I'm going to do a crazy prediction here and say we win (next) Saturday.
My reasoning stems from past Hokie experience and current state and mindset of players.
In the past, we always seem to play up at difficult times. And I'm sure these players don't want to be the group to lose the bowl streak or have a losing record.
Anyway, had to get that out there.
Edit: fixed date pointed out by Eggy.
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I think Duke at the very least provides a much better matchup for us than Miami or BC. Add in their own injury issues, and this isn't a team that will simply out-athlete you. However, they are a team that will out-execute you all day long. If Tech can stay out of its own way, they'll have a very good chance here. If they keep blowing assignments and shooting themselves in the foot, they'll lose. Simple as that.
If Tech can stay out of it's own way, they have a very good chance here. That sums up the Duke game pretty well. Lets hope they get it done. GO HOKIES!!!
I think we have a pretty good shot. Duke doesn't run close to the power running game we've seen from Pitt Miami BC so I think our defense will get back on track.
Hopefully our offense is able to be put in spots where we can run the no huddle, since that's clearly worked the best for us. I guess I'm an optimist.
I predict we don't win Saturday.
Now I'll hedge my bet we don't lose either.
I will lay odds 100-1 we don't throw any interceptions though. So, we got that going for us.
wrong thread
I'd even wager a bet that we "control our own destiny" this Saturday.
One thing GT, Pitt, Miami, and Boston College all have in common; a good consistent ground game. While, we have done pretty well limiting the yards on the ground against these teams (Duke Johnson stole our dork magic, so that doesn't count), I think we match up better against teams that throw the ball more (ex. UNC, Quarters 2-4 against ECU). We have to protect the ball and stop making mistakes and we have a good chance.
This is a must win for us, I hope the players realize this and perform. Last week was a small step forward on offense. I thought Brewer played well until the roughing the passer penalty (no comment). Then he started missing some throws. If we can protect him on offense, we can beat anyone. Throw it to Bucky in the red zone dammit!
I bet, that Marshawn carries for 35 times, and 364 yards, 3 TD's this weekend. He's well overdue for a breakout game. I'll probably start him, then bring in Shai mid-way through the 3rd quarter to give Marshawn some rest.
Expect Leal to come in for Brewer at the same time. Heck, I may even put in Rogers at QB and take a few risks!
Fellow Hokie, are you sure you're not?
Duke is a very well coached team and our O-line can barely pass protect on a consistent basis to give Brewer enough time to do a check-down. So I love the optimism, but I'm going to have to disagree with you here.
EDITED: What RealDiehl says..
No worries man!
It was #sarcastica
My bad. Should have used the sarcasm goggles the wife keeps giving me for my birthday.
35-24 Puke
I'm curious as to why you think Duke will put up 35, which even Miami, ECU, and BC all failed to do. That offense isn't nearly as explosive as ECU's and it's nowhere near the matchup nightmare that Miami and BC presented, so how do you see us giving up 5 TD's to Duke?
They put up 51 against pitt in their last game so I just think they are going to continue to do well. I know we have played them to low scoring games in the past but I think they're going to find a way to gash our front with some big running plays like other teams have done this year. Then they'll throw it up to crowder who is a hell of a player. I sure hope i'm wrong, but it's just a hunch.
Just remember that the 51 was after 2OT.
Oh good point, I did not see that. Thanks for the clarification.
Because BC put up 33
And Duke is a worse matchup for us than BC and Miami?
Duke averages 36 a game. Against the three like opponents they averaged 31 and we averaged 15. Take away the 13 for the double overtime against Pitt and their average falls to 26. Numbers... you can make them say whatever you want...
I believe we will take the win against the dreaded Bye. We will have a close game, but the offense will pull it our for us by not turning over the ball. On the flip side, I believe the defense will not force a turnover against Bye either.
If you remember, we lost the bye week last year. Kyle and Facyson both went out with injuries.
Duke wins a tough game 27-21 forcing VT to win it's final two games for bowl eligibility
OR
if you're a fan of patterns....
first 6 games ----> Win 2, Lose 2, Win 2
last 6 games ----> Lose 3, ?
hell, why not win all 3 to close out the season at 7-5 with an invitation to the Belk Bowl or something...
I think we have a good chance at the upset. I think the week off will settle the offense on what is working and what isn't. Also with the exception of two huge power backs Conners and Johnson, Tech has been good against RB's all year. That is Duke's strength.
Calling a Tech win over Duke an "upset" makes my heart hurt. Because it's true.
I think Duke wins in a close one. What would make any of us think our team will be ready to play coming off a bye week. If history teaches us anything CFB will not have the team focused and we will find a way to lose the game. I think we will be out coached by one of the better coaching minds in football. I hope I'm wrong but history does not give us much of a chance.
