Looking Ahead at the Next Few Opponents: Final Quarter Edition

As with my previous postdetailing our opponents from Rhode Island to Wake Forest, I reviewed our remaining opponents to see trends and who we need to key on. For ball carriers my reporting criterion was 4 carries per game - if you're not touching the ball once per quarter, you're not a trend. Additionally, receivers have to have 1 catch per game. Without further ado:

Georgia Tech
Record: 2-7 with a 14-10 win over 4-5 USF and a surprise 28-12 win at 6-4 Miami.

Quarterback play has been difficult at GT this year, with Graham leading QBs with 952 yards on 47.2% completions and 6.6 yards per attempt, with a 8-5 TD/INT ratio.

The Jackets ground game is lead by Mason, averaging 5.6 yards per carry on 129 attempts with 7 TDs. Graham has also proved dangerous on the ground, getting 164 yards on 67 carries for 2 TDs.

In the air, the other Tech is led by Brown (17/361/5), Sanders (17/227), Carter (12/126/2), TE Davis (12/114) and QB? Oliver (9/95).

The ramblin' wreck OL has allowed 23 sacks on the season.

Defensively, the bees are lead by LB Curry with 74 tackles and 2 sacks with 7 sacks coming from the DL and 8 from the LB corps. They have picked off 7 passes, defended an additional 29, forced 8 fumbles, recovering 5, taking 1 back for a TD.

Pittsburgh
Record: 6-3 with wins over Ohio, UCF, Delaware, @Duke, @Syracuse, and @GT

Stop me if you've heard this before. Pitt's QB play has been average and inconsistent. Picket is completing 61% of his passes for 1952 yards, with a 9-8 TD/INT ratio and 6 yards per attempt.

Stop me if you haven't heard this before, Pitt's top back has fewer yards than the Hokie's top back. Davis leads the team with 89 carries for 407 yards and 3 tds (4.6 ypc), followed by Sibley (50/249, 5 ypc), WR Carter (56/184, 3.3 ypc) and Pickett (61/89, 1.5 ypc).

In the air, the Panthers have two major threats in Mack (53/610/2 TD 11.5 ypc) and Ffrench (75/606/3 8.1 ypc) with RB Davis (17/209), Carter (14/149/2) and a trio of TEs who've combined for 37 catches for 392 yards and 3 TDs.

Their OL has been slightly better than GT's, only giving up 20 sacks on the year.

Defensively their playmaker is DB Ford with 63 tackles on the season. Two DL have racked up 7 sacks each, headlining a dangerous pass rush that has garnered 26.5 sacks from the DL, 12 from the LB corps, and 1.5 from the secondary. Don't let those secondary numbers fool you. Pitt has picked off 7 passes and defended another *checks notes* 53. The defense as a whole is very opportunistic having forced 11 fumbles, recovering 4.

Virginia
At 7-3 the Whos? have wins @ Pitt, W+M, FSU, ODU, Duke @UNC, and GT. They have not lost at home this season.

Everybody knows the Wahoo offense begins and ends with Bryce Perkins. 227/350 for 2439 yards, 13-8 TD/INT ratio, 7.0 ypa. Additionally, Perkins is their leading rusher with 164 carries for 493 yards and 8 TDs. Only 1 back Taulapapa (97/399/11 TD) qualifies with more than 4 carries per game.

In the air, Perkins has 3 major targets in Dubois (49/697/3), Jana (53/586), and Reed (61/530/5), as well as TE Cowley (19/225/1) RB Kemp (18/147) and Kelly (12/130/1)

Perkins has to run, as he's running for his life behind an abysmal OL who has allowed 31 sacks on the year.

The Cavalier defense is lead by top tackler LB Zandler with 75 tackles, top Sacker LB Mack 7. The Hoo pass rush has forced 8.5 sacks from the DL, 20.5 from the LB corps, and 5 from their DBs. UVA has forced 7 interceptions, defended 32 passes, forced 2 fumbles, and somehow have recovered 4.

Virginia Tech
So where do we stand at this juncture? 6-3 with wins over ODU, Furman, @ Miami, URI, UNC, and Wake Forest.

Current starting QB Hooker is 50/84/822 with 7 TDs to 0 Int. His 59.5% completion percentage is bolstered by averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt.

On the ground, the Techmen are lead by McClease (127/566/5), King (59/275/1), Hooker (63/225/2), Patterson (41/201/1), and Willis (39/34/1). The WR/H-Back/TE sweep has combined for 36 carries for 223 yards (6.2 ypc) and 4 touchdowns.

Through the air, the Gobblers are lead by Hazelton (22/382/6), Turner (21/332/2), Robinson (24/267/1), Mitchell (16/235/1), Rambo (16/171/4), Grimsley (9/170/2), and Smith (9/121/1)

The Vice Squad has only allowed 18 sacks on the season (2 per game).

LB Ashby leads the LPD in tackles with 86. Conner is top pass rusher with 5 sacks, leading a varied blitz platform that has produced 17.5 sacks from the DL, 5 from the LBs, and 6.5 from the DBs

DB(T)U has come up with 10 interceptions, 36 passes defended, and an opportunitic defense has forced 4 fumbles, recovering 3, taking 1 to the house.

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-What we do is, if we need that extra push, you know what we do? -Put it up to fully dipped? -Fully dipped. Exactly. It's dork magic.

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Never Forget #1 Overall Seed UVA 54, #64 UMBC 74

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Marshall University graduate.
Virginia Tech fanatic.
Formerly known as JWillHokieAlum.