If you look to Lane Stadium on Saturday night, you'll see Brent Pry in his first home opener as the head coach of Virginia Tech's football team. It's an opportunity he holds pretty dearly, with him mentioning it once again in his press conference on Tuesday.
As surreal as this long-anticipated day has some, below are some storylines fans should keep an eye out for during Saturday's primetime game between Tech and Boston College at 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
A Night of Firsts
Saturday night will be one to remember, and especially for Pry. A graduate assistant under Frank Beamer from 1995-97, this will be Pry's first game as the one in charge. Saturday will also be Pry's first Hokie Walk, firing of "Skipper" and running out to "Enter Sandman" during the regular season, following him getting his feet at the spring game. Hokie Nation has been waiting since the New Year to cheer on their Hokies, and Saturday night will be when it comes to fruition.
Both Looking to Bounce Back
Both programs come into Saturday's game coming off close losses the week prior, with Tech falling at Old Dominion, 20-17, and Boston College losing at home to Rutgers, 22-21. This will be the first time both teams will be facing each other with 0-1 records. Luckily for Tech, history is on its side, as the Hokies lead the series 19-11 and are 8-5 when playing the Eagles at home.
Home Sweet Home
When the new school year starts and all the students are back in town, there is one thing on everyone's mind – football's back in Lane. Tailgates, turkey legs and "Enter Sandman" are all so desperately craved by Hokie Nation. And if history stands true, Tech fans will be in for a good treat, as the Hokies have come out victorious the last six home openers, with Tech fans bringing the electricity.
A Chance for an Early Start
The Saturday primetime bout is a perfect opportunity to get an early advantage in conference play. There are no other ACC matchups this week, and a win will give the respective team a leg up in the league. For Tech, a victory will push them to first place in the Coastal Division, with the only other team in the division playing a conference game so far being Georgia Tech (0-1).
Tale of the Tape
Despite having only one game under their belt, the Hokies and Eagles come into the game with some notable stats. Tech's offensive line didn't allow a single sack against ODU, making them tied for first in the ACC with two other league teams. Behind that offensive line is running back Keshawn King, who ranks second in the ACC in rushing yards (111).
The star on BC's offense is wide receiver Zay Flowers, who put up 117 receiving yards and two touchdowns off 10 receptions versus the Scarlet Knights. Despite the offensive star power, signs point to this being a low-scoring affair, with Tech's defense ranking first in the ACC in passing defensive efficiency (79.6) and BC ranking third (92.0). Stars on the defensive side include Tech defenders Dax Hollifield and Nasir Peoples combining for 20 total tackles last week, and BC defenders Donovan Ezeiruaku and Vinny DePalma totaling 18 total tackles in their game against Rutgers.
