FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- OK, boys, your lovely vacation time in South Florida is over. Game time finally has arrived.

After a week of enjoying the warm temperatures and pursuing all the leisurely pleasures offered here in Partyville, fifth-ranked Virginia Tech (11-2) and No. 8 Kansas (11-1) will enter the ring and go toe-to-toe in tonight's 74th Orange Bowl at Dolphin Stadium.

In this corner, you have the veteran-laden Hokies. They're making their fifth appearance in one of these big-stage BCS fights. They've won only one of the four, but this time they're the favorite. The masses say they will win.

In the other corner, you have the Jayhawks. They're the little engine that could, the upstarts who were given little chance of making it here four months ago.

They want to prove to the country they're not merely imposters who got here through the backdoor by feasting off a Charmin-soft schedule.

Hang the players from both sides on a hoof, and Tech looks like a dead lock. Any NFL scout will tell you the Hokies are the bigger, stronger and faster team.

So what? They're still going to play the game.

Tech knows that Kansas is not some kind of "Toto."

"No matter what people on the outside are saying or thinking, we've still got to go out there and get it done," Hokies cornerback Brandon Flowers said. "Anybody that wins as many games as Kansas did has got to be real good. We're not overlooking them ... not at all, I promise you."

Certainly, nobody could ever overlook Mark Mangino. The rotund Kansas coach relishes the underdog role.

"You just can't go by who's played in more big games ... because time and time again, those teams don't always win the games," Mangino said. "It seems as though they have an advantage. People would tell you that, but I don't see that."

What will a sellout crowd of 72,230 fans see?

The most intriguing matchup pits Tech's No. 2-ranked scoring defense (15.46 points per game) vs. Kansas' No. 2 scoring offense (44.33).

"Something is going to give," Hokies linebacker Xavier Adibi said.

"That's the way you have to look at it because that is going to be the deciding point of this whole game."

Tech must find a way to slow down a spread offense that has produced video game-esque numbers. Kansas has scored 43 or more points eight times. The Jayhawks eclipsed the 50-point mark five times, and hung a staggering 76 points on Nebraska. Kansas scored 23 more touchdowns than it had punts (69-46).

"Pretty amazing stuff, really," Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "I don't think we've ever faced anyone like that. It didn't take very long to study their punts, they didn't have many."

In order to throttle Kansas' well-balanced attack -- the Jayhawks throw for close to 300 yards and run for almost 200 yards per game -- Tech's defense will have to get in the face of quarterback Todd Reesing, who has thrown for 3,259 yards, with 32 TDs and just six interceptions.

"Their offensive line is big and can move well," Tech defensive tackle Barry Booker said. "We've got to contain Reesing, keep him in the pocket and don't let him run around. He's not too tall [5-10], so he can't see over those linemen. So if we keep him in the pocket, I think it will be more successful for us."

Kansas averages more than 36 pass attempts. The Hokies' back seven will log some running miles in this one.

"It's going to be exciting," safety D.J. Parker said. "That's what we back there want. We want to get our hands on some balls. So they can bring it."

Tech's defense, which has allowed more than 23 points only once all season, may be without the services of one of its main weapons. Senior middle linebacker Vince Hall's availability will be a "game-time decision between the doctors," Beamer said Wednesday.

Hall suffered a badly bruised left knee in an incident involving a personal watercraft vehicle during the team's beach-day bowl function Sunday. If Hall can't go, he will be replaced by junior Brett Warren.

Of course, the Kansas offense hasn't faced a defense quite like Tech's. The average total defense ranking of the Jayhawks' 12 foes computes to an unsightly 84.8.

"They have All-Americans, all-conference guys, guys that are going to be playing at the next level," Reesing said.

"I have a lot of respect for them. It's going to be a challenge, but at the same time I have confidence in our offense."

The Hokies, who have been as hot as any team in the country since the end of October, are also confident they can become the first team in Tech history to win 12 games.

"We've had a lot of fun down here, but the party is over now," Flowers said.

"Yeah, man, it's time to go play and settle this thing."