CFB
Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs Virginia Teck Hokies
Written
By David Hess (Follow me on Twitter @DavidHess311)
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, September, 7, 2015
Where: Lane Stadium in Blacksburgh, West Virginia
Televised: ESPN
Where: Lane Stadium in Blacksburgh, West Virginia
Televised: ESPN
Odds:
The line
for the game opened with Ohio State as 14 point favorites and that has held so
far, while the OU Line has been bet down slightly to 52.5, from the opening of
54.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are
the reigning National Champs and have been made the favorites to repeat this
year. The team is loaded for sure, especially at QB, where they have 3 guys
that would start on most teams in America. Braxton Miller did take himself out
of the running for the QB job, by moving to WR. That move just makes this team
so much more dangerous on offense as there are so many things they can do with
him at WR. As of this writing it is still unclear who will pilot the team, (Barrett
or Jones). Heck both may play. Ezekiel Elliot is back at RB after rushing for 1878
yards last year and 18 TDs last year, while the Buckeyes also have 6 of the top
7 pass catchers back as well. They will all line up behind one of the best OLs
in the Nation. The defense for this team looks very strong as they have 7
starters back from last year, but their is also great depth on this side of the
ball. The DL rates as 3rd best in the land, while the LB Corps rates as 2nd best and the secondary rates as 3rd best in the nation. Offense and defense,
plus solid special teams. This team has it all.
The Virginia Tech Hokies may just be a sleeper team in the
ACC as far as making it to the playoffs after going just 7-6 overall and 3-5 in
ACC play last year. For this team it all starts with a defense that will be one
of the better ones that Beamer has had at Va Tech. They have 8 starters and 27
lettermen back on this side of the ball, from a group that allowed just 20.2
ppg last year. 9 of their top 12 tacklers are back and they have added the 11th
best defensive lineman in the nation in Tim Settle as well, along with the 50th
best DB and two more linemen that ranked 63rd and 71st. This will be a deep and
scary defense this year. The offense does need to compliment the defense a bit
more after averaging just 24.1 ppg last year. Michael Brewer should be ready
for a big year, while the running game has its top 8 ball carriers back from
last year and the WR corps has it top 3 back as well. The weakness on the
offense is the line, which has just 2 starters back and rates as 10th best in
the league.
With their defense many are expecting the Hokies to give
the Buckeyes a run for their money in this one, especially since they have the
game at home in a nationally televised game. That stadium will be rocking, but
I have a feeling that Ohio State wants some payback from last year’s loss, which
nearly kept them out of the playoffs. The Buckeyes have a huge edge on offense
and a slight edge on defense and I just don’t expect the Hokies to score enough
points to keep this one close. I look for the Buckeyes to win this one by at
least 17 points.
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