Mirror Image: Hokies Look to Break Through Against Tigers

9-play, 2,800 word Virginia Tech vs. Clemson film preview.

[Clemson Athletics]

Look close enough and it is stunning to see how much Clemson and Virginia Tech mirror one another. Both are land-grant universities. Both the Hokies and Tigers run similar offensive systems. Both lost record-breaking quarterbacks and offensive skill position players. Both teams have an experienced offensive line that is perceived to be a weakness. The backbone of both teams are their defenses, built on the strength of uniquely talented defensive tackles. Both teams have some depth questions in the secondary.

The difference is that, thanks in large part to a huge advantage in fundraising, Clemson reached the pinnacle of college football. Clemson has a national championship and recruits at a level that only Florida State traditionally has in ACC. Virginia Tech, in many ways, is where Clemson was in 2011. When scheme mirrors scheme, personnel and effort will determine the outcome. Do the Hokies have the horses to dethrone the reigning kings of college football?

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