Gobbler Country - 2013 Virginia Tech Football: UCLA Story StreamThe Gold Standard For Virginia Tech Athleticshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50377/gobbler-fav.png2013-12-31T08:00:10-05:00http://www.gobblercountry.com/rss/stream/50253292013-12-31T08:00:10-05:002013-12-31T08:00:10-05:00Hokies Try To Sweeten Season With Sun Bowl Victory
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59090805053711px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/virginia-tech-hokies" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; border: 0px; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Virginia Tech Hokies</a> (8-4) vs. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;">UCLA Bruins</a> (9-3)</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Time:</b> 2:10 p.m. EST<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Date: </b><span>Tues</span>day, Dec. 31, 2013<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Place: </b><span>El Paso</span>, Tx.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Stadium:</b> Sun Bowl</span><span> Stadium</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span>(</span><span>Cap: 51,500, Open: 1963, Field: AstroPlay</span><span>)</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">TV:</b><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"> </font><span>CBS</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Radio:</b><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"> </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hokiesports.com/radio/stations.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">VT IMG</a><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">, </font><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.siriusxm.com%2Fcollegefootballschedule%23&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobblercountry.com%2F2013%2F12%2F31%2F5259730%2Fvirginia-tech-hokies-football-ucla-bruins-2013-sun-bowl-game-thread" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">XM 91 (Internet 91)</a>,</b> <b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;"><a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.siriusxm.com%2Fcollegefootballschedule%23&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobblercountry.com%2F2013%2F12%2F31%2F5259730%2Fvirginia-tech-hokies-football-ucla-bruins-2013-sun-bowl-game-thread" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Sirius 91 (Internet 91)</a></b></font><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spread: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/virginia-tech-ucla-odds-december-31-2013" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;">Virginia Tech -7</a></b><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Weather: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/El+Paso+TX+USTX0413:1:US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;">High of 57, 0% Chance of Rain</a></b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.5; color: #292929; padding: 0px; border: 0px; width: 718px; overflow: auto; max-width: 100%; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span>Make sure to use the comments section of this thread for conversation during the game</span><font color="#292929" face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, Georgia, serif" size="2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>. </span><span>I'll try to run the</span></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/gobblercountry" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a> <span>account </span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/gobblercountry" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;">@GobblerCountry</a> </b>or <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/gobblercountry2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold;">@GobblerCountry2</a> in case of Twitter jail<span>. If not, one of the other staffers should pick it up. </span><span>Also remember to follow our writers </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LunchpailD" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">@LunchpailD</a><span>, </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/STH_Hokie" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">@STH_Hokie</a><span>, </span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/therichey" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">@therichey</a> <span></span><span>and</span><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TrevorSGreene" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">@TrevorSGreene</a><span>. LET'S GO...</span><font color="#292929" face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;"><span></span></font><span>HOKIES!</span></p>
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<div class="pane sports_data_widget events clearfix" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; background-color: #e7e7e7; padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 8px; margin: 1em auto; overflow: auto; border: 0px #999999; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;">
<div class="next_game" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<div class="pane-body" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-position: 0px 50%;">
<p id="paragraph3" class="game-title pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; color: #292929; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/virginia-tech-hokies#stories_tab" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-decoration: underline; background-color: #e7e7e7;">Virginia Tech Hokies</a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/boston-college-eagles" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></a>vs. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></p>
<p id="paragraph4" class="game-title pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; color: #292929; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/events/142155">Tuesday Dec. 31, 2013 2:10 PM EDT</a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/events/135841" target="_blank" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: start;"><font color="#666666" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Sun Bowl</font></a></p>
<div class="coverage" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<div class="entry" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 4px 10px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-position: 0px 50%;">
