Good evening, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans. Hope you are doing well.
We have a really important Thursday night ACC clash coming up between two teams looking to stay in the thick of the Coastal race. Virginia Tech and Miami both need a win, but for different reasons. The Hokies still control their own destiny in the Coastal Division race – forget about that Syracuse game (put that game in the blinders), keep winning and you’ll find yourself in Orlando. Miami needs to win because three ACC losses is pretty much going to make the Hurricanes dependent on every other ACC Coastal team to take a bunch of losses (and that’s not happening because North Carolina looks like they are who we they they were – the best team in Coastal Division).
Let’s talk about Virginia Tech – we’re at the halfway point – and let’s check on the Hokies progress:
- Virginia Tech has a top 60 total offense – I’d like to see it in the top 50 – but this is much, much better than years past for the Hokies.
- Virginia Tech’s total defensive ranking is #7 in the country – and would have been higher and the Hokies not given up 560+ yards to Syracuse.
- Virginia Tech’s overall record is 4-2 (many fans were worried about the game – and rightfully so, with East Carolina). Virginia Tech won a game I did not expect the Hokies to win this year (vs. North Carolina), but lost a game I didn’t think the Hokies would lose vs. Syracuse, (but I did say it was trap game on the @AllSportsDACC ACC podcast).
- The Hokies still have Miami as we said above, road games at Pittsburgh, Duke, and Notre Dame, and a home game vs. Virginia.
At the beginning of the year, I mentioned that Virginia Tech would most likely get a 7-5 record. The Hokies are still on track for that (games against Miami, Pittsburgh, Duke, Notre Dame, and Virginia are all winnable – although we might have a couple of losses in that group – I expect to win at least three of those games). The Hokies must defeat Pittsburgh on the road this year to show progress as a football program.
So, at season’s midpoint, I’m thinking Virginia Tech will be in the Belk Bowl – and I think many Hokies fans would be happy with a trip to Charlotte. Anything above that is gravy for me.
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