2011 Virginia Tech Football: Boston College Game Guide

Virginia Tech Hokies (6-1, 2-1) vs. Boston College Eagles (1-5, 0-3)

Time: 3 p.m. EDT
Date: Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011
Place: Blacksburg, Va.
Stadium: Lane Stadium/Worsham Field
(Cap: 66,233, Open: 1965, Field: Bermuda)
TV: Regional Sports Networks (FSN, CSN)
Radio: VT IMG, XM 192, Sirius 136
Spread: Virginia Tech -21
Weather: High of 61, No Chance of Rain

Boston College: The Eagles are coming off a bye week and have lost back-to-back games after earning their only win of the season against Massachusetts. BC will be without the preseason ACC player of the year, running back Montel Harris. Harris will miss the 2011 season and apply for a medical redshirt due to a knee injury. BC will be led by quarterback Chase Rettig, who is completing 52.1 percent of his passes for 6.0 ypa with three touchdowns and five interceptions in games against FBS opponents. This will be his first appearance against the Hokies. Against FBS opponents, BC is giving up 4.2 ypc (5th in the ACC) and 8.0 ypa (10th in the ACC). Like the Hokies, injuries have taken their toll on the Eagles this season, with WR Ifeanyi Momah, DB C.J. Jones and DT Kaleb Ramsey also done for the season.

Trends: Virginia Tech is 1-5 against the spread against FBS teams after covering last week against Wake Forest. The Eagles are 0-5 against the spread against FBS teams.

History Lesson: Virginia Tech is 13-6 all-time against Boston College with all games coming under Frank Beamer. The Hokies have won five of the eight games played in Lane Stadium and have won the last three games played in the series. Last year, Tech went to Chestnut Hill and earned their second-ever shutout against the Eagles, 19-0. In that game, David Wilson average 4.2 ypc and the Hokies held the Eagles to 250 total yards in what was the first of five consecutive losses for them. Tech collected six sacks of the two BC quarterbacks, Dave Shinskie and Mike Marscovetra.

What to Expect

• Expect the Hokies to be able to pressure Rettig. The Eagles have given up 12 sacks in five games against FBS opponents.
• Expect the Hokies to fare a little better against the Eagles than they have in recent years. The Eagles have already allowed 11 rushing touchdowns in five FBS games. They gave up six in 12 games all of last season.
• Expect me to be livid if this game is still interesting in the second half.

Dot-dot-dots: Boston College is 1-5 for the first time since 1991 and has not started a season 1-6 since 1989 when it started 1-7 ... the Eagles are 0-3 in conference for the second consecutive season and started last season 0-4 before rallying to finish 4-4 ... this is the second consecutive season BC has had a week off before facing Virginia Tech ... David Wilson is 97 yards away from reaching 1,000 yards for the season ... Jayron Hosley missed the last three quarters of Tech's game against Wake after tweaking his hamstring during the first quarter ... Virginia Tech kicker Justin Myer leads the ACC with a 47.6 touchback percentage ... eight of his 16 kickoffs in ACC play have been touchbacks ... Virginia Tech hasn't lost to a team that went on to have a losing record since 2004 when it lost to NC State and the Wolfpack finished 5-6.