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/27/5249148/virginia-tech-football-hokies-ucla-bruins-2013-game-guide">2013 Virginia Tech Football: UCLA Game Guide</a></h5>
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h5>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="author"><span>posted by</span><span> </span></span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/chicagomaroon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">chicagomaroon</a><span> 4</span><span class="time"> days ago</span></p>
<p id="paragraph6" class="byline pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; font-size: 13px; color: #292929; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">1 comment</p>
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/29/5255278/virginia-tech-hokies-football-what-to-watch-vs-ucla-bruins-2013">2013 Virginia Tech Football: What To Watch Vs. UCLA</a></h5>
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h5>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="author">posted by </span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/chicagomaroon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">chicagomaroon</a> 2<span class="time"> days ago</span></p>
<p id="paragraph8" class="byline pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; font-size: 13px; color: #292929; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">1 comment</p>
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/30/5257388/virginia-tech-hokies-football-ucla-bruins-sun-bowl-q-a-bruins-nation">Q & A With Bruins Nation</a></h5>
<h5 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; background-color: transparent; color: #666666; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h5>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="author">posted by </span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/chicagomaroon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">chicagomaroon</a> 1<span class="time"> day ago</span></p>
<p id="paragraph10" class="byline pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; font-size: 13px; color: #292929; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">2 comments</p>
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<p id="paragraph11" class="foot clearfix pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.3em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0px; text-align: center; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; color: #292929; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-position: 0px 50%;"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/events/96195#stories_tab" target="_blank" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666;"></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/events/142155">COMPLETE COVERAGE ></a></p>
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<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.7em; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; width: 718px; overflow: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Around SB Nation</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.7em; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; width: 718px; overflow: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/12/30/5248354/sun-bowl-2013-preview-ucla-virginia-tech">Defensive Showdown</a> </b></b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/odds/2013/12/30/5241684/ucla-bruins-vs-virginia-tech-hokies-betting-odds-sun-bowl-preview-pick">Betting Odds</a> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/12/29/5251174/2013-sun-bowl-virginia-tech-ucla">Sun Bowl Roundup</a> </b></span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </b></span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/12/28/5251220/virginia-tech-sun-bowl-antone-exum-injury">Antone Exum Likely To Miss Sun Bowl</a> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/28/5250250/ucla-virginia-tech-sun-bowl-hokies-defensive-preview">Virginia Tech Defense</a> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| </b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013/12/22/5237142/beat-the-hokies-fei-preview">Beat The Hokies</a> </b></span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/30/5256146/ucla-pregame-guesses-sun-bowl-edition">Pregame Guesses</a> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| </b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013/12/29/5251648/sun-bowl-notes-ucla-bruins-jim-mora-virginia-tech-injuries">Mora Presser/Hokie Injuries</a> </b></span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/28/5250156/ucla-virginia-tech-sun-bowl-preview-winningest-coach-and-high-flyin">Virginia Tech Special Teams</a> </b></span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013/12/29/5253428/sun-bowl-oppo-notes-previewing-the-hokie-offense">Virginia Tech Offense</a> | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013/12/30/5258876/jim-mora-gives-love-to-va-tech-and-sun-bowl-committee/in/4986745">Mora Gives Love To Virginia Tech</a></b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/30/5256024/2013-sun-bowl-gobbler-country-virginia-tech-ucla-bruins">Q & A With Gobbler Country</a><a href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/9/17/4742048/virginia-tech-hokies-football-lose-backup-linebacker-devin-vandyke-for-year-to-acl-injury" target="_blank" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;"> </a></b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">| <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/">Bruins Nation</a> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">|</b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> </b><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #676767; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #676767; line-height: 1.6em;">CFB Coverage</a></b><span> </span><b style="line-height: 1.6em; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">| <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/events/142155">Virginia Tech Vs. UCLA</a> </b><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">|</b></span></p>
</div>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/31/5259730/virginia-tech-hokies-football-ucla-bruins-2013-sun-bowl-game-threadchicagomaroon2013-12-30T14:35:31-05:002013-12-30T14:35:31-05:00Better To Know An Opponent: UCLA
