On Saturday morning, we will see Virginia Tech face off against Wofford for the first time in program history. Despite seeing each other in many other sports, this will be the first time the Hokies and Terriers will be facing off on the football field.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET, and tickets are still available starting at $50. This weekend's contest will also be Tech's annual Military Appreciation and White Effect game. Fans can order this year's T-shirt online, although shipping is not guaranteed prior to gameday, or pick one up on Saturday from the Hokie Shop's trailer in Lot 4. Though this will mark the two teams meeting each other on the gridiron, there are some storylines fans should keep an eye on heading into the matchup.
Lockdown Defense
Last week, we saw Tech hold Boston College to just four net rushing yards and 155 total yards of offense. The Hokies also came in the clutch when needed, holding the BC offense to just 2-15 on third-down conversions, as well as shutting them down in the fourth quarter. Tech also frequently found itself in the backfield, combining for five hits on the quarterback and five sacks. The Hokies will look to keep their defensive success going, as the Terriers are the lone NCAA Division I school (FBS and FCS) to still be searching for their first points of the season.
Stars Will Shine
While the defense as a whole dominated, it was fueled by the stars leading the charge. Defensive lineman TyJuan Garbutt shined in last week's bout against BC. Garbutt totaled three tackles for loss on the night, including a sack, and also forced a fumble and registered four QB hurries. His performance earned him PFF's No. 1 run defensive edge grade nationally in Week 2 and the ACC's Defensive Lineman of the Week. Behind him, linebacker Dax Hollifield continues to show why he's one of the best defenders in the nation, finishing the BC game with a team-high eight tackles, 1.5 TFLs and one sack. Hollifield currently leads the team with 19 tackles, and looks to add on to that total on Saturday.
Creating Turnovers
The Hokies defense has been stellar so far this year, as it is ranked top five in FBS in rushing defense (4th, 44 ypg) and total defense (5th, 202 ypg), while also being first in the country in third-down conversion percentage (13.3%). But one of the aspects of the defense that head coach Brent Pry and defensive coordinator Chris Marve are looking for an increase in is creating turnovers, like defensive back Armani Chatman's interception to kick off BC's first drive and create early momentum that the Hokies capitalized on. While leading the defense at Penn State, Pry's units over the years ranked in the top third of FBS for causing turnovers. So expect Tech to be at the upper echelon as the season goes on.
Big Things Coming
In Tech's last game, we saw multiple explosive plays that eventually led to scores. The first of which was the 65-yard rushing touchdown by running back Keshawn King to kick off the second quarter. The second notable play was a 43-yard reception by receiver Kaleb Smith, that eventually set up his two-yard receiving touchdown later in the drive. The combination of Grant Wells' arm and the offensive line led by coach Joe Rudolph is a recipe built for success, so look for more chunk plays to happen as the chemistry amongst the offense continues to improve.
