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Underdog Virginia Tech won't be Alabama's lap dog

The Hokies recognize the challenge they face against Alabama but aren't ready to surrender before the first snap.

The Roanoke Times | File April

Quarterback Logan Thomas predicts Virginia Tech will show “a different team than you are used to seeing” when the Hokies take on two-time defending national champion Alabama today (AP Photo/ The Roanoke Times, Matt Gentry)

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Virginia Tech keys to the game

Va. Tech vs. No. 1 Alabama
at Georgia Dome
Saturday 5:30 p.m., ESPN

STOP THE RUN
Alabama ran for 615 yards and five touchdowns in its final two games last year, the SEC championship game against Georgia and the BCS title game against Notre Dame. It averaged 5.59 yards per rush last season. Everything it does in the passing game builds off of that.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
All four of the teams that have accounted for the Crimson Tide's five losses in the last four years (Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn and South Carolina) have at least been even in the turnover battle. The Hokies will have to protect the ball.

GET A BIG GAME FROM LOGAN THOMAS
The senior doesn't have a ton of offensive weapons around him, but he's going to have to rise to the occasion. Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, even Stephen Garcia lifted their teams to victories against Alabama. Tech needs Thomas to do the same if it wants to compete.

Virginia Tech vs. No. 1

1979: Lost 31-7 vs. Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
1991: Lost 33-20 vs. Florida State in Orlando, Fla.
1992: Lost 43-23 vs. Miami in Blacksburg
2000: Lost 46-29 vs. Florida State in New Orleans
2001: Lost 26-24 vs. Miami in Blacksburg
2002: Lost 56-45 vs. Miami in Miami
2004: Lost 24-13 vs. Southern California in Landover, Md.

RELATED COVERAGE

Game Day: Virginia Tech vs. Alabama
August 30, 2013

Tech could ‘win’ against Alabama
August 30, 2013

MORE VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL

Check out all the Hokies football action on Andy Bitter's Virginia Tech football blog.
On gameday, follow Andy on Twitter for live updates.
Visit our Virginia Tech page to get the latest headlines from the blog and The Roanoke Times.

Andy Bitter | 381-1674

Friday, August 30, 2013

BLACKSBURG - The leadup all offseason to Virginia Tech's season opener against No. 1 Alabama has focused on by how much, not if, the Crimson Tide will win tonight's game.

The Hokies are tired of hearing about a preordained Alabama victory.

"I can't really say the truth," defensive end James Gayle said when asked what he thinks, aware of the kind of bulletin board material it could provide, "but I'm tired of it.

"They're coming off a strong season last year and the national championship, so respect should be given. I just feel like we're not getting much on our end."

Virginia Tech will have its chance to respond on the field tonight, although it faces a tall task against the two-time defending national champions.

New offensive coaches and injuries aplenty leave numerous question marks for the Hokies, who are a 21-point underdog at some places, the first time they've been on the wrong end of a line that big since 1991.

Head coach Frank Beamer, who suffered through his worst season in 20 years last fall, has done nothing to dampen the hype around Alabama, calling it the best team the Hokies have ever played. History suggests a tough time. Virginia Tech is 0-7 all-time against the nation's No. 1 team, with Beamer being 0-6.

The players don't want to hear it.

"Maybe it's my background, coming from wrestling with [Tech] coach [Kevin] Dresser," center Andrew Miller said. "And one of his main sayings is, 'Never take a backseat to anybody.' And that's something I never do."

"I don't think anybody's really intimidated," linebacker Jack Tyler said. "Football's football. I think everybody's here for a reason. They wanted to play prime-time college football. And that's what this game's going to be. And everyone's excited for it. I don't think I see intimidation in anyone's eyes. I think I see a dog that's ready to pounce and to win a game."

What kind of dog?

"I was going to say a small dog but I didn't want to make us sound too weak," Tyler joked.

Still, the odds are against Virginia Tech pulling it out. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster likened the game to Hokies' 2004 opener, when they were unranked and facing unanimous No. 1 Southern California. Expected to be a blowout, the Hokies actually kept the game close, losing 24-13 in Landover, Md.

Although it was a loss, it foreshadowed what was actually a successful season, when Virginia Tech surprised many by winning the ACC.

"This game is not going to make or break our season," Foster said. "It'll be a great measuring stick for us. But I think our kids, we've got a lot of pride too. We've had a great tradition here. I think we'd like to uphold that tradition."

Quarterback Logan Thomas, who refined his mechanics in the offseason under new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, wasn't making guarantees about the outcome, but he doesn't think the Hokies will be the pushover many are predicting.

"I can't put words in y'all's mouth or whatever, but I think y'all going to see a different team than you are used to seeing here at Virginia Tech," he said. "I think y'all are going to be writing about a chance of us having a superior season."

Beamer, for all he's talked up the Tide, made it clear that despite all the praise he's heaped on Alabama, his team isn't giving up before even taking the field, even though the Hokies are playing a team that hasn't lost a non-conference game since the 2009 Sugar Bowl against Utah.

"We're not conceding anything now," he said. "We're not going down that path."

Saturday, September 14, 2013