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XHgN4zy0JRsV0o0prtBvMljfj5g=/25x0:3974x2633/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25977157/20131130_sng_al2_118.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This week in our Q & A series, we welcome our friends from out Californy-way and SB Nation's UCLA Bruins blog, <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/" target="new">Bruins Nation</a>. Make sure to check out all the good stuff they do. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Patroclus" target="new">Tyler</a>, who goes by the moniker of Patroclus, joins us to answer our questions. In this Q & A session, we talk about Jim Mora's job at UCLA, Myles Jack and Paul makes his prediction for the game! You can also find my answers to his questions <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/30/5256024/2013-sun-bowl-gobbler-country-virginia-tech-ucla-bruins" target="new">here</a>. For perspective from a Bruin, simply read below.</p> <p id="paragraph0" class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">During the Q & A I refer to myself as GC (<a target="_blank" href="http://gobblercountry.com/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539;">GobblerCountry</a>) and </b><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Patroclus">Tyler</a> as </b><b>BN (</b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/" style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Bruins Nation</a><b>). You can also find my answers to his questions </b><a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/30/5256024/2013-sun-bowl-gobbler-country-virginia-tech-ucla-bruins" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a><b>. </b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Enjoy, and GO HOKIES!</b></p>
<p id="paragraph1" class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">GC: </b>First off, and I imagine I know the answer at least to some degree, but how happy are UCLA fans/alums with the job Jim Mora has done since his hiring? How do they feel about the future of the program with him at the helm?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>Along with many observers and members of the college football media, we were not fans of the process that led to Coach Mora's hiring 2 years ago, but he has continually done the right things on and off the field since coming to Westwood. Not every day and game has gone perfectly, but pretty much every Bruin I know is happy with the direction that Mora has the football program headed and the near-term future looks very good for us. With the returning talent on the team (and assuming <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38230/brett-hundley" class="sbn-auto-link">Brett Hundley</a> returns for his junior season), the team should be favorites or co-favorites for the conference title and in place to become nationally relevant for the first time in about 15 years next fall.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>Admittedly, living on the east coast, not many Hokie fans (including myself) have seen much of UCLA this year outside of the highlights. So generally speaking, how has the season gone for the Bruins? At face value, 9-3 and the shot at a 10-win year seems pretty good. Are UCLA fans happy with those prospects, or were there any missed opportunities along the way that really haunted them?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>Our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013/8/3/4585612/ucla-football-2013-expectation-jim-mora-second-year">base expectations for the team at Bruins Nation</a> coming into the season were 9 regular season wins and a victory over USC in the crosstown rivalry game, so by that measure the season has gone pretty well. But there were significant missed opportunities in each of our 3 losses that kept the Bruins from repeating as Pac-12 South champions and playing for a possible BCS bowl spot. The defeats at Oregon and Stanford were closer games than the final score indicated, particularly the game in Eugene, where we were tied at halftime and down just 7 early in the 4th quarter before the bottom fell out. The defacto Pac-12 South title game against ASU was a tale of 2 halves - the worst half of football I have seen under Mora in the 1st, and a furious comeback attempt that nearly worked in the 2nd.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>Are you/UCLA fans generally happy about the bowl pairing (going to the Sun Bowl, facing the Hokies, etc.). UCLA has one of the better offenses in the country with Brett Hundley at the helm. He has been pretty efficient passing the ball, but also leads the team in rushing yardage as well. How has he managed to rack up so many yards on the ground? On broken plays or mostly designed runs?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>In the big picture, Bruins and fans/alumni of other Pac-12 schools are not happy with the quality of the conference's bowl tie-ins. That is not a knock against El Paso or the work of the Sun Bowl organizers, but of the reality that our bowl tie-ins are a level below those of ACC/Big10/SEC teams when it comes to matchups, payouts and visibility. Once the Sun Bowl appeared as our likely destination, many of us were hoping to play Miami due to some <a target="_blank" href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/1998/12/05/ucla_miami/">unresolved history with the Hurricanes</a>. But putting that aside and given the conference's bowl options, we are fine with playing in the Sun Bowl and look forward to going up against the Hokies.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>UCLA has one of the better offenses in the country with Brett Hundley at the helm. He has been pretty efficient passing the ball, but also leads the team in rushing yardage as well. How has he managed to rack up so many yards on the ground? On broken plays or mostly designed runs?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>It is a mix of the two. Hundley certainly does get his share of designed runs, and the occasional option. But the real damage that he can do on the ground does come on broken plays, or at least plays where the rushers open up a lane and the defense have given him room to run. One problem with Brett and broken plays though is that he does not always recognize they are broken in time, or at least he waits too long trying to find a receiver and ends up getting sacked. The offensive line has improved over last season but is still a work in progress, with 2 and sometimes 3 (heavily recruited) true freshmen starting games this season along the all-conference/all-american Xavier Su'a-Filo.