“The one (snap) that was over the quarterback’s head was pretty bad”, Fuente said. I thought our kids for the most part played really, really hard.
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The uncertainty extends to the game itself.
Tennessee: After averaging just below 3 yards per carry in a season-opening 20-13 overtime victory over Appalachian State, the Vols regrouped this week and ran the ball as effectively as they did past year.
Tennessee’s overtime victory over Appalachian State in Week 1 marked UT’s 12th overtime win in school history – the most among FBS programs since the overtime rule was implemented during the 1995-96 bowl season. Virginia Tech’s dominant first-quarter performance showed the Hokies’ potential, but they can’t keep hurting themselves with turnovers and ill-timed penalties.
The only thing the players are sure of is that the unusual environment should create a memorable moment.
With over 150,000 fans expected to attend Saturday’s Battle at Bristol, it’s going to take quite a bit to serve everyone in attendance.
Michigan Stadium holds the record for largest attendance at an NCAA football game, with 115,109 watching the Wolverines play Notre Dame in 2013.
The Hokies enter the Battle at Bristol with plenty of momentum after last week’s win over Liberty. It was safe to say Virginia Tech put a lot of doubt in the minds of the Volunteers in the early going. “I can’t wait to get out there”.
The Vols look too good on paper to continue to play poorly, Butch Jones has to get his team ready to go in this one.
It would be nice for this to be a good game.
The Hokies and the Volunteers face off in a historic setting, with almost 150,000 people set to take in the action at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. And it will make for a major improvement over the last football game played at the Bristol Motor Speedway, back in 1961. The Virginia Tech Hokies came out firing on offense, scoring on their first two possessions and jumping out to a 14-point lead. “I don’t think (working) from the press box is going to be a problem”, Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said. With most of the fans also farther away from the field than they normally would be Kirkland wonders if that could lead to less crowd noise than usual.
One play later Josh Dobbs completed a 5-yard pass to Jauan Jennings for a touchdown.
But Tennessee reeled off 31 unanswered points, capitalizing on five Virginia Tech turnovers along the way, and turned the second half into its own victory lap.
The Vols won the toss, and then lost everything else in the first quarter. Lead singer Matthew Ramsey said his band is originally from Virginia, but now resides in Tennessee.
FUMBLING CONCERNS: Both teams must take better care of the ball.
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Indeed, the Hokies could afford missteps in their opener against Liberty – they lost four fumbles. The facility will host a Football Championship Subdivision game between East Tennessee State and Western Carolina on September 17.