Note: How would VT look with Cutcliffe at the helm? Food for thought. And yes I know this may not be the thread to add this comment.
It would be very Virginia Tech to lose to Miami, BC and Pitt and then beat the best team in the Coastal.
But I'm still expecting more of this
Now that looks like an offense
48-3 VT.
We'll be down 3-0 at halftime, we'll all be hating life, then BOOM. 48 unanswered.
Being optimistic is just more fun.
+1 for the honesty.
loss
I think Duke is a better game for our team. They play to our strengths, it will be close but we'll get the win. Then we'll beat Wake and UVA and go to the Pinstripe? bowl
31-24 Dook
Duke's defense philosophy is bend but do not break. They will not give up the big play. Their thought is to make the opponents offense go 6, 9, 12 plays to get a score. Their thought is, most offenses will make mistakes and self-destruct and therefore cannot get sustained drives. Looking at our offense, they are probably correct. This game will only be close if it is low scoring, and if Bud can avoid giving up the big plays with our D.
We can't get big plays, its not in our DNA this season. So, VT should do short passes with some run mixed in all day long until they respect it and then we might get a big play later in the game. This sounds like we could get some decent offense throughout this game if we let our offensive strengths cut loose. I see a win.
They play to our defensive strengths as well.
I just have one question: how is the Duke defense against bubble screens?
Joe?
That defense philosophy sounds familiar....
11/15/14 will be one of the few days this season that Duke will be forced to remember what Duke Football is supposed to look like.
Courtesy of the Hokies.
It'd be such an awesome birthday present to run Dook into the ground
Well, this team has lost to BC either on or the day before my birthday the last 2 years, so I hope they at least like giving you good presents.
Same here. My birthday this year was the Miami game. Ugh.
Ouch, here's a quick analogy of that day:
Just kidding, Happy Birthday!
My birthday is on 11/15 and I'm hoping I don't get the same present you did.......LOL!
My birthday was the day before the Maryland game last year. My 21st, so luckily I was drunk enough it's kind of a blur. Like their QB was to our defense.
I will say 24-17 Duke. Hoping the Hokies come out fighting and make this a close game. Like previously mentioned, I think we match up much better with Duke than our last few opponents. Anything can happen!
I have a flyball tournament this weekend, and we have never lost when I have been at one, including the 21 point comeback against Dook.
34-17 VT
In the immortal words of Pete Gillen, Duke is Duke. Hokies 27-24
We were clearly the better team last year, but shot ourselves in the foot, again...and again...and again...and...
I say we win by 2 scores. This team is angry, motivated, determined and has more talent dripping from their jockstrap than Dook's starting defense.
Arise, VT football, arise!
#ZOMBIEALERT
Very well said, not sure about the 2 touchdown win though.
We're gonna lose. Only to beat UVA to get bowl eligable because drama.
We'll beat Duke and UVA. Lose to Wake Forrest. Because ACC football.
No one will expect us to win this game. We just can't stack up against a team doing this well. I'm predicting anOSU part deux. Hokies shock the higher ranked team in their own house against all odds.
Somehow beating DUike at DUike seems different than beating an anOSU. It seems like beating any team from NC in NC - it should always happen, even though sometimes it does not.
Will t-shirts be made though. That is the question.
This game reminds me of the 2012 game against Fla St where we flashed the potential that we might could have been an okay team that year. Although we lost that game late, the difference in talent in that Fla St team (or any fla st team ever) and Duke isn't even close. I think the players rally and come up with a somewhat convincing win where we pull away late. 31-13
Duke 30- 10 with a heavily struggling VT offense that gets very little going
Minus the PITT game we seem to have played better on the road this year. I say we win
VT 26 Duke 24
Good point about the road game. It's sad that Lane has become a stomping grounds for teams to just walk all over us.
But isn't Wallace Wade also Lane Stadium South?
Another valid point. It's a lose-lose.
Considering our record in 'regular' Lane, any other stadium labeled Lane (fill in the blank) would also tend towards us losing.
It's a sad state of affairs that it has to be a "crazy" prediction that we beat Duke.
we are going to lose by 21...hoping for a W though.
I say we win. Laugh so you don't cry
Wasn't sure where to post this, but what's the status of Trey Edmunds? Is there any reason to trot him back out there this year? Don't see much use in rushing him back and risking further injury this season. Any word?
It's on another thread somewhere, but Shane said yesterday that Trey could be back by the Wake Forest game, but that would be optimistic. So really, maybe he could be back for UVA or a bowl (if there is one), but I'm of the opinion that there's absolutely no need to rush him back for WF and little reason to bring him back this year. Let him heal.
Does he still have a medical redshirt?
No, he redshirted for non-medical reasons in 2012.
Sorry about that..I looked couldn't find anything. But I agree 100%. No reason to rush. Waiting until a potential bowl game to return would be just fine with me.