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>There is a lot of balance in the distribution of carries out of the backfield, including the second-leading scorer out of the backfield, linebacker/running back Myles Jack. Is that situation because no back is appreciably better than another or is it a three-headed monster by design?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>The spreading of carries has been a product of injuries more than anything else. UCLA entered the season with junior <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113870/jordon-james" class="sbn-auto-link">Jordon James</a> as the lead running back, who performed very well until suffering a dreaded high ankle sprain in the conference opener against Utah. He tried coming back (too soon) a couple weeks later, but an aggravation of the injury kept him out until his start in the regular season finale against USC. In the 4 full/2 partial games he played, he has run for 525 yards and 5 td's, and I expect him to get the bulk of the carries among our RB's tomorrow.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208081/myles-jack" class="sbn-auto-link">Myles Jack's</a> use in the backfield came about due to the ineffectiveness of our other RB's in James' absence; with Jordon back at full health, I expect Myles's usage on offense to be limited to a few plays in specific 3rd/4th and short situations, with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162626/paul-perkins" class="sbn-auto-link">Paul Perkins</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/77896/damien-thigpen" class="sbn-auto-link">Damien Thigpen</a> and maybe <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136311/steven-manfro" class="sbn-auto-link">Steven Manfro</a> rotating in to spell Jordon.</p>
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<p><b></b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>Defensively, the Bruins have been a little less sharp, but generally a decent unit, sitting inside the top half of all the standard defensive measurables except for rushing yards allowed. What kind of shape/form are they in headed into the bowl game, and do you think they're perhaps better than advertised given the offensive nature of the PAC-12?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>I do think the Bruin defense is better than where the numbers have them - they don't give up many big plays, but there is a tendency to allow teams to grind out long drives. Playing in the Pac-12 is part of that underestimation, but also the reality that the unit has a penalty problem (helping opponents sustain those long scoring drives), and that we have rarely put together a complete, strong 60-minute performance - outstanding partial-games against Arizona State, Nebraska, Oregon and Stanford were countered by lapses if not complete breakdowns earlier or later in those games, with the Huskers the only one of those teams we were able to pull out the W against. Really, our last game against USC might be the only time we have played at a consistently high level, which I suppose is a good way to head into a bowl game.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;">One concern will be the absence of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113876/eric-kendricks" class="sbn-auto-link">Eric Kendricks</a>, who is back home recovering from ankle surgery. Despite the well-deserved hype for fellow linebackers Anthony Barr and Myles Jack, a solid case can be made that Eric has been our defensive MVP over the last 2 years. He missed parts of the games at Oregon and Stanford - both teams successfully took advantage of his replacement, true freshman Issaco Savaiinaea, by running up the middle for large gains. At least this time, Issaco and the coaches have had time to prepare and practice with the 1st team D, but for a defense that isn't the strongest at stopping runs up the middle, something to keep an eye on during the game.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>If you're on the Bruins D, is there any one player(s) from the Hokies offense that bother or scare you?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>As you told us in the other side of this Q&A (which will be published this afternoon on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/">BN</a>), there is a very good football player lurking somewhere inside of Logan Thomas. Don't know if he will be able to put it together tomorrow, but Logan in 2011 form could be trouble for us.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>On the opposite side of the coin, who should the Hokies be concerned about stopping (and if the answer is Hundley, perhaps include a less obvious name as well)?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>Yes, Brett Hundley is the obvious name to throw out there on offense; while there is a pretty good collection of talented players throughout the Bruin skill positions, there aren't really any other guys that I see as real gamebreakers right now. I would keep an eye out on <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136303/devin-lucien" class="sbn-auto-link">Devin Lucien</a> though. Bruin fans have been waiting for him to break out the last two years, and in the final month of the regular season finally began putting his elite talent to work on the field. And look out for <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162625/ishmael-adams" class="sbn-auto-link">Ishmael Adams</a> on special teams. He became our primary kick returner two games ago, and in those games against Arizona State and USC went straight into beast mode - 8 kickoff returns at nearly 40-yards each, and a 49-yard punt return.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>GC: </b>If you had to make a prediction, what would it be? Who wins, by how much and why?</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b>BN: </b>I am not that big on predictions, but I'll go with UCLA 27, Virginia Tech 17. Adams' kick returns put the Bruin offense in favorable field position throughout the game - and breaks one deep inside Virginia Tech territory if not for a TD - the UCLA offense will do well, but the Tech defense will limit that damage. The Bruin defense will extend at least one Hokie drive with a 3rd down encroachment or defensive holding penalty leading to a score.</p>
