Virginia Tech @ Miami Hurricanes:Gobbler Country Staff Picks

Hard to believe we are already into week seven of college football.  The staff at Gobbler Country offer their selections for Saturday's pivotal game.

David Kistler(4-2)

Miami 28 VT 17....Miami has too many athletes for VT to handle for 4 quarters.

Matt Costello(4-2)

This game will be decided by quarterback play and if Brewer is still sidelined I think Miami's Brad Kaaya will be too much for a young Hokies secondary to handle. The defense will have to manufacture pressure and get Kaaya out of rhythm, but leaving the young secondary out on islands will get Bud's defense burned badly. Hokies keep it close in the first half but the Hurricanes pour it on in the 2nd winning 38-24.

Chelsea Lindner(3-3)

I think that with the Hokies win last week they are going into this game with a lot of momentum. Miami had a heartbreaker last week and i think it could affect the way they perform this week. Both teams have a lot to play for but I'm gonna take the Hokies for this one. 28-21

John Schneider(3-3)

This is a wishing and hoping game.  I am wishing that we had a better team and hoping that we don't show up with the team that sat down and did nothing like the Pitt game.

Unfortunately the numbers and my heart say we don't make it this weekend. There is just too much to overcome.  Miami 32 Tech 20.....

Roy Hatfield(3-3)

'Canes 38-10. Too much offense for them, not enough for us. Grrr...

Joshua Schneider(3-3)

If I had a coin, I'd flip it. If I had an 8-ball I'd shake it. If I had a lamp I'd rub it and if I had a crystal ball I'd scry with it. This team is currently unreadable. Is the team that beat around NC State going to show up for two quarters or two halves or not at all? Is the team that got trounced by Pitt and got burned by ECU going to show up or the team that turned Purdue inside out? Inconsistency has plagued this team this year and the past few years. On the other end, Miami beat up two nobodies, came about as close to swallowing a wishbone as you could against not-your-grandpappy's-Nebraska, lost to Cinncinnati and its backup quarterback, and then put up a dogfight for most of the game against Florida State. This is all a pot-kettle-black scenario much like last week. I'll take Miami in a 28-27 squeaker because they're at home, but I'm not crazy about either team.

Jay Johnson(3-3)

Duke Johnson, the man who torched the Hokies for 249 yards last year is gone, but Yearby is no pushover – he has rushed for over 100 yards in three games and carries a 6.3 yard average on the season.  Miami also has the arm of Brad Kaaya.  He threw 405 yards and three TDs against Florida State last week.  He has good numbers, even in the games that Miami failed to win. This year Kaaya has thrown for 1499 yards, 8 TDs, and only one interception.  Miami’s defense, on the other hand, does seem to have holes.  Florida State had 291 yards in the air and 248 yards on the ground against the Hurricanes.  The weak prior, Cinci threw for 279 yards and ran for 167.  Nebraska aired it out and earned 309 yards passing and notched up 153 yards on the ground.  It seems like the Hokies have found something in McMillian at RB, and Isaiah Ford is the real deal at WR.  A lot depends on whether or not the Hokies can build on those players.  To have a shot Virginia Tech must take advantage of Miami’s defense and put points on the board, and arguably more important, keep Kaaya and Yearby off the field with sustained drives.  The N.C. State victory helped the Hokies iron out some personnel questions and invigorated their confidence.  The Hokies showed that they had the temerity to reconstitute even when they were down 10-0 against the Wolfpack.  This is going to be the hardest road game the Hokies face this season and the reasonable man in my head tells me that a victory over NCSU is not a fair assessment of VT’s ability against Miami.  My heart will always, always pick the Hokies, but this time the logical part of me says that VT cannot overcome the Hurricanes in Miami.  I hope that I am wrong, but I see Miami beating VT 35-10.

CJ Rooks(2-4)

I keep going back and forth on this game. Staring at each team and wondering who wants it more. Miami is coming off a heartbreaking loss to FSU where they took the lead late and could not hold on. I think the Hurricane players are still very upset. Virginia Tech on the other hand is probably feeling pretty good about themselves. Facing a 10-0 deficit at home to an inferior N.C. State team, the Hokies scored 21 unanswered and won the game easily. As cliche as it sounds, I believe that was a turning point for Frank Beamer and company. Add in the revenge factor and I like the Hokies to win. I didn't think so, but I guess things change. Hokies upset Hurricanes! 24-17. Start packing those bags Al.

Joe Roy-Stewart(2-4)

I would love to say that I know who is going to win this game, but that would be a lie.  I do know that Brad Kayaa has been the best quarterback in the ACC thus far and that his receivers have done a solid job of getting open.  I also know that Virginia Tech is playing a lot of talented but very inexperienced players in the defensive backfield and that can pose a real problem against a quality quarterback like Kayaa. For the Hokies, they are coming off a big time statement game against NCSU, where we saw them play the best game thus far this season.  If the Hokies didn't have an extra day to prepare or Miami hadn't come off of playing FSU and if they weren't awaiting Clemson next week, I'm not sure my pick would be the same.  But giving Coach Foster an extra day to prepare makes all the difference to me.  27-21 Hokies.

There you have it, Hokies! What say you?