At that point, the Hokies was outgaining the Volunteers 193-6.But Virginia Tech fumbled the ball away on the second quarter’s first play, with Evans botching a handoff on a jet sweep, and Abernathy recovered at its 5.
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Sure, following the first quarter, Dobbs must’ve assumed Alabama’s defense was disguised in Virginia Tech’s “Hokie Stone” uniforms. The college football odds for the game have the Volunteers listed as a big favorite to pick up the win in this one. Then 450 truckloads of rock and manufactured sand weighing more than 10,600 tons built up the infield three-and-a-half feet, Jerry Caldwell, general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, tells PopMech.
“Just an unbelievable spectacle”.
Saturday is another chance for the Tennessee Vols and Virginia Tech Hokies football teams to start their engines after near misfires to open the 2016 season. Tennessee (2-0) responded by scoring 31 straight points, including 24 in the second period. Virginia Tech was the more physical team to start the game and had outgained the Vols 193 yards to 6 at one point in charging out to a 14-0 lead.
“They’re [Virginia Tech] just self-destructing tonight”, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said later in the broadcast. “In the first quarter, there was really no reason to panic”. “We’re going to look at it and come up with a plan”.
Quarterback Josh Dobbs threw a touchdown pass to Juaun Jennings on the very next play, putting the Vols within a touchdown, 14-7.
College football’s attendance record won’t just be broken tomorrow night when Virginia Tech meets Tennessee, it will be obliterated. Virginia Tech ended up losing five fumbles, and three of those turnovers resulted in Tennessee touchdowns. The 97th meeting marks the earliest in a football season this game has been played, but at least they’re playing after a two-year hiatus.
Tech (1-1) lost five fumbles, giving it a whopping nine in the first two games of coach Justin Fuente’s regime. All Arkansas kicker Cole Hedlund needed to do was make a 22-yard field goal.
McMillian paced the Hokies with 127 yards rushing and the score.
Tech found the end zone on back-to-back drives in the first quarter to give it a 14-0 edge before Tennessee stiffened on defense.
Now, which offense seems more like Tennessee’s: the 2014 Buckeyes who used a run-based spread and struggled to throw down the field, or the 2015 Buckeyes who had a collection of NFL-caliber receivers and a quarterback with a nuclear-powered right arm?
“And of course, the national championship game, just to be a part of it, even though we didn’t get to win”.
Beamer was honored on the field in the first quarter as they showed highlights of his 29-year Hokies coaching career on the almost 700-ton Colossus overhead scoreboard.
Burton and friend Tom Rebak were tailgating among other Virginia Tech fans. “I put this all on me”. The Vols still must improve their passing attack and gain consistency along the offensive line. The seats and coaches’ boxes are much farther away from the field here than at a typical football stadium. The facility will host a Football Championship Subdivision game between East Tennessee State and Western Carolina on September 17.
Tennessee players take the field before an NCAA.
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Virginia Tech: The Hokies host Boston College on Saturday in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Andrew Motuapuaka had a big game on defense for the Hokies, recording 15 tackles.
