Game Thread tOSU @ Virginia Tech, Sep 7 2015 @ 8pm ET, ESPN

[TampaBuckeyes]

I've been looking at VT some more. I actually don't think they can score on you guys. I think it will be 38-0.

Our defense should be better than any they have faced in a while. They were incompetent last year after losing 2 starters. They should be a little better this year running at full strength again in week 1 (minus 1 RB). They had a lot of youth on their offense. So I think they will find the end zone, though I don't expect they find it more than twice. I anticipate they score 17. I imagine we can put up in the 30s, could hit the 40s. I think their defense is pretty top notch, but still below MSU, PSU and Bama. Our depth chart doesn't look too bad at WR. The young guys will be hungry and should take this opportunity to secure a spot in the rotation. We've really got 3 burners that can rotate in and with Thomas and Brax/Curtis primary targets for most of the short game. I'm curious to see how often we run 4 WR sets.

 

[UpNorth_Buckeye]

Braxton Miller will gain 800 yards and 14 TDs.. in just this game

Silver Bullets will be insane... immense pressure from front 7 with the confidence they have in the DB unit


and my fearless prediction... BOTH QBs play

Gotta love optimism.

While I expect the Bucks to justify our confidence in them, this particular prediction (Braxton's numbers) is probably meant to not come true. :)

Optimism?

 

[bukIpower]

Our defense should be better than any they have faced in a while. They were incompetent last year after losing 2 starters. They should be a little better this year running at full strength again in week 1 (minus 1 RB). They had a lot of youth on their offense. So I think they will find the end zone, though I don't expect they find it more than twice. I anticipate they score 17. I imagine we can put up in the 30s, could hit the 40s. I think their defense is pretty top notch, but still below MSU, PSU and Bama. Our depth chart doesn't look too bad at WR. The young guys will be hungry and should take this opportunity to secure a spot in the rotation. We've really got 3 burners that can rotate in and with Thomas and Brax/Curtis primary targets for most of the short game. I'm curious to see how often we run 4 WR sets.

this will be the best defense we face all year. Their Dline is quick and their secondary is top notch as well but their LB's leave much to be desired IMO. As a whole though I feel this will be the best defense we will face all year even going through the big ten.

What tech is going to run into is their offense does not have enough playmakers to keep our defense honest. We will shut down the run game (just like we did last year) but the difference will be this year we will try to eliminate Hodges and forcing someone else to show up. This time around I will take Joshua Perry all day over the #45 fullback kid and as long as we contain Brewer as he tries to replicate what he did last year we will shut them down. Like you said though I still see 14-24 points for Tech and I've been mulling things over since our injury to Brown but I still feel we come away with a 31-17 Victory.

Maybe the Hokie fan that's here can clear something up for me. I keep hearing how tech has two electric WR's (particularly Ford) but where's the proof that they're anything but ordinary? I for one have no worries regarding Ford or the other WR (who I have no idea who that is)

 

[Buckeyebred97]

I can see a at coming out fired up in their home stadium. As mentioned by Beamer this is probably the biggest game ever in that stadium or at least up there with some big ones. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out too aggressive and pay for that and make mistakes. If they make mistakes early and we can capitalize on them and take the crowd out then I can see us coasting and wearing them down physically and mentally. I also don't see Brewer having the game he did last year. He extended plays multiple times when he should have been sacked or stopped for a short gain. As long as the defense settles in and the offense can convert third downs I see this score being 34-17 good guys.

 

[JCOSU86]

I lived in Washington DC for 10 years. There's a lot of VPI grads there. Good people, decent fans. That said, I hope OSU curb-stomps them.

 

[greyscarlet]

Blood in the water. If this were any other mid tier team I'd be a bit nervous of complacency, but only a bit. This being a redemption game for the Buckeyes, JT, and most importantly the offensive line I'm going to go with 41-10 and the 10 is being nice.

