Hokies Hope for Repeat at Lane Stadium

The Clemson Tigers invade Blacksburg on Saturday evening to face the untested Virginia Tech Hokies in a showcase ACC matchup.

Highly touted and battle tested, Clemson will come to town riding high after two marquee wins against the defending National Champion Auburn Tigers and ACC favorite Florida State.

Sound familiar?

In the 2006 season, No. 11 Clemson rode into town after an emotional win against highly ranked Georgia Tech, cementing its status as the ACC favorite.

Conversely, the Hokies had recently suffered two embarrassing ACC losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College and were buried in mediocrity prior to the Thursday night showdown. 

After this raucous entrance, Virginia Tech went on to shock the Tigers by physically dominating them in every facet of the game.

Will Saturday's game be déjà vu? Tech fans can only hope.

Clemson is unquestionably the most talented team Virginia Tech will face in the regular season.

Loaded with top-notch recruits, the Tigers seem to finally be hitting on all cylinders under Dabo Swinney.

The passing game has been particularly effective, dismantling opposing defenses to the tune of 315 yards per game. Tajh Boyd, an under-the-radar Heisman contender, has found a new weapon in freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who has six touchdowns in the young season.

On the other side, Virginia Tech has been solid, but unimpressive through four games. David Wilson has been effective on the ground, averaging 130 yards per game. Quarterback Logan Thomas showed improvement through his first four starts, completing 22 of 33 passes against Marshall. He will need to overcome key injuries to his wide receivers in order to be effective on Saturday.

Clemson has been more impressive this season. They have extraordinary talent and are on the verge of national acclaim in the coming seasons.

However, there are signs of a repeat performance for the Hokies this Saturday. Virginia Tech is second in the nation in time of possession, ranks No. 4 in total defense, No. 2 in rushing defense and No. 6 in scoring defense.

These are the recipes for success against any potent offensive attack. Virginia Tech has yet to show its full hand this season, and will play inspired football in its first night game at Lane Stadium.

Expect Clemson to start slow in its first road game, ringing a familiar bell in the minds of Tiger and Hokie fans alike.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 26, Clemson 24