Hokie ClubThe Hokies and Blue Devils face off for the 30th time on Saturday afternoon, revisiting an almost 90-year-old rivalry. Kickoff is set for noon ET at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina and will be aired on RSN.
Below are some storylines fans should keep an eye out for heading into this ACC coastal rivalry game.
Not just a Two-Dimensional Game
Last week, wide receiver Tucker Holloway had himself a day, breaking the school's punt return record in a game with 188 yards, along with a 90-yard return that he took back for a touchdown. His performance earned him the ACC's Specialist of the Week, and the freshman is looking to build on his record-breaking performance against Duke. On the other side of the ball, Tech will be facing off against another volatile punt return squad, as the Blue Devils are currently the No. 1 team in the nation in yards per return (23.4). Luckily for the Hokies, they have done well in punt coverage, ranking eighth in the nation in punt return yards allowed per attempt (1.50).
Continuing to Create Turnovers
In last week's game against Georgia Tech, a focus going into the game for defensive coordinator Chris Marve's defense was to force turnovers, and his squad did just that. With just over four minutes left in the third, pressure forced Georgia Tech's quarterback Zach Pyron to rush through his progressions, which led to a pick-six by linebacker Keli Lawson. This week, Tech will be facing yet again another team that has dominated in the turnover category, as Duke currently ranks third in the nation in turnover margin (1.56). The Blue Devils have been able to keep control of the ball, as they rank fifth in the country in fumbles lost (two) and 15th in thrown passes intercepted (four).
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Air Raid Opportunity
Two weeks ago against NC State, Grant Wells showed off his arm against a stout Wolfpack defense, connecting on three throws that went over 20 yards. A majority of his yards went to Smith, who hauled in three passes for 141 yards and one touchdown. Smith currently ranks third in the ACC in yards per reception (18.49). Wells and the passing committee will look to get back on track this week, as they will be lining up against a Blue Devil defense that ranks second-to-last in the ACC in passing yards allowed per game (270.3) and third-worst in passing efficiency defense (141.58).
One Game at a Time
With Virginia Tech out of bowl contention, the Hokies can now just take it one week at a time and focus on improving every game. While Tech won't be competing in a bowl game this season, the final three games are an opportunity to build momentum going into next season. In last week's postgame press conference, wide receiver Kaleb Smith was asked about the situation and on the team's motivation to close out the season:
"It all comes down to how we want to end our season," Smith said. "As bad as it's been at times, we still control how we end it. And I'm hoping that all the frustration, that we can take on to our next opponent."
In recent history, Tech has been able to finish late in the season, as in the last five seasons, the Hokies are 9-6 in their final three regular season games.