<p><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Thanks again to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Patroclus">Tyler</a> f</b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">or joining us for the Q & A.</b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </b><b style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">You can also find my answers to his questions </b><b style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2013_sun_bowl_ucla_bruins_virginia_tech_hokies/2013/12/30/5256024/2013-sun-bowl-gobbler-country-virginia-tech-ucla-bruins" target="_blank">here</a>. </b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For all the news and coverage from a Bruin perspective, make sure to check out </b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/">Bruins Nation</a>. </b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For all the Hokie stuff you could ever want, don't move a muscle. YOU'RE ON IT here at </b><a style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/" target="_blank">Gobbler Country</a><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">.</b></p>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/30/5257388/virginia-tech-hokies-football-ucla-bruins-sun-bowl-q-a-bruins-nationchicagomaroon2013-12-29T21:47:55-05:002013-12-29T21:47:55-05:00Breaking Down UCLA By The Numbers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MHBlo3EHFFb0MkthOWQ-1k_uLyw=/0x141:4000x2808/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25934373/20131130_sng_al2_130.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph0"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; line-height: 18px;"><a style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/virginia-tech-hokies" class="sbn-auto-link">Virginia Tech Hokies</a> (8-4) vs. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins" target="_blank">UCLA Bruins</a> (9-3)</b></p>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Virginia Tech Offense vs. UCLA Defense</b></p>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="entry-body">
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">As I said in the <a href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/27/5249148/virginia-tech-football-hokies-ucla-bruins-2013-game-guide" target="_blank"><b>Game Guide</b></a>:</li>
<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 40px 1em 0.75em; border-left-width: 3px; border-left-color: #851539; padding: 0px 15px; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; background-color: transparent;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Defensively, UCLA primarily runs a 3-4 scheme.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Defensively, the Bruins are giving up 392.8 yards per game, good for No. 55 nationally. They also are tied for No. 37 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 24.1 points per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">In rushing defense, UCLA is No. 73 nationally, allowing 171.7 yards per game. Through the air, they've allowed 221.1 yards per game, good for a No. 45 ranking in the nation.</li>
</blockquote>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">After 12 games, the Hokies rank No. 99 in the nation in total offense with 359.1 yards per game</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Hokies rank No. 111 nationally in rushing with 117.8 yards on the ground per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Virginia Tech currently ranks No. 53 in the nation with 241.3 passing yards per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Hokies rank No.95 in the country in scoring offense with 23.4 points per game.</li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="entry-body">
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.5; font-size: 16px; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph2"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Virginia Tech Defense vs. UCLA Offense</b></p>
</div>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">As I said in the <a href="http://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/27/5249148/virginia-tech-football-hokies-ucla-bruins-2013-game-guide" target="_blank"><b>Game Guide</b></a>:</li>
<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 40px 1em 0.75em; border-left-width: 3px; border-left-color: #851539; padding: 0px 15px; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; background-color: transparent;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>The Bruins run a spread offense.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>The Bruins rank No. 37 nationally in total offense with 448.2 yards per game. They are also scoring 36.5 points per game, which ranks No. 23 nationally.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">UCLA ranks No. 44 in passing offense with 251.6 yards per game through the air.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins rank No. 37 nationally with 196.6 yards per game on the ground.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38230/brett-hundley">Brett Hundley</a> has passed for 2,845 yards with 22 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins are really running back by committee, and three players have rushed for 500 yards or more, including quarterback Brett Hundley (587 yards), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162626/paul-perkins">Paul Perkins</a> (570 yards) and <a style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113870/jordon-james" class="sbn-auto-link">Jordon James</a> (525 yards). Hundley leads with 9 touchdowns, followed by running back/linebacker <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208081/myles-jack">Myles Jack</a> with 7 and Perkins and James with 5 apiece.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins top receiver is Shaquelle Evans, who has 43 receptions for 617 yards and 8 touchdowns.</li>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px;"></ul>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px;"></ul>
</blockquote>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Hokies are ranked No. 7 in the nation in rushing defense, allowing 103.8 yards per game.<span> </span> </li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Virginia Tech ranks No. 3 in the nation in passing defense, allowing only 165.8 yards passing per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Hokies rank No. 4 nationally in total defense, allowing 269.8 yards per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Virginia Tech is ranked for No. 8 nationally in scoring defense, allowing 17.4 points per game.</li>
