Monday, November 22, 2004

The final Stretch

Well Hokies fans, we have reached that point in the season. Does anyone remember what the 'pundit's' were saying about the Hokies when this season started? We were the other team joining the ACC. We were expected to finish 5th or 6th in the conference. It was supposed to be a down year for the Fighting Gobblers.

Now is the time to define what has already been a great, if not nerve wracking at times, season. With wins in our final two games, the Hokies can claim the ACC title. This achievement is something that has been 50 plus years in the making as the Hokies have been snubbed by the ACC on more than one occasion since the old Southern Conference disbanded. How fitting would an ACC championship in the first year be?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. We still have what will be the two toughest games on our schedule left (and that includes the fallacy that was the USC game): Virginia in Blacksburg, followed by Miami in Coral Gables.

Beating Virginia is going to come down to stopping their triple threat running game. Peariman and Lundy are both great backs that are capable of making huge plays anytime they touch the ball. Hagans is a threat to run from the quarterback position should no one be open. If the Hokies can jump on them early and force them to pass moreso than run, then the defense can get a little more opportunistic in its blitz packages and hopefully cause some turnovers.

Offensively, Mike Imoh has got to be ready to play after tweaking his hamstring early against Maryland. If not, the Hokies will still need Humes or Hamilton to step up out of the backfield. If Randall plays as well as he as the past few games, the passing game (particularly to the tight ends) should do it's job.

Hokies 24, Cavaliers 14

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