Halfwits and Wagers Has That Old School Big East Vibe

In October of 1999, my family and I had a cookout to celebrate my ninth birthday. My dad grilled steaks, my mom made a cake, and we were all set for loads of family fun time.

Unfortunately, I could hardly eat. You see in a matter of mere moments after dinner, my favorite team (Virginia Tech) and my favorite player (Michael Vick) were about to face their biggest test of the season as Keith Bullock and 16th ranked Syracuse came to Blacksburg.

The nerves lasted for about half a quarter.

By the time the final whistle blew, Vick and a dominant defense won 62-0 on their way to an undefeated regular season.

The Hokies haven't always had that kind of luck against the Orange, but it's the performance that'll always stand out when thinking about this old Big East rivalry. The two schools haven't played each other in 13 years, and won't do so again for another five, which means it's time for Tech to make more lasting happy memories in upstate New York.

On to the (fake) lines!

Over/Under: 1.5 times ESPN shows Donovan McNabb's game winner against the Hokies in 1998

Brian: If there's one thing ESPN loves, it's the conference formerly known as the Big East. And if I know anything about anything (which is debatable), a producer has had this clip in his arsenal the moment Cuse joined the ACC. We're going to see it, and I'm guessing we'll see it more than once. As for the play itself, don't look it up. It's one part utter collapse (by the Hokies), one part terrible throw (McNabb throwing across his body to the opposite corner of the end zone), and one part reminder about how different football was 20 years ago. The Orange lined up in the full house backfield THREE STRAIGHT TIMES from the one yard line. Dino Babers just vomited in his office thinking about it.

Pierson: The production team has to do something to make Syracuse football seem interesting, right? I'm picturing at least one montage of "Syracuse Football History," with graphics and highlights of Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Larry Csonka and McNabb. That would be followed by an infographic of the coaching turnover since Paul Pasqualoni's 2004 dismissal.

I'm taking the under. I think they show highlights of the 1998 game, including McNabb's game winning TD pass to Steve Brominski, two times. Once early in the game and probably a second brief "reminder" during the third quarter. We also can't forget an obligatory mention of the bizzaro-world 2002 matchup at the Dome that saw Bryan Randall and Troy Nunes let it rain like they were playing a game of NBA Jam.

With all of that being said, if this game turns into a bit of a nailbiter, between clips and mentions this number could get easily blown out of the water.

Over/Under: 161.5 total plays between both teams

Brian: Remember last season's Camping World Independence Bowl? No seriously, I'm asking because I think the combined amount of offense made the majority of Tech fans blackout.

Well that 55-52 showing of defensive excellence had 163 plays. Syracuse's offense closely resembles Tulsa's, the other half of the Independence Bowl. Which means the only thing largely different is that the Hokies play a different offense which churns out plays at an even faster clip. Give me the over, which is a warning to make sure we all have enough beer to sit through a game destined to last four hours.

Pierson: I really like this line. The Hokies average 78 offensive snaps per game, while the Orange average a shade over 83. That includes a ridiculous 105-play game against South Florida, where they finished with 549 yards of total offense and only managed 20 points. Yeesh.

The Hokies enter Saturday's game having played the eighth least defensive snaps in the nation. Of the five FBS teams that Syracuse has played this season, Louisville's defense comes closest to the Hokies at #26. Against the 'Ville, Syracuse ran 92 plays in a 62-28 loss.

The Tech defense hasn't faced more than 69 plays in a game this season (ECU). But head coach Dino Babers comes from the Art Briles coaching tree and, similar to his mentor, has implemented a high volume system in upstate New York. Give me the over.

Over/Under: 3.5 total touchdowns for Jerod Evans

Brian: Last week Evans played in a hurricane, could hardly throw the ball, and led the offense to a less-than-stellar 264 yards. Despite all of that, he still ended the day with three scores. I think he gets at least five in the Carrier Dome.

Real question: is Evans the most sneakily productive player in Tech history? Very rarely have I watched him and thought, "man, Jerod is balling out right now." But then at the end of the day he finishes with four scores, 300 yards from scrimmage, and completed 65% of his passes. One day I'll look up and see a 30 touchdown, five interception season and realize he may be the most impactful Hokie QB since Michael Vick.

Pierson: The Syracuse defense is...how should I phrase this...not very good. They're sporting the #113 total defense in the nation, having given up an average of 475 yards per game. When you remove their stingy effort against FCS Colgate, they're giving up close to 542 yards per game to opposing offenses. That includes 845 yards vs. Louisville and 654 vs. Notre Dame.

So here's where things get weird. The Orange pass defense is surrendering 307 yards per game through the air against FBS teams, but has only given up 7 passing touchdowns this year. 'Cuse's run defense is porous and gives the Hokies an opportunity to get their tailbacks into a nice rhythm ahead of two solid defenses in Miami and Pittsburgh. I'll take the under.

Over/Under: 17.5 points for Syracuse

Brian: Over. If the Hokies score like they should against a defense that's struggled all year, it simply means more chances for Cuse to put up points. And if Tech jumps out to an early lead, rotates more and more substitutes in, I can see the team giving up between 17 and 20, primarily after the game is out of hand.

Pierson: Under. Last week against Wake Forest, the Orange struggled all day long and finished with only 9 points. For the season, Wake is giving up 2.6 more points per game than the Lunch Pail Defense. So it's a decent barometer when trying to gauge this matchup. We've established that the Syracuse offense is going to run a lot of plays and gain a healthy number of yards. But I believe that the Hokies defense will keep them in check where it counts — the scoreboard.

