Michigan to the Sugar Bowl: A Guide to the Matchup vs. Virginia Tech

No. 13 Michigan landing in the Sugar Bowl Jan. 3 with No. 11 Virginia Tech was a handsome reward for both teams.

The Wolverines (10-2, 6-2) earned a berth with their tidy three-game winning streak at the conclusion of the season, which included a 40-34 victory over archrival Ohio State. Michigan was also selected in part because of their great football tradition. Winning the most games in NCAA history, having a great fan and alumni base and having that attractive brand name most bowl selectors covet.

Virginia Tech (11-2, 7-1) has been building a tradition of its own since head coach Frank Beamer took the head job in 1987.

Since joining the ACC conference in 2004, the Hokies have won four conference championships and two Coastal Division titles. Virginia Tech has won at least 10 games in each of its last eight seasons.

Virginia Tech also travels well to bowl games, never plays before an empty seat at home and has a popular pre-game entrance featuring Metallica's "Enter Sandman."

Many thought No. 7 Boise or No. 8 Kansas State deserved a BCS bowl invitation over the Wolverines or Hokies, but selling tickets is still a large part of the equation.

While Virginia Tech was embarrassed by Clemson in the ACC championship game, the Hokies still had an excellent regular season. Let's see how both teams earned themselves a trip to New Orleans.

The 78th Allstate Sugar Bowl Game

Date: January 3, 2012

Time: 8:30 p.m. EST

Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans

Payouts: $17,000,000 per team

TV: ESPN

This will be Virginia Tech's third trip to the Sugar Bowl. The most memorable, of course, was the 2000 affair, when No. 1 Florida State defeated the No. 2 Hokies, 46-29, to claim the national championship.

This will be Virginia Tech's 13th straight bowl appearance, while Michigan will be playing in its 41st bowl game.

In their only trip the Sugar Bowl, the Wolverines lost to Auburn, 9-7, back in 1984.

Another memorable Sugar Bowl was played in 2006, the only time it was ever held outside of New Orleans. Because of extensive damage to the Louisiana Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, the game was moved to the Georgia Dome, where Rich Rodriguez led West Virginia past Georgia, 38-35. 

Michigan's Strength

Michigan's been led by dual-threat quarterback, Denard Robinson, the emergence of running back Fitz Toussaint and a suddenly stingy defense.

Robinson's numbers were slightly down from 2011, where he finished sixth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.  He was still able to account for 34 touchdowns this season, 16 on the ground and 18 in the air. He also led the team in rushing with 1,163 yards while passing for 2,056.

Toussaint was the big surprise on Michigan's offense, eventually winning the tailback job and finishing the year with 1,011 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Defensively, Michigan went from allowing 35.2 points per game in 2010 to 17.2 this season. In addition, the Wolverines led the Big Ten in rushing defense, allowing only 115.6 yards per game.   

Virginia Tech's Strength

Throughout Coach Beamer's career, the Hokies have always stressed defense, special teams and a balanced attack.  

This season has been no different, as the Hokies held the opposition to 3.3 yards per carry rushing the ball while allowing just 17.2 points per game. The Hokies were also strong in the defensive backfield. Kyle Fuller, Jayron Hosley and Eddie Whitley all made second-team All-ACC.

Aside from its two losses to Clemson, Virginia has been solid on offense. All-ACC tailback David Wilson ran for 1,627 yards and nine touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Logan Thomas, a 6'6", 254-lb bruiser, has thrown for 2,799 yards, 19 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

Michigan's Weaknesses

When Brady Hoke brought in Greg Mattison from the Baltimore Ravens, the defense was in shambles. Mattison has done wonders, making it one of the most respected units in the Big Ten.

But it's by no means a done deal, as several quarterbacks in 2011 torched the Michigan secondary.

Even Ohio State freshman Braxton Miller had his way with the Wolverines, completing 14 of 25 passes for 235 yards and adding 100 on the ground.

Michigan has also been troubled on special teams, as Will Hagerup's punting average has dropped from a year ago. Brendan Gibbons has improved Michigan's field goal kicking several times over, but he has yet to connect from longer than 43 yards.  In addition, the Wolverines have be ineffective while covering kickoffs. 

Virginia Tech's Weaknesses

Finding a weakness on a Frank Beamer coached team is rare indeed. Other than being manhandled twice by Clemson, Tech has been sound on both sides of the ball. 

Offensively, the Hokies had only two outings where they had trouble scoring. Both games were on the road, and both could be attributed to a rookie quarterback. In the 17-10 win at East Carolina, QB Logan Thomas passed for only 91 yards, and in the 14-10 win at Duke, he tossed a pair of interceptions.

Defensively, only Miami (FL) with 35 points and Georgia Tech with 26 were able to consistently move the chains.

