It was a Monday night a few months ago now that Virginia Tech had the national stage all to itself. The Hokies faced Boise State in Landover, Md. in what ended up being a spectacular game. The Broncos took an early lead, but Tech fought back to take its own lead. Boise scored a touchdown with under a minute left, however, and won 33-30.
If that game didn't dash the national title hopes of the Hokies, next week's loss to JMU certainly did. Tech fought back throughout the year, however, and rattled off 11 consecutive wins and won another ACC title. Now, the Hokies have another Monday night audience all to themselves. And another big-time opponent--this one being 11-1 Stanford, the PAC-10 runner up. The Cardinal's only loss this year came against Oregon, which will play Auburn in the national title game next Monday.
It's interesting because there aren't many people giving the Hokies a chance in this one. Certainly, lots of Wahoos want Tech to lose, and think it will. The ESPN vote I saw this morning had 74 percent of the nation thinking Stanford would win. Tech is actually the more established program, though. For about a decade now, the Hokies have been mainstays in the top 25 and sometimes top 15 in the country. Stanford was 1-11 only a few years ago, back in 2006. In Jim Harbaugh's first year as coach there, they went 4-8. Then in '08, they went 5-7. In 2009, Harbaugh and Stanford earned a berth in the Sun Bowl against Oklahoma with an 8-4 record. Stanford lost to the Sooners 31-27. The Cardinal seems and feels like the power team here, but it's actually Tech. Stanford is new to this game of national prominence.
Tech needs to be taken seriously in this matchup. The Hokies have played top-10 football in the latter part of the season. I think it's going to be a terrific game. Certainly, I want Stanford to win, but I think Tech will give it everything it can handle and then some. The Hokies have blown lots of big games in recent years. The Orange Bowl against Kansas after the 2007 season. Alabama last year. Boise this year. It's time for them to get over the hump and I'm thinking they will. As much as I hate to say it, I think Tech's finally had enough of not getting it done in the big games.
The key will be the beginning of the game. Stanford is a great first-quarter team. If it hadn't been for the first quarter of the Boise game, Tech probably would've beaten the Broncos. The Hokies will need to be within a score (if they are behind) at the end of the first quarter. If they aren't this game could go the other way.
The matchup of Tyrod Taylor--one of the best college quarterbacks--against Andrew Luck--one of, if not the top NFL QB prospect--should be fun to watch. Tough game to pick, but I'm going to go with Tech, 30-29.
If that game didn't dash the national title hopes of the Hokies, next week's loss to JMU certainly did. Tech fought back throughout the year, however, and rattled off 11 consecutive wins and won another ACC title. Now, the Hokies have another Monday night audience all to themselves. And another big-time opponent--this one being 11-1 Stanford, the PAC-10 runner up. The Cardinal's only loss this year came against Oregon, which will play Auburn in the national title game next Monday.
It's interesting because there aren't many people giving the Hokies a chance in this one. Certainly, lots of Wahoos want Tech to lose, and think it will. The ESPN vote I saw this morning had 74 percent of the nation thinking Stanford would win. Tech is actually the more established program, though. For about a decade now, the Hokies have been mainstays in the top 25 and sometimes top 15 in the country. Stanford was 1-11 only a few years ago, back in 2006. In Jim Harbaugh's first year as coach there, they went 4-8. Then in '08, they went 5-7. In 2009, Harbaugh and Stanford earned a berth in the Sun Bowl against Oklahoma with an 8-4 record. Stanford lost to the Sooners 31-27. The Cardinal seems and feels like the power team here, but it's actually Tech. Stanford is new to this game of national prominence.
Tech needs to be taken seriously in this matchup. The Hokies have played top-10 football in the latter part of the season. I think it's going to be a terrific game. Certainly, I want Stanford to win, but I think Tech will give it everything it can handle and then some. The Hokies have blown lots of big games in recent years. The Orange Bowl against Kansas after the 2007 season. Alabama last year. Boise this year. It's time for them to get over the hump and I'm thinking they will. As much as I hate to say it, I think Tech's finally had enough of not getting it done in the big games.
The key will be the beginning of the game. Stanford is a great first-quarter team. If it hadn't been for the first quarter of the Boise game, Tech probably would've beaten the Broncos. The Hokies will need to be within a score (if they are behind) at the end of the first quarter. If they aren't this game could go the other way.
The matchup of Tyrod Taylor--one of the best college quarterbacks--against Andrew Luck--one of, if not the top NFL QB prospect--should be fun to watch. Tough game to pick, but I'm going to go with Tech, 30-29.
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