W2WF: Virginia Tech

Two years ago, the Boston College Eagles rolled into Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium fresh off a 26-7 victory over Massachusetts. They were 1-1 overall after losing the opening game to Georgia Tech in Ireland, but that game was close in comparison to the Hokies' 45-24 loss to Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway. It seemed, at the time, like one of those early-season litmus tests for both teams.

Virginia Tech won that game, 49-0, beating the Eagles from pillar to post and never looking back. The BC offense struggled, and the defense never caught up to the high-powered Hokies attack. A 21-0 halftime lead put the Eagles behind early, and 21 third quarter points sealed their fate. It was a game where nothing went right from the beginning, and the team forced plays as it went along. It happens, especially in football.

That game is over two years ago, so comparing this year's game to that is virtually impossible. Players have changed, including the ones that remain in uniform, who have since developed both mentally and physically on the field. It remains a piece of history, so it's important to remember the game, even if the No. 22 Eagles aren't playing with revenge in their hearts.

"I don't think you forget things like that," Steve Addazio said of the loss. "I wouldn't call that one of the high moments (of our program). It's happened in many a football program to many a football team down there, and that's the impact that place can have on you. It can roll you pretty hard. Our mindset isn't going to be about letting that happen again."

Lane Stadium can swallow a team if it's not prepared. So the Eagles have to remain focused solely on the Hokies, who have struggled to consistently protect home territory over the past month. They've lost the last two games at home, including last week's drubbing against Georgia Tech, which means the team will be motivated to prove the mystique of playing in Blacksburg is still alive.

"I hope the location of the game doesn't affect our performance," Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente said. "We have at times at least this year played on the road, maybe have been more productive at times. It has been something we've talked about. Maybe there are a few more distractions playing at home with family and tickets and all those sorts of things. I know this - our kids desperately want to play well here and they want to perform well at home. We understand how unique and how honored we are to play at such a cool venue."

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Weekly Storylines

History Stops Here

The Matt Ryan-led comeback in 2007 is forever the prominent highlight, but Virginia Tech and Boston College have intertwined histories dating back to their time in the Big East. The conference launched a football conference in 1991 and invited several schools to play as associate members, one of which was Virginia Tech. The Hokies accepted and began play against the Eagles in 1993, when BC won, 48-34.

Despite BC's two wins in the first three seasons, the series shifted to Virginia Tech dominance shortly thereafter. The Hokies won seven straight games between 1996 and 2002 and culminated with the Michael Vick era. In 2000, BC trailed the Hokies by 15 in the third quarter when Vick turned into Tecmo Bowl's Bo Jackson, running 82 yards and evading a dozen tackle attempts for a touchdown.

The Eagles broke through in 2003 with a 34-27 win on the road, kicking off a stretch in which they won four out of six games. The series missed a game in 2004 when Virginia Tech left for the ACC, but it resumed a year later when BC's realignment allowed the ACC to split into two divisions. The Atlantic and Coastal Division scheduling aligned the Eagles as permanent crossovers with the Hokies, which led to the 2007 and 2008 games that BC won during the season. But the Hokies always seemed to laugh last, winning the ACC Championship in both those seasons.

"The names may have changed," Justin Fuente said. "Maybe some other teams are having better seasons than they have had the last couple of years, and maybe there's a couple of teams that are not having as good of years as they have had. (But) it's going to be competitive every single year (in the ACC). There's been a commitment to football over the last several years, before I got here, in the ACC, in my opinion, to elevate the level of play."

Ten years later, the teams still battle annually. Eagle offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler is a former Virginia Tech coach, and he was the primary recruiter for quarterback Josh Jackson. Culturally, Blacksburg and Boston couldn't be any more different. On the field, though, they are locked in a sibling rivalry indicative of the ACC's new wave.

Wash, Lather, Rinse, Repeat

BC ran over 50 plays in the first half of last week's game, setting a pace where it blew Miami off the ball. The offense then slowed that pace in the second half, instead focusing on ball control rhythm as it rolled past the Hurricanes, 27-14. Heading into Saturday's game, the goal is the same, which is to go fast before controlling time of possession to force Virginia Tech's offense to get out of its plan.

