Good morning, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans.
Hope you’ve had a good holiday season. After Wake Forest’s win over Temple in the Military Bowl, ACC teams have started out 3-0 with their respective bowl wins.
There are at least eight more games for ACC teams to play during the college football bowl season. Virginia Tech is one of those teams that plays in the next couple of days. We told you on the site earlier this year that Virginia Tech, in order to show progress as a football program, had to defeat Pittsburgh on the road this year – and the Hokies got that done. The Hokies also made it to the ACC Championship game and I argue if they had five more minutes, they would have won that game.
Now the Hokies have to take another step – and that’s to defeat an SEC team in a meaningful bowl game. A Virginia Tech victory over Arkansas would bring the Hokies to 10-4 overall on the season – with some good momentum going into next year. The Hokies performance over SEC teams since 2006 is not that good. For example:
- In 2006, Virginia Tech lost to Georgia in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl 31-24;
- In 2007, Virginia Tech lost to LSU 48-7;
- In 2009, Virginia Tech led Alabama for three quarters, but lost 34-24;
- In 2009, Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 77-14 in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl;
- In 2013, Virginia Tech lost to Alabama 35-10; and
- In 2016, Virginia Tech lost to Tennessee in Battle at Bristol by the score of 45-24.
So, the Hokies are 1-5 in their last six games vs. teams from the SEC. And to take the next big step as a football program, Virginia Tech must defeat Arkansas in the Belk Bowl (the Hokies are favored by 7 points in this game). But I think the Hokies have the right guy in head coach, Justin Fuente, who knows how to prepare his teams for bowl games leading his team in this game. (h/t @NormWood)
BEAT ARKANSAS!!
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