We're less than two weeks away from Virginia Tech's game against Alabama in the Georgia Dome. Coming into the game, more pressure seems to be on the Hokies than the Crimson Tide. There's good reason for it, too. Tech has a lot more on the line in this one than the Tide. There are several reasons the Hokies HAVE to beat Alabama on Sept. 5:
Because we want to win the national title.
This one's obvious. Both teams want to raise the crystal, but the Hokies won't be able to participate in the BCSCG with a loss. It's just not going to happen. Alabama can lose its opener, run the table in God's Conference and still get a trip to Pasadena. If we're going to fill the empty trophy case, we're going to have to beat the Tide.
Because we lost to LSU by 41 points.
The last time the Hokies tangled with an SEC opponent, they got taken behind the woodshed. Virginia Tech's national reputation took a huge blow that night in Baton Rouge. If that happens again, it would do irreparable damage to Tech's rep. The Hokies got some of their pride back by winning the Orange Bowl. But beating Bama would be bigger.
Because Clemson failed.
For the second consecutive season, the consensus pick to be the ACC's national title contender is facing Alabama in the CFA Kickoff Game. Last year, Clemson signalled the beginning of the end for Tommy Bowden by getting embarrassed by the Tide. The ACC can't afford a similar showing from Virginia Tech. The conference has been beaten and battered by national media during its current downslide and people are wondering if the ACC is the worst BCS conference. It's not. But people won't believe the ACC has good football and good players until someone steps up on a national stage and beats someone like Alabama. The Hokies get their chance in Week 1.
Because f--k the SEC, that's why.
I have had it with everyone considering the SEC to be the end-all, be-all of college football. It's like the 12 teams in God's Conference are all playing for the real national title and the other 108 are simply playing for the honor being beaten by Florida or whoever in the BCSCG. And people are acting like it's always been that way. Wrong. College football runs in cycles and currently God's Conference is the one everyone considers to the be best. I'll give it to the SEC in this respect, though. It turned its good fortune into a strong profit, unlike the Big Ten before it. But economics aside, the product God's Conference isn't so much better than everyone else's that we should worship at its altar. F--k the SEC, f--k its arrogant fans and f--k everyone at ESPN who has continued the myth that it don't get no better ESS EEE SEE foobaw. That's why we have to beat Alabama. Because this conference and its fans must be stopped.
Can you think of any other reasons we have to beat Alabama on Sept. 5? Fire away in the comments.