Tonight’s game Redemption on their mind
Embarrassing home defeat to Duke drove Hokies to raise level Cavs aim to recover from 62-17 loss in ACC title game to Lawrence, Tigers
Never has the glare of stadium lights or the intrusive eye of television cameras made Virginia cornerback Nick Grant feel quite so naked on an athletic field as he did in December in a 62-17 loss to Clemson for the ACC championship.
More than two months earlier in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech linebacker Alan Tisdale had a similar experience. All the humiliation of Virginia Tech’s 45-10 loss at home to Duke last season hasn’t escaped Tisdale’s memories, but like Grant and his Virginia teammates, Tisdale and Tech will have their chances today to redeem themselves.
“I feel like that was the first time a lot of us got truly embarrassed like that on national television, especially on a big stage in an ACC championship,” Grant said. “We understand now going into this season, no matter what … all roads lead to Clemson to win the ACC, so it ’s just another step we have to take to really attain one of our goals to be the best team we want to be.”
The redemption opportunities are not equal. Virginia has one of the ultimate challenges of trying to take down No. 1 Clemson (2-0, 1-0 ACC) on the road, while Tech travels to play a Duke program that’s winless in three games this season.
Though playing Duke (0-3, 0-3) won’t carry much luster to college football observers outside of the participants and their fans, Tech undoubtedly recalls how last year’s loss to the Blue Devils represented the Hokies’ worst defeat at home since 1974.
“I just remember it was a big embarrassment,” Tisdale said.
Virginia (1-0, 1-0) has never beaten a No. 1-ranked program in four tries — losing by 25 or more points in each game — and it hasn’t played No. 1 since 1999, when it lost 35-10 at home to Florida State.
Despite the outcome of last season’s conference title game in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.Va. coach Bronco Mendenhall is doing his best to keep this weekend’s game against a No. 1-ranked team led by a pair of Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne in perspective.
“I, after the initial planning, don’t really acknowledge the opponents,” said Mendenhall, whose team went on after the ACC championship game to lose 36-28 to Florida in the Orange Bowl. “I just try to give our team every chance to have success, regardless of who we play. This is a quality opponent, no question, and everyone knows that. So, now what
are we going to do? And how do we help our t e a m? T h a t ’s really where all my focus goes.
“Having earned the chance to play them in the ACC championship game last year, it just accelerated our program. It exposed deficiencies. … Without that game, and the outcome of that game and how it was played, we wouldn’t have been as effective or played the way we did versus Florida.”
While Virginia aims for an improbable upset after forcing seven turnovers in its 38-20 seasonopening win against Duke, Virginia Tech (1-0, 1-0) seeks to build off an opening-week performance that saw it run for 314 yards — its most in an ACC game since 2010 — and register six sacks in a 45-24 win against North Carolina State.
Tech was missing 23 players, including
U.Va. game
Virginia (1-0, 1-0 ACC) at No. 1 Clemson (2-0, 1-0) When: 8 p.m.
Where: Memorial Stadium; Clemson, South Carolina TV/Radio: ACC Network/850 AM, 96.5 FM. Line: Clemson by 28½ points
The buzz: As is usually the case when Clemson’s offense is clicking, the Tigers really hurt U.Va. through the air in last season’s ACC title game, completing five passes of 30-plus yards. With quarterback Trevor Lawrence back along with wide receiver Amari Rodgers, Clemson still has the chance to hurt Virginia deep, but the Cavaliers also must account for running back Travis Etienne (25 carries for 170 rushing yards this season). After displaying opportunistic tendencies against Duke, Virginia’s defense will have to continue to create short fields for its offense against Clemson. Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong was solid in his starting debut against Duke, completing 24 of 45 passes for 269 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 38-20 win, but he’ll have to be more efficient at Clemson. The pick: Clemson 41-10. q u a r t e r b a c k Hendo n Hooker and cornerback Jermaine Waller, and defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton, along with three other assistant coaches or coachingsupport members, in that win because of coronavirus testing results, injuries and other issues.
On Monday, Hokies coach Justin Fuente was optimistic Hooker would be ready to go at Duke, but Fuente wasn’t sure about the availability of Hamilton or Waller. After last year’s loss to the Blue Devils, Hooker got his first start the next week at Miami and went 6-2 as a starter the rest of the season.
“We were a different team for the better after that,” Fuente said of the loss to Duke. “We certainly know what happened and how it happened. … We have an opportunity now to see if we have improved.”
Tech game
Virginia Tech (1-0, 1-0 ACC) at Duke (0-3, 0-3) When: 4 p.m.
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium; Durham, North Carolina
TV/Radio: ACC Network/790 AM
The line: Virginia Tech by 12½
The buzz: Tech’s offensive line showed an edge in last week’s win against N.C. State that had been missing in previous seasons, but it’ll have to be just as sharp against Duke defensive ends Victor Dimukeje (four sacks this season), Drew Jordan and Chris Rumph. Chase Brice, a Clemson transfer, hasn’t been the answer thus far for Duke at quarterback (59 of 155 for 722 yards, two TDs and six INTs). He’ll face a fierce pass rush from defensive end Justus Reed (two sacks against N.C. State). Running back Khalil Herbert (six carries for 104 yards and a touchdown against N.C. State) had a strong Tech debut. Expect the Hokies to rely on him and incorporate more of running back Raheem Blackshear at Duke, while quarterbacks Braxton Burmeister and Quincy Patterson could share time if Hendon Hooker isn’t ready to roll.
The pick: Tech 31-21.