Week 6 game breakdowns

By foxsports
Published

Boston College at Virginia Tech



KICKOFF: Saturday, 12 ET

SERIES: Virginia Tech leads 11-6 (last meeting, 30-12 Virginia Tech in 2008)


POLLS: Virginia Tech (5 AP, coaches)


PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 30-17


KEYS TO THE GAME: On paper, the BC running game appears to have a shot to do some damage here, but the real key to this game figures to be how well the Eagles can neutralize the Tyrod Taylor/Ryan Williams 1-2 punch on the other side of the ball. The Eagles also have to stay away from the mistakes and penalties that have hurt them and, as always, beware the Frank Beamer special teams.

The Hokies will have to match BC's toughness on both lines and run the ball more consistently than they did at Duke.

One reason the Eagles have had regular-season success against Tech the last three years is that line play. That hasn't been a strength for Tech. That means being able to run the ball and keep the Eagles from establishing their running game. While BC QB Dave Shinskie is 25 years old, he's just a freshman, and you don't want a freshman trying to win in Blacksburg with a one-dimensional attack.


FAST FACTS: Golden Eagles: QB David Shinskie, the 25-year-old freshman known as "Uncle Dave" among his BC teammates, makes his third straight start when the Eagles visit No. 5 Virginia Tech this week. "He's progressing just like a freshman would," says his coach, Frank Spaziani. "He's making some progress, but in no means is he a polished, accomplished signal caller and field general. There's just not enough experience. But once again, he's getting better every week, he's learning and we see improvement there. We need to see a lot more." ... The Eagles hope their second road game turns out better than their first, when the offense totaled just 54 yards in a 26-7 loss to Clemson in a game in which the defense kept things from getting completely out of hand. Will that experience help this young team? "How much do you put on experience?" said Spaziani. ""The experience of going down there has to help some, but then again, it wasn't a good experience. This is a similar situation, so we're going to have to buckle our chinstraps." ... Virginia Tech is the latest ACC foe raising money for cancer-stricken linebacker Mark Herzlich's Uplifting Athletes. The Hokies were hoping to raise $5,094 for the charity, $5,000 plus the additional $94 for Herzlich's uniform number. ... Spaziani is 5-1 as a head coach.

Hokies: Have won 11 straight games since a Matt Ryan-led comeback gave the Eagles a stunning 14-10 win in 2007. ...