Nebraska’s Next Opponent: Virginia Tech defeats UNC 20-17

A columnist with the Roanoake Times called it, “one of the biggest heists since the Brinks Robbery“.

It certainly felt like Virginia Tech stole a victory yesterday, coming from behind to defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels 20 to 17.

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My early pregame suggestion to the Pelini Brothers:

Put eight guys in the box until Virginia Tech completes a vertical pass over ten yards. Downfield passing is simply not an element of the Hokies offensive repertoire. Most passes thrown by QB Tyrod Taylor are horizontal. Wide receiver screens, halfback screens, bubble screens… you get the picture. Seemingly every pass is thrown sideways or backwards.

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How difficult was this game to watch? Read the opening few sentences from Aaron McFarling’s piece in The Roanoake Times:

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“Did you turn it off? Maybe toss the remote, curse a few coaches and flee the living room to find some fresh air? Don’t be ashamed if you did. If the Virginia Tech players had been in your position Saturday, some of them might have joined you.”

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Anyone who watched this game knows that North Carolina killed themselves with four turnovers, plus several critical 3rd down penalties, which let the anemic Virginia Tech offense extend drives when they should have been punting.

The Hokies’ offense accounted for just three first downs and 80 yards in the 1st half.

Tyrod Taylor, who is now 7-0 as starting quarterback for the Hokies, finished the game with pedestrian numbers: 11-for-21 for 125 yards, zero touchdowns and two picks. Taylor also rushed for 35 yards.

Virginia Tech did run the ball fairly effectively, with RB Darren Evans gaining 61 yards on 14 carries.

More from McFarling at The Roanoake Times:

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The game’s first 37 minutes were a clinic on how to fail at football: Burn timeouts because you don’t know how to line up properly, pass the ball into double coverage, overextend your defense by sustaining zero drives.

And all the while, two major things happened here.

One: Tech’s coaches showed they could make adjustments, and the players showed they could respond to them. That hasn’t always been a Tech strength. The Hokies simply don’t win games like this — not many run-first teams do, by the way — but the fact that they did this time will do wonders when the next deficit arises.

And two: After they took the lead, when the Hokies had to run the ball when the Tar Heels knew it was coming, they did it. That’s a credit to a determined Evans and an offensive line that was pushing the pile as the game wore on.

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The Virginia Tech defense came up huge, recording four sacks, forcing and recovering two fumbles and intercepting two passes.

College Football News provides excellent analysis on where the Hokies stand in 2008:

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The Hokies look lousy, there’s no passing game, and the defense has been mediocre by its own high standards, but they got through two tough ACC games against Georgia Tech and North Carolina and are a missed block on the late punt against East Carolina from being 4-0. This is hardly a pretty team, but it knows how to win and it pounces on every mistake.

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Virginia Tech random bullets:

• The Hokies have an amazing 16-1 record in ACC road games since joining the league in 2004. (WSET)
• In their three games against Division I-A opponents, Virgina Tech is now averaging just 252.7 yards in total offense. (inRich.com)
• The win ties for the second-largest comeback in Beamer’s 22 years as head coach. (Lynchburg News & Advance)
• The much-maligned ACC went a perfect 6-0 yesterday in non-conference games. (WSET)
• The Hokies failed to score in the 1st quarter for the fourth straight game

Make sure you visit Huskers Gameday every day this week!

We will have wall-to-wall coverage of Nebraska’s nationally televised clash with Virginia Tech this Saturday night, special features on our opponent, The Weekly Fourfecta and much, much more!

GO BIG RED !!!