The Virginia Tech/Boston College rivalry has been cemented over an 18-8 record favoring the Hokies, an ACC Championship game and lots of Big East and ACC history. These teams are always fiercely competitive, and this season the #22 Eagles seem to have found an offense, led by Runningback AJ Dillon, and defended by a squad loaded with Seniors and Juniors. This one is tough to read. Which Hokie Team from which have of what game shows up? It’s anybody’s guess. One thing that we do know is that the Coastal Division is up for grabs. Pitt emphatically bludgeoned the Hoos in Hooville last night. The Panthers are suddenly bringing it and the Wahoos don't look so scary, anymore. Pitt has taken that title.

Bryan Manning

After last week, I just don’t know what to think about this team. Nothing would surprise me that’s for sure. I do believe the defense plays better, however, I also think AJ Dillon has a solid performance still. It comes down to if the Hokies can stop BC’s underrated passing game. Offensively, I think the Hokies move the football and do more to get the tight ends involved (finally). I think it’s close and I’m leaning toward the good guys. But, again, them losing by two scores would not surprise me either.

Hokies 27, BC 24

John Schneider

Tomorrow at 3:45 EDT Virginia Tech will either kick off or receive the ball in what will be the most important game of the entire season. The reality is that we are still in control of our own destiny. The ACC Coastal Division standings are knotted up at the top. It’s us and the Hoos, for now. This evening, the Hoos play the surging Pitt Panthers so you can never tell what’s going to happen in that one. Pitt stands about an even chance of beating UVA. The wiseguys see Pitt as a 7.5 point dog to the Hoos. So we’ll see about that one. The upset would really be a great thing, but not the point of this prediction. We are a 2 point underdog in our own house against a BC team that is largely our equal in many talent measurements but edges us out with better experience. BC has AJ Dillon. He’s averaging about 6 yards a touch, and has pretty much ablated Scot Loeffler’s lack of play calling flare. Dillon is pretty much all of BC’s offensive punch. That’s pretty considerable. Their passing game is competent, and their defense is workmanlike and experienced. Still, Virginia Tech does have a serious chance to win this. The question is, will the coaching staff pull out all of the stops to do it? That’s something that I have not seen on this team. I see a young, talented Hokie offense with loads of weapons and a quarterback who is not a step down from the original starter. I see a defense that is struggling, but seems to be able to stop a traditional running game 7/8ths of the time. With the right coaching and play calling this team is good enough to defeat Boston College. Unfortunately I see a coaching staff that does not trust its offense. The game plans and play calling are too rigid and inflexible. The coaches are looking to find fault, not maximize success and effort. That’s not a formula for winning much of anything. If the defense can get some significant stops on Dillon, and the offense can generate a drive a quarter for at touchdown, we have a chance to win. If we lose, it’s on a late game fade with BC running away. With that loss will come the realization that we are unlikely to win enough games to get a bowl bid, and and most likely won’t be keeping the Commonwealth Cup.

The score will either be 28-21 Hokies or 38-21 BC.

Joshua Schneider

We couldn’t stop a leaky nose with a tissue last week against Georgia Tech’s rushing attack and you think we can stop a Doak Walker running back in AJ Dillon? Please.

BC 35 VT 24.

Jawhar Ali

The Hokies’ trouble stopping the run over the last six quarters has been well documented, and it certainly won’t get any easier against AJ Dillon. This Tech team has its back against the wall, something Fuente has not encountered yet in Blacksburg so this is a big moment for the program to see how he responds to this type of adversity. The Hokies have played uninspired, lackadaisical football on both offense and defense so I don’t like their odds to win this game. That probably means they’re going to blow BC out. Gamblers, for your own sake, please stay away from this line.

VT 30-17

Jay Johnson

The key to winning this game is stopping A.J. Dillon. Boston College Anthony Brown started the season strong, but has since calmed down. The Hokies defense should sell out against Dillon and force the game into the hands of Brown. The Hokies need this one and I think they get it.

35-24, Hokies

That’s it. We will see starting at 3:45 for the kickoff. It’s homecoming and it should be good football weather. These are all must win games, and this one might actually set the entire tone for the last third of the season. Win we stay in it. Lose we are basically out.

GO HOKIES!!! Fire it up and win!