Alabama vs. Virginia Tech College Football
Will the Tide rise in their opener against the top ACC team?
Alabama opened last year in a similar situation. They took on Clemson in the Georgia Dome and blew them out 34-10. Clemson was ranked at No. 9 at the time. The situation may end with the ACC team having the same fate, as Hokies have been suffering injuries to key players through the preseason.
Virginia Tech’s starting running back Darren Evans will be out for the entire season after tearing his ACL. Evans was a key part of the offense last season, and he became the first Virginia Tech freshman to rush for more than 1,000 yards. He was also named as the most valuable player in the Hokies’ Orange Bowl victory over Cincinnati.
Alabama looks to take advantage of the injury and embarrass the ACC again this year, but it may be harder than it seems. Frank Beamer’s squad should never be expected to lie down. The Hokies will play tough and Tyrod Taylor is going to have to play his best to get some points against a solid Tide defense.
This should make for a very entertaining game as two great coaches face each other in Nick Saban and Frank Beamer. Alabama should be able to take advantage of the Hokies, but it could end up as a closer contest than many suspect.
Alabama Preview
The Tide is very deep after having back-to-back recruiting classes that ranked at or near the top in the country. If the offensive line can play well then Alabama may be able to be a top team again this year. The opener against Virginia Tech should be a huge sign as to how the Tide’s season will go, just as their blowout over Clemson was last year. Other tough games on Alabama’s schedule are Ole Miss and LSU. Even though Tennessee and Auburn do not look as talented as the Tide, these rivals will be sure to put up a fight.
The main problem is that after going 12-0 in the regular season, Alabama will not be able to sneak up on opponents this year. The only way for Saban’s team to improve from last season would be to win the SEC title, and that is a hard task with them most likely meeting Florida again if they make it to the championship.
Virginia Tech Preview
Virginia looked to be a contender for the national title before the injury to Evans. They finished 10-4 last year and were able to win the ACC and win the Orange Bowl. They looked to build off of those wins last season and come out to contend for the title.
They could still win the ACC championship, but playing for the title seems unrealistic now. They play two ranked team in their first three games, which are Alabama and Nebraska. The Hokies should be able to compete with both teams, but need to make sure not to overlook their game between the two ranked opponents. The Marshall Thundering Herd come to town and should come out strong in hopes for an upset.
The Hokies also look for revenge this season against the East Carolina Pirates, which should make for a good non-conference game.
The main teams for the Hokies to compete with in the ACC will be Boston College, Georgia Tech, Maryland and North Carolina. They face the four teams in the season and if they get past all four, then they will likely meet Florida State in the conference title game.
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