</ul>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 1.5; font-size: 16px; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph3"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Watch the Box Score</b></p>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Turnovers</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Virginia Tech rushing yardage</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Missed field goals</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Brett Hundley total yards</li>
</ul>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 1.5; font-size: 16px; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph4"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Virginia Tech Players to Watch</b></p>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">3 - Logan Thomas, r-Sr., QB</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">31 - <a style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/76673/brandon-facyson">Brandon Facyson</a>, Fr., CB <i style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; font-size: 12px; text-indent: 0px; font-weight: bold;">OR </i>11 - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/203113/kendall-fuller">Kendall Fuller</a>, Fr., CB</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><span>4 - <a style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/159684/j-c-coleman" class="sbn-auto-link">J.C. Coleman</a>, So., RB</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">58 - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114772/jack-tyler">Jack Tyler</a>, r-Sr., MLB</li>
</ul>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 1.5; font-size: 16px; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph5"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">UCLA Players to Watch</b></p>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">11 - Anthony Barr, Sr., LB</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">30 - Myles Jack, Fr., LB/RB</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">17 - Brett Hundley, r-So., QB</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">1 - Shaquelle Evans, r-Sr., WR</li>
</ul>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.5; font-size: 16px; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph6"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Final Score</b></p>
UCLA 17, Virginia Tech 10</div>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2013/12/29/5255278/virginia-tech-hokies-football-what-to-watch-vs-ucla-bruins-2013chicagomaroon2013-12-27T19:10:35-05:002013-12-27T19:10:35-05:00UCLA Primer: Hokies Ready For The Sun Bowl
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eOnFNuNI5SnFzmJiLUB7M7FzlAs=/0x6:4000x2673/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25813347/20131130_sng_al2_078.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="m-entry__body" id="article-body" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; margin: 25px 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;">
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59090805053711px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/virginia-tech-hokies" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; border: 0px; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Virginia Tech Hokies</a> (8-4) vs. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a> (9-3)</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em;"><span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Time:</b> 2:10 p.m. EDT<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Date: </b><span>Tues</span>day, Dec. 31, 2013<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Place: </b><span>El Paso</span>, Tx.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Stadium:</b> Sun Bowl</span><span> Stadium</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span>(</span><span>Cap: 51,500, Open: 1963, Field: AstroPlay</span><span>)</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">TV:</b><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"> </font><span>CBS</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Radio:</b><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"> </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hokiesports.com/radio/stations.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #84023c; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">VT IMG</a><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">, </font><font face="Mercury SSm A, Mercury SSm B, Georgia, serif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b><a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.siriusxm.com%2Fcollegefootballschedule%23&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobblercountry.com%2F2013%2F12%2F27%2F5249148%2Fvirginia-tech-football-hokies-ucla-bruins-2013-game-guide" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">XM 91 (Internet 91)</a>,</b> <b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold;"><a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.siriusxm.com%2Fcollegefootballschedule%23&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobblercountry.com%2F2013%2F12%2F27%2F5249148%2Fvirginia-tech-football-hokies-ucla-bruins-2013-game-guide" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Sirius 91 (Internet 91)</a></b></font><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spread: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/virginia-tech-ucla-odds-december-31-2013">Virginia Tech -7</a></b><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">Weather: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/El+Paso+TX+USTX0413:1:US">High of 59, 0% Chance of Rain</a></b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">UCLA: </b><span>In their last game against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/usc-trojans" class="sbn-auto-link">USC Trojans</a>, the Bruins triumphed against their arch-rivals 35-14. They got on the board first with a 3-yard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208081/myles-jack" class="sbn-auto-link">Myles Jack</a> run with a few minutes left in first quarter. They added to the lead with another touchdown on a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208089/eddie-vanderdoes" class="sbn-auto-link">Eddie Vanderdoes</a> 1-yard run minutes into the second quarter. The Trojans responded, cutting the lead in half on an 11-yard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136361/javorius-allen" class="sbn-auto-link">Javorius Allen</a> run with 6:55 left in the half. But the Bruins pushed the lead back to two scores on a 12-yard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38230/brett-hundley" class="sbn-auto-link">Brett Hundley</a> run five minutes into the third quarter. The Trojans, however, stood tough, scoring on their next drive on a 22-yard pass from Hundley to Xavier Gamble. But less than 3 minutes later, Hundley picked up his second rushing touchdown of the day from 5 yards out. Late in the fourth quarter, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162626/paul-perkins" class="sbn-auto-link">Paul Perkins</a> provided the final nail in the coffin on an 8-yard run with just minutes remaining to make the final score 35-14.