BC (unranked) host #4 VaTech. I've heard that VT's passing game is suspect and that Vick's kid brother isn't the starter. VT is favored, but with a one-dimensional attack (with 2 good RBs) they could be stopped. Depends whether or not we can run the ball on them (we did against Miami, but we didn't have much of a passing game to speak of that night in the Orange Bowl) with their 4-4 defense. Could be Tom O'Brien's make or break game. I know plenty of relocated Virginians have been telling me that all season.
VT's not going to have all that much trouble I'm afraid. That defense is phenomonal. Bryan Randall is the starter, they are going to try to reshirt Baby Vick I understand. VT's D carries them to a 24-9 win.
Yup. While BC will hang in there, Va Tech can score enough. Suggs and Jones are a dangerous 1-2 punch. BC's best hopes are to completely take the run away, but that's easier said than done for nearly anybody.
What VT's game against TX A&M proved is that they only need one decent drive a game to make the difference. Maybe BC's o-line will hold VT's defense off long enough for St. Pierre to make some big plays downfield, but I wouldn't count on it. My guess: 16-7, with at least one VT punt block leading to points. Why is this O'Brien's make-or-break game? VT are a legit Top Five team, as were Miami. Not being able to beat a Top 5 team makes your job vulnerable? This is BC, not Nebraska or Ohio State.
That's just idiotic. The number of BC national football championships before O'Brien was zero, so the fact that we're still at zero is not enough to fire the guy. O'Brien graduates his players and puts a decent product out on the field. That should be enough for the natives, considering how badly things were under the (shudder) Henning era.
I feel the same way, but you know there are always those who want more than what we've already achieved.
Is one lousy victory over a top 25 team asking for too much ? I don't think so. They'll get over O'Brien's back when he gets one.
They beat #16 Georgia last year. They play only three Top 25 teams this season, all undefeated and in the Top Ten, including #1 and #4. Schedule some early season games against Wisconsin, USC, Iowa, and Air Force if you want Top 25 victories.
Keep in mind that Randle was 10-11 against a very good Texas A&M defense. They proved with that game that you can't stick 10 guys on the line of scrimmage to stop Suggs and Jones and expect to beat us. Our defense has some very strong corners (Hall is one of the best I've seen this year), but leaves them on an island alot. Vick won't play unless 3 quarterbacks get injured, so he's not your worry, your worry will be moving the ball, at all. Last time we played a decent team on the road (Texas A&M), we shut their offense down so bad that they fired there offensive cooridinator.
Plus, it was just last December that O'Brien elected to stay at BC when other schools were pursuing him. If memory serves, Georgia Tech wanted him pretty badly.
ACC ties and his experience recruiting in the Naval Academy area and Virginia (whhere he was O-Coord with George Welch).
What a frigging juggling catch by Ernest Wilford of Va Tech. And BC's Ralph Parent played that deep pass very well.
Let's see what we've got here in the first half so far.... 1. BC has first and goal at the five, pushed back by a personal foul to the 20. False start moves the ball back to the 25. No gain run, sack, short gain run, missed FG. 2. VA Tech has third and long at midfield, BC gets the stop. VA Tech pushes a BC defenseman after the play, BC retaliates, ref sees the retaliation and throws the flag. Personal foul, first down VT, leads to VT touchdown. 3. Knight running toward the end zone, gets to the VT 5, stripped, VT recovers in the end zone, touchback. 4. St. Pierre with third and eight at the VT 20 or thereabouts, throws into the end zone, interception, VT ball. You make that many bad mistakes, you don't deserve to win. My prediction of 16-7 Tech might be too generous toward BC.
Man, we played awful tonight. How many penalties can we have in one game. I've been a Tech fan since as far back as I can remember, but I can't ever remember seeing our special teams playing that bad. Our special teams were bad against FSU in the Sugar Bowl, but I don't think we were that bad. Well, at least we won, but I'm not exactly happy, and I'm sure that Frank Beamer won't be anyway. Oh well, I think we have a pretty straight road until Miami.
But you didn't. Now if we can get past West Va., we're home free until we travel to Miami. GO HOKIES. Sachin
Did you go to Tech? I thought I was the only soccer fan who ever has been at Tech. I'm more worried about Pitt and going to the Carrier Dome than WVA. Though Cobourne (?sp) is good we should be able to shut him down.
I went to Tech for three semesters, before dropping out to travel. But I grew up in Hokie Country, in Lynchburg. Sachin
Neither team exactly shined last night. But even when it was 14-14, I knew from experience that BC never wins these games, and I should have just turned the TV off and gone to sleep. Too many first-half dumb BC mistakes, followed by a too-tired defensive line unable to stop a very good VT run offense. The result was just. You'll get a better understanding of how good 5-1 Pitt is this weekend at ND.