Random OSU - VT game point-counterpoint from a Buckeye

Hello, fellow CFB fans. I've posted a few comments and have been graciously received here. Thanks! I'd like to welcome you to stop over at 11 Warriors, the best OSU fan site and one of the best sports sites on the web. I discovered The Key Play last year before the game and decided it was the best VT site out there (I also learned to not refer to you as V-Tech or that other permutation of your name. Lol). Please remember that we also have our idiot 5% on 11W, just like most sites, so you will get the homer predictions of OSU beating VT by 50. Don't let that segment of our fans bother you. As the flagship university for Ohio, we are more similar to a Wisconsin or Nebraska in our fandom than a state with 2 larger schools (think Purdue - Indiana, Illinois - Northwestern, Michigan State - Michigan). Which means that when you add in the 500,000 + living alumni & the 11.5 million Ohioans who ALL call themselves Buckeyes we're everywhere. So our 5% idiot rate works out to be around 600,000 of us. And myself? A 56 year old veterinarian (not veteran! God Bless them) who loves his profession & the Buckeyes.

Ok, on to my random, unscientific, thoughts:

1. I really thought we would beat you last year. And that THIS game would be the trap game that would likely get us this year. Phil Steele is talking about you guys making the playoffs or even winning it all. Now I'm nervous.
2. You're playing at home. First game jitters. Edge to VT.
3. The atmosphere - Lane Stadium, the passionate fans, and a full Labor Day off to get juiced will have the place rocking. Edge to VT.
4. Revenge. Our team is too well coached to let it slip, but I have an acquaintance in the training room, and OSU has had this game circled on the calendar for a year. They want this one badly. As far as I know, Meyer has only lost to a coach (Tuberville - Auburn 2006 & 2007) once in his career in back to back years. (Correction by Shakeitallabout - 2009 & 2010 to Saban). Meyer has lost to 21 coaches in his entire career and there are only 4 coaches who have beat him twice. Edge to OSU.
5. Last year Beamer & Foster (aka Satan & the spawn of Satan) admitted that they had been game planning for 2 years. And that this was a historic win for VT. The Bear front baffled a team & coaching staff both. Meyer admitted he got out-coached. Here's a good breakdown of what you did to us from an OSU perspective: http://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2014/09/40037/breaking.... OSU started facing a bear front or a version of that every single game after that. As best said by Ross Fulton "ran at the C gap bubbles with gap blocking and threw better. Bear never worked again". We didn't lose a game - Meyer & his staff are fast learners. We will be much better prepared this year, though I do expect Foster to have a few wrinkles ready. Game planning? Call it even.
6. Special teams. VT is well coached & has a history of special teams success (remember last year against us? Ugh.) Special teams often thrive at home with the added crowd noise. Edge VT.
7. Offensive line. This may be the key to the whole game. Last year we (admittedly) spent too much time preparing for Navy's triple option (any Georgia Tech flashbacks here, guys?).

EDIT : The last 2 lines were the poorest attempt at voicing a thought in my whole post. Here's what I was thinking & trying to say: @ Hokie_x3_HI - You nailed me on that. That was a really poorly worded comment. To elaborate - Meyer typically spends most of his time with the offensive & special teams units. Before our opener against Navy he has admitted that he spent way too little time with his offense, because he spent much of camp getting the defensive team ready for Navy's triple option. Although he respects Beamer & Foster he has said he didn't expect anything like the BEAR being thrown at us and wasn't ready for it. It took him until the second half for us to even begin to adjust. We were clueless at first. Fortunately, I expect him to be better prepared for both the bear front & variations off your base defense.

We were starting 1 veteran and 4 new players, and a QB who was in his second game. This year we have 4 starters & 1 new (4 year) starter. We beat Wisconsin, Alabama, & Oregon with a 3rd string QB & a running back (with a wrist in a cast) that racked up 696 yards in 3 games. You don't do that unless your offensive line has come of age. Edge - OSU.
8.Defensive line. I would have homered this one & said OSU, but Joey Bosa apparently decided that FIFA soccer was more important than going to class. VT has a dominant d-line with 2 DE's that should wind up in the NFL. But how worried are you guys about De Dadi Nicholas having a hand in a cast? OSU has a young, tough, fast athletic D-Line, but I really don't know how to call this one. Help?
9. QB's. I've seen arguments that Brewer played hurt last year (courtesy of Bosa). Tough kid. What killed us last year was our laying off too far & allowing 19 yard 3rd down conversions. I think we'll be better in coverage this year. But with a year under his belt, Barrett is much more prepared for you. And I think Cardale Jones could take the top off your defense with Foster's scheme of leaving his secondary on an island to cover the receivers. A ridiculous NFL ready arm. Edge OSU.
10. Receivers. Help me out here. I don't know enough to compare. We did lose our best deep threat (Devin Smith). And Corey Smith, Jaylin Marshall, & Corey Smith are out for the game. Rumors of being suspended for skipping class & smoking the Devil's lettuce abound.
11. Running backs. I think you'll have a better, healthier running game this year, but with our improved O-line & Zeke Elliott, I like our chances. Edge OSU.
11. Wild card - Braxton Miller. The guys on the team refer to him as hands down the best athlete on the team. He's switched to wide receiver. Beat our running back, Zeke Elliott in a foot race the other day. I doubt he's a deep threat, but he'll play. He's tough to get a glove on. And OSU just unveiled a play where Cardale Jones is the QB & Braxton Miller is the running back in a read option play. DE crashes - ball to Miller to run or pull up wide & pass. DE constraints - Cardale runs. Fourth option - Cardale fakes & throws deep.
12. VT is playing with house money. If they lose to the defending National Champs, well, that was expected by Vegas. If they win, they can brag about it for years. Play loose, take chances, blitz, have fun, get the crowd into it & get the momentum. Edge VT.
13. Both schools have an excellent College of Veterinary Medicine. Even.
14. Marching bands. Edge TBDBITL. Duh.

Thanks for visiting my unscientific, random fan thoughts. As you can tell, I'm not a X and O's guy. Just a fan. And if you just reply "TL;DR", I'm ok with that.

P.S. Fuck UVA. Fuck Michigan.