Just looking at the line, BC is a 2 point favorite. I'm a little shocked, I figured at least -6.5 at the minimum. Vegas has more confidence in the Hokies than I think we do.
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Maybe someone in Vegas heard Lawson was starting at QB.
Probably because if you could design an offense to perfectly exploit our defense exactly this year it would be GT's.
And... The game is being played at Lane... Not that that seems to matter anymore.
And this offense is run by Loefler. So our defense should have plenty of experience on how to exploit it.
Our defense has no experience at all. That's why we've given up 40+ to ODU, ND, and GT.
Then why is the line ONLY 2 points?
If I had to guess:
- Name recognition. We may not be an elite program, but "Virginia Tech" still garners more respect than "Boston College" when it comes to football.
- It's a potential trap game for BC. We're fresh off a big loss, probably going to regroup like we usually do after a loss, and we catch BC right before they play Clemson.
Because we are playing BC and such we get the benefit of people knowing the VT name more.
Except that the only defensive starters enrolled while Loeffler was at VT were Ricky Walker and House Gaines... so the actual players really don't have experience against him.
But our defensive coordinator is still the same. Don't you think bud kept all of his notes on what loefler likes to do?
BC actually has a functional offense, which tells me he must've switched a few things up since he left Blacksburg.
Functional offensive line. That's the main difference. During Loeflers 3 years we did not have that. Now he has that and can get his game plan going.
Its all Curt Newsome's fault
And this is just the sumbitch to fix it...
I think Bud knew exactly what GT was doing, even if they threw in a wrinkle, and the players were still helpless to stop it. The issue with the defense this season isn't that Bud no longer knows what he's doing but rather the players on the field can't execute (and yes I know between recruiting and off season preparation that still comes back to the coaching, so you can still blame coaching if you want, etc. etc.)
The only advantage to playing at lane is you get to hear a cool rock song right before you get you ass beat like you were a pee wee team.
Against GT we started at -6 then it moved to -3 which was more in line with what most posters on this site thought.
In reality Vegas should be trying to get inside info on the health of several of our defenders to set this line.
But forget Vegas. I think we will win.
It's Science
They usually give 3 points to the home team, so we're effectively 5.5 point dogs.
via GIPHY
probably because we are playing at home...scared of that AJ Dillon guy and how about Loeffler with the play-calling against Miami
The two best RB's Tech has faced this year they have done ok to pretty good against. Now Brown for BC combined wit Dillion will be a new combination to defend so we shall see.
ND's running back had 178 yards on us. UNC's RB had 165 yards on us. Cam Akers had 86 yards on us (which was his 2nd best game of the year). Remind me if I'm missing someone, but I can't find a good RB that tech has stopped.
Granted we beat UNC and FSU, and that is what matters, but I wouldn't say our defense played well against good running backs. Maybe we stopped them on most plays but gave up a few long runs to each?
We smothered Cam Akers on all but one play. 9 of his 14 runs went for 0 or negative yards, and a further 3 went for 3 yards or less.
We handled Dexter Williams (Notre Dame) on all but 2 plays. 10 of his 17 runs went for 3 yards or less.
Aside from 2 49-yard runs and a 29-yard scamper, Michael Carter (UNC) got 38 yards on 15 carries, or 2.5 ypc. 10 of his 18 total carries went for 3 yards or less.
We stopped them all, tons of times. Our problem is that on the times we don't stop them near the line, they slice through our second level like a hot knife through butter.
Because fuente has done alright rebounding from losses perhaps?
I mean we beat down Duke after losing to odu so how is anyone supposed to know what to expect? We get extra rest and don't travel so maybe Vegas believes in us
Generally home field advantage is 3.5 points to the home team, so if this game were in Chestnut Hill we'd be a 9.5 point underdog.
I would bet a lot of money that the line would not be BC -9.5 even if it was at Boston College.
I want everyone to appreciate how meta betting on what opening betting lines will be is.
it's only my hokie fandom keeping me from betting the farm on BC (-2.5). Objectively, this is way too small a line for what we have after left playing GT and what they have after getting Dillon back. As a tech fan, I say Bud gets in Lefty's head and we pull the upset. So I'm just leaving this game well alone.
Even if I were a betting man, I'd stay the hell away from any VT game this season. Seems like every week we either beat the spread by 20 or lose to it by 30, and there's no good way to tell which will happen in a given week.
well, that is why they call it gambling. My best weekend this year was when I only made one bet and that was on VT (+6) against FSU. The ODU game I split (lost on VT by 28, but won on the over). Won on the VT money line against Duke. Lost on the VT money line against ND and lost on VT (-5.5) against UNC. Also lost on VT (-3) against GT (shoulda bet the damned over).
So yeah, it's been up and down betting on the hokies this season.
The Vegas line has more to do with making sure they get even bets for both teams so they are protected than it has to do with how the game will actually play out. Also we as a fan base are overreacting to the GT loss as a sign the sky is falling and that we are going to lose out by 2+ TDs per game the rest of the year.
You would think our stout Lunch Pail D, just good enough offense, and playing in Lane gives us the edge.Shit, wrong year.