Yes/No: Greg Stroman will record at least one punt

Brian: I loved the pooch punt formation last week. Not just because it was weird and unexpected, but because Justin Fuente made a calculated decision to play field position against UNC. Tactically, it was perfect for both the opponent and the weather conditions. I don't think Stroman will have the chance to punt this week (primarily because I don't anticipate the Hokies needing to punt much), but I'm excited to see if that look ever comes back.

Pierson: No. I'm very slowly gaining confidence in Mitch — can I call you Mitch? — Ludwig. But I saw last week's pooch punts more as a product of the weather conditions and less as a new thing. Will we see that formation from the Hokies again this season? Absolutely. It gives the team a triple threat look, if you will. But its efficacy lies in limited use and I don't foresee the Hokies bringing it out against a team like Syracuse.

Who finishes with more receiving yards: Virginia Tech's Isaiah Ford or Syracuse's Amba Etta-Tawo

Brian: If I've learned one thing over the last three years, it's to never bet against Isaiah Ford. I understand Etta-Tawo's put up insane numbers this year (including two different 200-yard showings). And I know Ford missed most of the second half last week due to an ankle injury.

But until proven otherwise I simply expect Ford to put up gargantuan numbers, especially against a defense as porous as the Orange's. On top of that, I expect Bud Foster and company to have a sufficient enough plan to limit Etta-Tawo, similar to the way they stifled Ryan Switzer and Mack Hollins last week.

Pierson: Amba Etta-Tawo. I'm interested to see how Isaiah Ford responds on the turf after injuring his ankle at Chapel Hill. If he's healthy enough to play a full game, I could see him and Etta-Tawo having a really fun back-and-forth in the score book. It would be a dark and twisted trip down memory lane as we collectively remember the 2002 shootout between Ernest Wilford and David Tyree.

Etta Tawo is a high-volume receiver that leads the nation in yards per game. The Hokies don't consistently rely on Ford that way. While the Hokies defense found success last week against a similarly dangerous wideout in Ryan Switzer, they obviously cannot lean on hurricane conditions in the Carrier Dome. A better comp may be ECU wideout Zay Jones, who currently sits at #3 nationally in yards per game and #1 in receptions per game. When the Hokies and Pirates squared off in September, it was Ford who came out on top with 117 yards to Jones' 115. Still, I like Etta-Tawo in this one, principally because of Ford's ankle.

Over/Under: 15.5 times the ESPNU announcers call this "a trap game" over the course of the broadcast

Brian: Did you know the Hokies play Miami on a Thursday night after this game? Did you know the Hurricanes are ranked? Did you know the Hokies are ranked? Did you know Syracuse is not ranked? This phrase is going to be said so many damn times over the first half of the game.

"We talked to Justin Fuente about avoiding the trap game."

"The key for the Hokies today, Bob? Avoiding the trap game and not looking ahead to Miami."

This may be one of those weeks I consider muting the TV 500 times, but never end up doing it because the silence of my apartment frightens me more than a terrible announcing duo.

Pierson: It feels like a given that they will mention "trap game" at least once or twice before the end of the first quarter. The question is how sharp are the Hokies on Saturday? If they come out flat or make a series of mistakes, things could snowball.

I feel like this largely comes down to the announcing crew. If we're stuck with the bumbling duo of Anish Shroff and Ahmad Brooks (again), this could get ugly. Between mispronouncing names and generally having no idea what's taking place on the field, Brooks alone could surpass this number simply because he has nothing interesting to say. If we end up with a slightly better team, like Eamon McAnaney and John Congemi, we may all escape Saturday without losing too many brain cells.

Matchup Over/Under: 67

Brian: Take. The. Over. Just do it. It's a phrase I never thought I'd consistently utter in the history of Virginia Tech football, yet here we are. Evans and company will put up some points early, but I think the thing that pushes this line over the top is the Orange grabbing a score or two in garbage time.

Pierson: I feel pretty confident that the Hokies will put up some points on Saturday. 40 seems like a reasonable target for Tech. If they nail this figure on the head, we're looking at a minimum of 4 touchdowns from the Orange to hit the over. Could they do this? Absolutely. Do I think they will? No.

The fear here is that the Hokies go up big and Dino goes hog wild through the air, bringing the back door cover into play. I generally don't trust people named Dino. Why? Because most parents don't name their kids Dino. Dino Ciccarelli and Dino De Laurentiis are the only two that come to mind. And De Laurentiis' real name is actually Agostino, so it really doesn't even count. Beware the back door cover, kids. I'm taking the over.

Spread: Virginia Tech (-20)

Brian: Everything over the last few weeks points to this one being a runaway train in favor of the Hokies. But if you're actually thinking about throwing money on it, beware of lines this high against an underdog who can score. Despite some recent struggles, Syracuse can move the ball, and it wouldn't be crazy to see them pull off a backdoor cover. Another thing to consider: the Hokies have Miami five days after this game. How big of a lead will they have to build before Fuente and Foster start to pull guys? I don't think an 18-point win is too far out of the question, especially if we see backups play most of the fourth quarter.

Pierson: This game will tell us a lot about the 2016 Hokies. Recent Tech teams fell victim to let down games after big wins. A road trip to upstate New York to face a 2-win Syracuse doesn't exactly get the blood pumping. With back-to-back Thursday night games against Miami and Pittsburgh on the horizon, it might be easy to overlook Dino Babers' squad. Thus far, the staff has done a great job keeping this team focused by instilling a one-game-at-a-time attitude. I think they keep things rolling against the Orange and do so in a big way. I'm taking Tech and laying the points.

Disclaimer: Some of these are real betting lines, but many of them are fake and none of this is real advice that should be taken seriously.