Clemson, Miami and Georgia Tech are sound offensive football teams. With the way Michigan played down the stretch, the Wolverines could give the Hokies trouble. If Robinson and Toussaint can run the ball effectively, and Robinson can throw efficiently, Michigan could give anyone trouble.  

How Michigan Got There

When Brady Hoke took over for Rich Rodriguez in January, he vowed to return Michigan to the team everyone was accustomed to: beating Ohio State, winning Big Ten championships and going to the Rose Bowl.  Very few thought the Wolverines would progress this far this fast.

When Michigan lost road games to Michigan State and Iowa, some figured the Wolverines were headed toward a late-season collapse, similar to the ones under previous coach Rich Rodriguez.

But Michigan righted the ship, won at Illinois, then came home to defeat Nebraska and Ohio State. Fitz Toussaint became the power runner Hoke needed, and Denard Robinson once again threw the ball with authority.

Other than a few miscues against always-tough Ohio State, the Wolverine defense began to resemble the great ones of the past. 

How Virginia Tech Got There

Despite breaking in a rookie quarterback, Virginia Tech was the odds-on favorite to win its third ACC title in the last four years.

Logan Thomas was slated to replace Tyrod Taylor at quarterback, but the strength of the offense was expected to be the rushing of 5'10", 210-lb. David Wilson. 

Wilson, who rushed for 619 yards as a reserve tailback in 2010, opened 2011 with flurry, running all over Appalachian State to the tune of 162 yards on 16 carries. Wilson never let up. finishing with 1,627 yards, more than 125 yards per game.

Thomas became a star quicker than most, completing 23-of-25 for 310 yards in a 38-35 win over Miami in early October.

After losing their first of two against Clemson, the Hokies reeled off seven straight victories, including a 38-0 beat down of archrival Virginia in the season finale. The momentum fizzled, however, as Clemson dominated the Hokies, 38-10, in the ACC title game.    

Michigan's Key Players

For Michigan, it starts with Denard Robinson. Not only is he required to orchestrate Michigan's multiple offense, he must also make proper decisions in both the running and passing game.

If that's not enough, he must also make his throws with confidence and run intelligently, so he doesn't take too many direct hits. 

Fitz Toussaint must gain 100 yards or so, in addition to keeping the pressure away from Robinson. Tight end Kevin Koger must play well as a blocker and receiver, and it would be nice if wide receiver Roy Roundtree can focus.

On defense, Michigan need a good game from its front seven to keep David Wilson's running in check while the secondary should forget about the sloppy game it played against the Buckeyes. Don't forget, Logan Thomas is quite a load at quarterback, and he can beat you with his feet, too.

Michigan needs a big game from veteran linemen Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen. Kenny Demens and Jake Ryan are key at linebacker, while Blake Countess needs to be flawless at cornerback.  

Virginia Tech's Key Players

For Virginia Tech, it all starts with tailback David Wilson. The high school triple-jumper who's also run the 40 in less than 4.4, Wilson can be unstoppable when he's on his game. At one point this season, he had seven straight rushing performances over 100 yards. 

Along with Wilson in the backfield is jumbo quarterback Logan Thomas. Considering it's his first year as a starter, there's no reason to believe he won't be an All-American sooner rather than later.

Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale are the go-to receivers, while offensive tackle Blake DeChristopher anchors the offensive line.

Defensively, DE James Gayle can definitely wreak havoc, going into the bowl game with seven sacks and 10.5 tackles-for-loss. Free safety Antone Exum leads the team with 85 tackles, while rover Eddie Whitley is second with 78.

Probably the biggest name on the Hokie defense is coordinator Bud Foster, who has been with Coach Beamer since 1981 at Murray State.  The two moved on Virginia Tech in 1987, and Foster became defensive coordinator in 1995. He's often been mentioned as one of the nation's top coordinators, and his name regularly comes up when head coaching vacancies surface. 

Prediction

Since the early 1990s, you could normally find both Michigan and Virginia Tech among college football's elite. Lloyd Carr had been a fixture at Michigan, while Frank Beamer recorded one 10-win season after another.

Surprisingly, the two teams have never met. Several years ago, Michigan and Virginia Tech almost clashed in one of those kickoff classics, but the details never meshed.

Maybe it's fitting that the two teams will finally meet on a neutral field when they're so evenly matched.

Who knows? This could be the beginning of a great intersectional rivalry.

It sure should be a great football game.

Both quarterbacks are highly skilled at both running and passing, The two teams have solid tailbacks and and several talented receivers.

Neither of the offensive or defensive lines are vintage Michigan or Virginia Tech, but the Wolverines have shown some improvement over the course of the season.

Overall, the Hokies might be a touch better on defense, while Denard Robinson may give Michigan a slight advantage on offense.

Special teams would normally go to the Hokies, but the one intangible which swings the game toward Michigan is Brady Hoke.  This is Hoke's first season as the Wolverine mentor, while it's the 25th for Beamer at Tech.

Michigan 27, Virginia Tech 24