"We're going to go fast," Steve Addazio said. "Within that structure is going to be some real hardball, downhill runs, some real hardball play actions, and we're going to make them defend 53 and a third. That's the way we want to play."

Miami gave up 17 points in the blink of an eye in the first half last year, and though it was only a three-point game at the break, the Hurricanes had to depart from the game plan. That's because the Eagles came up with the one or two stops needed to create opportunity for the offense, which in turn imposed its will for the one or two extra key scores. The scoreboard didn't turn into a statistical blowout, but that's because the Eagles decided to change the tempo of the game. Miami had to watch helplessly as BC took a 13-point lead, then had to rush itself to try and make a comeback because the Eagles had the ability to hold the ball. It becomes imperative to do that again this week.

"In the first half, we ran about 50 plays and had 300 yards of offense," Addazio said. "We had drives of 12 and 16 and nine (plays), and we were able to stay on the field. That's our goal. That's what we want to do. That's how we're going to play the game."

Multiple Sauces

AJ Dillon returned to the lineup last week after missing two games with an ankle injury. He rediscovered his sea legs with 32 carries, but he flashed a self-admitted hesitation while testing it in full contact game situations. That's to be expected for any player returning from injury, and it's expected he will continue a return to form this week against the Hokies.

"I wouldn't dial that back," Steve Addazio said. "He's a great player and we're going to feed him the ball."

Each individual game plan is different, so more or less touches is more dependent on what a defense presents. The Eagles have multiple weapons, both in the run and pass games, so the offense isn't a one-horse stable. Quarterback Anthony Brown looked a little bit like Tyler Murphy last week in gaining 41 yards on seven carries, and David Bailey gives BC an entirely new look opposite the jet sweeps of Jeff Smith and Michael Walker.

"If the number is 30 (carries for Dillon), it's 30," Addazio said. "If it's 40, it's 40. If he's struggling, maybe it's less. It's whatever the situation dictates."

That's key against Virginia Tech's "Lunch Pail Defense." Bud Foster's defense struggled with consistency this year, but it's also historically one of the best in the nation. The unit statistically got shredded by Georgia Tech, and it enters Saturday allowing over 170 yards per game on the ground. But the Yellow Jackets' triple option skews everything. Removing that game drops the team's average down to 123 yards per game rushing, even as it increases the passing yards allowed from 261 to 295 yards per game.

"We want to get the ball in the hands of the best players on the field, for sure," Addazio said. "We had a lot of different people touch the ball in that (Miami) game. We had like nine different receivers. We're going to keep doing that, but the one constant is that he's a workhorse, and we're going to feed him the ball. What he did Saturday was remarkable considering he is coming off that injury. He had a very significant injury, and those are physical caries."

What You Talkin' Bout, Willis?

Virginia Tech's offense didn't miss a beat after losing quarterback Josh Jackson to a broken bone in his leg. Ryan Willis stepped in and continued the success, leading a unit that enters the BC game as the No. 5 passing attack in the ACC. For the defense, then, stopping a pro-style quarterback with mobility will be a challenge.

"It starts with the physicality and intensity of how we're playing," Steve Addazio said. "In the last few weeks, we've really picked up our intensity, and maybe that starts because early on, some guys were thinking too much. Now we're just playing and reacting a little bit more. I really like the level of play that we've had over the course of the last few weeks. I think it's come together really well."

The Hokies have a potent passing attack capable of opening up spots for the run game. Running back Steven Peoples rushed for 156 yards against Old Dominion and combined with Deshawn McClease to push the century mark against Notre Dame. But the team has been forced to pass more often than not, resulting in low totals against North Carolina and Georgia Tech, though the Yellow Jacket offense forced the Hokies to maximize a fast pace in the passing game.

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They Said It

"Even as the season's gone on, we've had some freshmen step up. Having that depth helps guys play faster. You can always sub players in and have fresh bodies." -Zach Allen

"Coach Addazio talks about complementary football all the time. Our identity has been the run game, and when you can run the ball, it opens up the passing lanes. It's vice-versa and goes back-and-forth." -Tommy Sweeney

"I think having two or three tight ends on the field at all times makes a defense respect the run. Having that respect opens up trick plays, play action." -Jake Burt

"Our permanent crossover is Virginia Tech, and then we got to play Miami as the other one. Yeah. I know. That's just great." -Steve Addazio

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Meteorology 101

The rainy and raw weather on Friday will give way to perfect football weather on Saturday evening in Virginia. Blacksburg's forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s at kickoff but steadily dropping into the 40s over the course of the evening. There is little to no chance of rain, and the wind should hold off.

