MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Frank Beamer and No. 7 Virginia Tech face No. 5 Alabama on Saturday at the Georgia Dome. It is both teams' season-opener.

BLACKSBURG -- Judging from the two defenses involved, Saturday night's rumble in Atlanta between Virginia Tech and Alabama has all the looks of being a tight, low-scoring, slobber-knocker of a game.

Sounds good to Tech place-kicker Matt Waldron.

While he won't be one of the guys laying the lumber in front of a packed house of 71,500 at the Georgia Dome, Waldron would love nothing more than to give the Hokies a leg up on the Crimson Tide.

"This game very well could come down to a field goal at the end," Waldron said. "I want it to come down to that. I want to be like, 'OK, put it on the line and do it!'

"It's always what you've dreamed of. I mean that's what you live for."

For a guy who hasn't played in a real game in five years, Waldron certainly isn't lacking any confidence. The fifth-year senior who transferred from Penn State to Tech in 2006 didn't miss a field-goal attempt in any of the Hokies' spring scrimmages. He was 10-for-10 in three August scrimmages.

Waldron hasn't made a field goal in a game that counted since his senior year of high school in Oakfield, N.Y.

The school's name is Oakfield-Alabama High.

Forget that strange twist, though. Waldron's only thoughts now are getting the job done in his first college start.

"I'm excited and I can't wait," he said. "I've definitely thought about making the game-winning kick. I've played it in my head, and when you play in your head you play yourself making it. So that's what I want. That would be a real special thing."

Tech coach Frank Beamer obviously thinks Waldron is special. He gave the walk-on a scholarship last week.

"He's a senior, he's been around ... he's just never been in the Georgia Dome playing Alabama," Beamer said. "I have every indication that he's going to be good for us."

Mutual admiration society

On his Monday teleconference, Beamer was asked by an Alabama beat writer about his name being mentioned in connection with Tide coaching vacancies in 1996 and 2000.

"They got the right coach there right now in Nick Saban," Beamer said.

"It's not only great athletes on the field, but, boy, they've got them coached up in every area -- offense, defense and special teams."

Last Thursday, Saban talked about Beamer: "I think Frank Beamer is one of the best coaches in the country. I think the consistency in their program in terms of winning over a long haul probably matches about just about anybody's program in the country. That's the reality of it.

"If it's not the perception out there [nationally], then somebody is missing the boat in my opinion."

Talkin' tailbacks

The Hokies won't determine which one of their three young tailbacks will get the starting nod until after Thursday's practice, Beamer said.

Redshirt sophomore Josh Oglesby and redshirt freshman Ryan Williams are currently listed as co-No. 1s, with freshman David Wilson next.

"We're going to try to prepare three and plan to play all three," Beamer said.

Tech tidbits

Good news for the Hokies? They're 43-3 in September the past 12 years. Bad news? It's 1-24 against AP Top-5 teams. ... With Alabama No. 5 and Tech No. 7, the contest marks the first time since 2003 (Southern Cal vs. Auburn) that two AP top-10 teams have met in the first full week of the season. ... Tech has averaged 9.8 points in 11 previous meetings with Alabama. ... The Hokies have lost five straight games indoors, the last coming in the same building to Georgia in the 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl. ... 'Bama, which opened as a 4-point favorite, was listed as a 7-point chalk at most Las Vegas books Monday. ... Tech will wear maroon jerseys and Alabama will wear white.