</span></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="background-color: transparent; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">History Lesson: </b><span>The following information is all provided via Hokiesports.com. The Hokies have never played the Bruins in football. They are 0-3 all-time against current Pac-12 teams and 0-3 against teams from the state of California. They are, however, 3-6 all-time in the state of Texas. Tech is 0-1 all-time in the Sun Bowl, losing to Cincinnati 18-6 in 1947, their first ever bowl game, but played it at Kidd Field, the adjacent stadium to Sun Bowl Stadium. They are 5-4 all-time in games played on Tuesdays and 5-1 on New Year's Eve all-time.</span><span> (18-3 against Coastal Division opponents at home) (rankings data dates back to 1950, the earliest year of Hokiesports' poll of choice, the Coaches' Poll).</span><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"></b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What to Expect</b></p>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>The Bruins run a spread offense.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>Defensively, UCLA primarily runs a 3-4 scheme.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span>The Bruins rank No. 37 nationally in total offense with 448.2 yards per game. They are also scoring 36.5 points per game, which ranks No. 23 nationally.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">UCLA ranks No. 44 in passing offense with 251.6 yards per game through the air.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins rank No. 37 nationally with 196.6 yards per game on the ground.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Defensively, the Bruins are giving up 392.8 yards per game, good for No. 55 nationally. They also are tied for No. 37 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 24.1 points per game.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">In rushing defense, UCLA is No. 73 nationally, allowing 171.7 yards per game. Through the air, they've allowed 221.1 yards per game, good for a No. 45 ranking in the nation.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Brett Hundley has passed for 2,845 yards with 22 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins are really running back by committee, and three players have rushed for 500 yards or more, including quarterback Brett Hundley (587 yards), Paul Perkins (570 yards) and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113870/jordon-james" class="sbn-auto-link">Jordon James</a> (525 yards). Hundley leads with 9 touchdowns, followed by running back/linebacker Myles Jack with 7 and Perkins and James with 5 apiece.</li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Bruins top receiver is Shaquelle Evans, who has 43 receptions for 617 yards and 8 touchdowns.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;"></ul>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hokies Win If: </b><span>They don't turn the ball over, run the football and .</span></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bruins Win If: </b><span>UCLA stops Tech's running game in its tracks, forces Logan Thomas to make bad throws and the Hokies let </span><span>Brett Hundley beat them.</span></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Dot-dot-dots:</b> The triple-overtime win over Marshall was win No. 700 for the program. The Hokies are one of only 15 teams in the FBS to have that many wins. Frank Beamer is in sixth place all-time in wins among FBS coaches with 266. He needs 33 more to pass Joe Paterno, who now stands at 298 wins after 111 wins were vacated from Paterno's record. Individually, Logan Thomas is now the all-time leading-passer in Virginia Tech history in passing attempts (1,237), completions (690) and career passing yardage (8,957 yards). Thomas became the all-time leader in passing yards in Virginia Tech history against North Carolina, passing <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/5561/tyrod-taylor" class="sbn-auto-link" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #851539; font-weight: bold; background-color: #ffffff;">Tyrod Taylor</a>. In the win over Georgia Tech, Thomas moved into a tie for second place all-time at Virginia Tech in wins for a quarterback with 26 in the win over Virginia. He needs one more wins to move into sole possession of second place all-time and pass Bryan Randall with 27 wins. Thomas is also now the all-time leader in total yardage in Tech history after passing Tyrod Taylor in the loss to Boston College, and stands at 10,267 yards. He is the school's first 10,000-yard player in total offense. In the loss to Duke, Thomas also moved passed Tyrod Taylor for first place all-time in rushing touchdowns among Virginia Tech quarterbacks, with 24. In the win over Miami, Thomas also moved into sole possession of the passing touchdown record at Virginia Tech with 50, passing Bryan Randall whom he had previously been tied for with 48. He now has 53. Thomas is also fourth all-time in rushing yards among Virginia Tech quarterbacks with 1,310, 216 yards behind Bryan Randall for third all-time. Against Virginia, Thomas passed Randall for the all-time consecutive starts record for a quarterback at Virginia Tech with 39. With 3 receptions against UCLA, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/159664/joshua-stanford" class="sbn-auto-link">Joshua Stanford</a> will have 40 receptions for the season, the third Hokie with 40 receptions on the team, the first time that will have happened in Virginia Tech history. The Hokies are 5-1 all-time on December 31.</p>
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