Blacksburg's isolation factor can sometimes be negative for those of us who love the big city, but it should be a wonderful day for football in Virginia. Autumn in that section of the country is just as beautiful as New England, though as a Boston native, I could never admit anything is better than my hometown.

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Scoreboard Watching

Boston College entered the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 22, so there's going to be plenty of games on this week's schedule with an impact to the Eagles.

In the ACC Atlantic Division, No. 2 Clemson hosts Louisville, and No. 19 Syracuse is at Wake Forest with No. 21 NC State hosting Florida State. Those are the two most pressing games for Boston College fans because the Eagles are one game behind the Tigers and one game separated from the Wolfpack. The Orange are in between, tied with BC in the win column.

Remember that the ACC's bowl pecking order dictates that the next-highest ranked team in the CFP rankings automatically earns a New Year's Six bid if the conference champion goes to the semifinal. So No. 25 Virginia, which leads the Coastal Division, is a factor, hosting Pittsburgh on Friday night.

Nationally, No. 6 Georgia is at No. 9 Kentucky in a huge SEC game, and No. 13 West Virginia is at No. 17 Texas in the mid-afternoon opposite the Eagles. No. 14 Penn State is at No. 5 Michigan at the same time. No. 23 Fresno State, which is ranked one spot behind BC, is at UNLV. For what it's worth, all of this is a moot point if Virginia Tech wins, making that the obvious priority.

I'm recommending two guilty pleasure games this weekend as well. No. 7 Oklahoma is at Texas Tech at 8 p.m. on Saturday, meaning the defenses probably have the night off, and Air Force is at Army. The Black Knights won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy last year and have a chance to repeat if they can beat the Falcons. Air Force beat Navy, 35-7, earlier this year, meaning Army would retain the trophy even if it loses to Navy later this year. A tie defaults the trophy to the branch currently holding it.

My wife's family had cousins and uncles that served in the Air Force and the Army. Because the trophy is at stake, it's going to be a wild ride in our household. I had the good fortune of working with West Point's hockey team last year, but I've had extensive experience covering both academies. If you've never experienced it, it's worth taking in once in your life, though I'm biased.

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Pregame Quote & Prediction

"Sometimes I start a sentence and I don't even know where it's going. I just hope I find it along the way." -Michael Scott, "The Office"

Boston College returned to the national rankings this week and was a part of the College Football Playoff poll for the first time in its history. It felt muted, though, largely because the Eagles know how quickly things can change. BC earned a ranking earlier this year but lost it after just one week because it lost to Purdue, so the number next to its name simply doesn't mean anything yet.

BC has to make that number mean something more, and the direct road paves through Blacksburg. It's a challenge to go on the road anywhere, let alone Virginia Tech, where Lane Stadium looms almost larger at times than the Hokies. The crowd will be loud, and the atmosphere electric for the opening kickoff. A mid-afternoon start means the lights will be on and will end in the dark, which is where the Hokies are most at home in that stadium.

So the Eagles have to quiet the crowd before it ever gets going. They need to use last week's game plan and replicate jumping out to a fast start, which in turn could flatten the Lane Stadium crowd. A stadium, no matter how it's built, is just an edifice if the people aren't making it something more. Do that, and the excitement of having a national ranking will start to build back home, where the fans are waiting for an opportunity to prove just how Boston College belongs in that conversation.

No. 22 Boston College will play Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. at 3:45 p.m. The game can be seen on the ACC Network's Raycom Sports coverage, seen locally in Boston on My38. Coverage is available via radio on the BC IMG Sports Network with the pregame show starting at 3:15 p.m. on WEEI 93.7 FM. The game can also be heard via streaming audio on the TuneIn app and on satellite radio via Sirius 136, XM 385 and Internet channel 989.

Players Mentioned

Zach Allen

David Bailey

Anthony Brown

Jake Burt

AJ Dillon

Jeff Smith

Tommy Sweeney

Michael Walker

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