Virginia Tech fans are making the most of their team's appearance in the title game. |
How might all this impact the game? I don't think it will bother the 'Noles at all. If they can overcome the eardrum-rattling bedlam of the Swamp, the Hokie hollering won't faze them. However, having the crowd behind them could make the Tech players more comfortable with the whole unfamiliar national title game circus.
Tech has an unparalleled penchant for creating a quick landslide, burying opponents with big plays (mostly on defense and special teams). They've done this mostly at home, and if the raucous crowd makes them feel at home, it could help. It certainly helped underdog Alabama crush Miami here in the '93 Sugar Bowl and didn't hurt the Gators' chances against FSU three years ago. Of course, it can also have zero impact. The Buckeye majority was quickly silenced by FSU's defensive dominance here two seasons ago. The Hokies need to make good things happen to utilize this edge. Hokies seem fresh; Seminoles confidentOften, teams look real loose until they come out for warmups for the title game.
FSU's guys maintain that they played tight last year against Tennessee, largely because they were unsure about the readiness of inexperienced emergency starting quarterback Marcus Outzen. They certainly played tight, and soon began pointing fingers in the offensive huddle when things broke down. Peter Warrick spent a good bit of the game pouting about not being able to get the football. The skill players and offensive linemen got after each other, which was disastrous.That will not happen this time. Not with "old man" Chris Weinke leading them. He'll have command of the huddle, and besides, this year's FSU team is, I'm told, much more cohesive than last year's. The Seminoles have preached their hunger ... their confidence ... their readiness. Now it's time to show it.
The quarterbacksI don't think Vick will wilt under the heat of the 'Noles' defense, which will try to intimidate him just the same way the Tech defense would go after a freshman QB: by jawing at him and hitting him as often as possible, even if it means surrendering a play or two ... or a 15-yard personal foul, for that matter.
Keys2) Tech must run. As I said before, this is a run-oriented team that succeeds throwing mainly as a surprise tactic against defenses stacked for ground support. Making the 'Noles defend the width of the field, and stretching them deep with Andre Davis is key.
3) Davis must get off the line of scrimmage jams of the FSU corners. Not having split end Ricky Hall will hurt. Tech's depth at wide receiver is not that good. Hall's absence as a punt returner is even more important. He broke open the Miami game with his touchdown return and had one called back against Syracuse.
4) Depth. FSU uses far more players. Tech uses as few players as any team that's played in a title game since, perhaps, single-platoon football. Title games are long, drawn-out affairs that seem to take forever, and when you add the "dome factor" which seems to sap energy more than an outdoor stadium, it could be a factor. The 'Noles tell me that depth and conditioning are the reasons why they are so dominant in the second half. This is a truly amazing stat: In the last four games, opponents have converted exactly one third-down play against FSU in the second half! Out of 28 attempts. I've never heard of a third-down stat like that in my life.
And the winner is ...
Normally, I leave the predictions to Corso and Herbstreit. But since I have an almost perfect record picking the ten "national title" games I've covered, I'll give it a shot.
FSU wins. The Seminoles' X-factor (Warrick) is a senior who could not possibly be more motivated than he is after two failures in title games, a career without scoring a TD in a bowl game, and snubbings from the Heisman and Belitnikoff voters. Depth and Warrick win out, in a close, low-scoring game.
Hope you'll join us Tuesday night from the floor of the dome for our pregame coverage before ABC takes over. That's it. I'm off to Bourbon Street again.
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