
?Their line is huge. The tight end is big. They can muscle you, or they can out-athletic you in terms of going through the air,? he added. ?Any kind of approach they take, they have the chance to be successful. We?re going to have our hands full.?
The Bobcats figure to have an even more difficult task with the Hokie defense. Returning starters dot the unit, which has led the country in total defense each of the past two seasons. Forget the fact the Tech defense was burned for 48 points and nearly 600 yards last week, the Hokie defense will be fast and should be in a surly mood.
?They?re a great team defensively, obviously,? said Ohio quarterback Brad Bower. ?They do have a lot of great athletes out there, but we have some good ones of our own.
?Right now, we think the coaches have put in a great game plan for us,? he added. ?It?ll be interesting to see how we match up against them and we?ll see how it goes Saturday.?
If the Bobcats can generate any offense, Bower will have to play a large part. The Hokies are sure to give Ohio tailback Kalvin McRae ? averaging better than 100 yards per game and tied for the national lead in scoring at 18.0 points per game ? plenty of attention.
Bower, who leads the Mid-American Conference in passing efficiency, and the Ohio passing game have been solid through two weeks, but the degree of difficulty will magnified substantially today.
?A lot of people are doing a lot of good things,? he said. ?The receivers, the protection up front has been great. And I?ve been throwing it fairly well and developing some confidence. We just have to go out and make the plays when we have the opportunity to make them.?
The ?Cats, usually solid on special teams, can?t count on having an advantage there either. The Hokies, under Beamer, have been considered one of the best special teams programs in the country over the last decade.
Add in the fact the ?Cats will be on the road in one of the loudest stadiums in the country, and there?s plenty of reason to believe this might be the week Virginia Tech puts it all together.
Ohio, burned 45-0 in a September 2005 trip to Blacksburg, is eager to prove it?s a different team than it was two years ago however.
?We?re a better football team,? Solich said. ?I don?t know what that all means in terms of facing them this year versus two years ago.
?I know we?re more athletic, we have more team speed. We?re hoping that plays out to help us in this game,? he added. ?But Virginia Tech has all of those things on both sides of the ball and in special teams.?
With the confidence level rising after last year?s winning season, and last week?s come from behind victory, the ?Cats are determined to not be awed by the moment or the stage.
?We?ve played in some other hostile environments ? like Rutgers ? so we?re kind of used to that by now,? said Ohio linebacker Taj Henley. ?We?re not going to be shell-shocked to see 75,000 or however many people are there.
?We?re just going to play football,? he added. ?Once the whistle blows, the crowd is out the window. We?re there to play ball.?
Streaking
Today?s game will be the first time since 2005, and just 13th time since 1990, that Ohio had faced a team ranked in the Top 25. The Bobcats are 0-12 in the previous matchups with the closest call coming in a 23-20 loss at Kansas State in 1997. The Hokies are untouchable at home in non-conference games. Virginia Tech has won 26 straight non-conference tilts in Lane Stadium.