 

[bukIpower]

I can see a at coming out fired up in their home stadium. As mentioned by Beamer this is probably the biggest game ever in that stadium or at least up there with some big ones. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out too aggressive and pay for that and make mistakes. If they make mistakes early and we can capitalize on them and take the crowd out then I can see us coasting and wearing them down physically and mentally. I also don't see Brewer having the game he did last year. He extended plays multiple times when he should have been sacked or stopped for a short gain. As long as the defense settles in and the offense can convert third downs I see this score being 34-17 good guys.

I think this will be a big reason why we win IMO. They'll come out too fired up and do something dumb a few times such as turning the ball over, committing a personal foul to keep a key drive a live, or blow a gap with their aggression. This will give us the spring board that we need to capture the lead and then coast to a victory.

 

[scarletmike]

The amount of ridiculous, lucky plays they made on offense in last year's game just boggles the mind. I highly doubt lightning strikes twice with so many lucky breaks going their way. Without them, OSU gets the ball back, and this year, there will be scores made on those opportunities.

 

[cmstophe]

Really looking forward to this game! Plan to have all my school work done and caught up before it starts so I can enjoy some adult beverages and watch our revenge.

I opted not to go back and watch that travesty at the Shoe from last year, but I remember it pretty well. I was pretty pissed that night. Worked out in the end, though.

 

[VT Grad]

Probably not as much as they got fined for losing to wake forest.

This picture pretty much summarizes everything about Virginia Tech football at the moment. VT playing great defense, and Beamer completely satisfied with forcing OT against a team like Wake Forest... It would be nice to see him pissed that it came down to this point in the game (which they lost) rather than acting like a drunk freshman celebrating at his first game of the year.

 

[jlb1705]

Probably not as much as they got fined for losing to wake forest.

That image always makes me think of this:

 

[kippy1040]

The amount of ridiculous, lucky plays they made on offense in last year's game just boggles the mind. I highly doubt lightning strikes twice with so many lucky breaks going their way. Without them, OSU gets the ball back, and this year, there will be scores made on those opportunities.

I was thninking the same thing, we had them in our grasp and they got some lucky breaks. I am sure this will be on thier minds for this year. I would like to see us keep the ball on the ground, keep the clock moving and tire out thier defense. Maybe they will blitz and hope we can catch them napping in the secondary, for a couple of passing scores. Just a thought.

 

[HorseshoeFetish]

I think we are all going to be very thankful we're BUCKEYE fans by the time this game kicks off.

I have the feeling that the "Weak BIG10" media narrative will be in full motion by then.

 

[VT Grad]

Maybe the Hokie fan that's here can clear something up for me. I keep hearing how tech has two electric WR's (particularly Ford) but where's the proof that they're anything but ordinary? I for one have no worries regarding Ford or the other WR (who I have no idea who that is)

Tech's offense has a lot of problems, but their receivers are very talented. Isaiah Ford had a great year in 2014 as a true freshman, and has a lot of hype as he's expected to get even better. Not that it means much, but he's dominated our defense in practice at times. He has the potential to become one of the best receivers in the ACC, and maybe get even more attention nationally.

Bucky Hodges (r-Soph) is the real deal. 6'7", 242lbs and has unbelievable hands. I fully expect him to become a quality TE in the NFL and he has the athleticism to follow in the mold of a Jimmy Graham type (no, I'm not saying he's Jimmy Graham, just a comparison). He originally came in as a QB, but it became obvious pretty quickly that he's too physically talented to not get him downfield.

Cam Phillips (true sophomore) is also a quality receiver, and continuing to show improvement.

Above all, these guys have plenty of talent but they've suffered from inconsistent QB play as well as a lack of imagination in offensive scheme. It also didn't help that we lost our top 3 running backs to injury and forced us to become even more unbalanced on offense. Because of that, their stats won't blow you away but they certainly pass the "eye test" and are playmakers. We're all hoping they continue improving to their very high ceilings but, of course, only time will tell.

 

[VT Grad]

Three of Hodges' best plays last year-





Isaiah Ford Freshman Highlights