1. It's really interesting to me that with UVA having its best (or second best) season in 25 years they still can't sell out. No matter how excited a few thousand Hoos are, that fanbase will never support its football program. It's really sad. UVA has been a fun team to watch this year. I know they've played the weakest schedule in the conference, but they look like a football team, they've had some exciting games, and they have something to play for... Yet, the support is underwhelming. 2. That being said, the UVA fans who do show up will be excited and anticipating a victory. As they should. This has not been a rivalry for 25 years, and even though UVA is having its best season in 25 years and VT is having its worst season in 25 years, the game should be a good one. 3. UVA is clearly the better, more talented team. No question. On paper, they should win by 14+ with ease. However, that offense has been sputtering as of late. Consistency has not been easy to come by the last few weeks. Kitchings has done an outstanding job with the play calling this season, so I do expect him, with a week off, to find the weaknesses (and there are many) in the VT D and work to take advantage. 4. The middle of the field will be WIDE OPEN for the Hoos because of the non-existent play of our LB group and because of the head scratching decision to roll incredibly unathletic DE's into coverage. The safeties are completely lost on almost all pass plays, so anything inside the hashes is money. Ask Carson Beck. 5. VT's opponents are scoring 93% of the time they reach the Red Zone, good for worst in the country... Additionally, VT hasn't forced a punt in 3 straight weeks. UVA will score points on most every possession. 6. If Monty will commit to it, we should be able to rack up 300+ yards on the ground with relative ease (Miami had nothing for our run game and that defensive front is in a different world than UVA's). I expect our RBs, and Drones, to do mostly what they want on the ground. However, as we've seen week after week, that will not necessarily result in points. It will only offer us the benefit of keeping the UVA offense off the field. 7. I do think we keep the game relatively close, with 10 points or so, until sometime in the 3rd quarter when our defense simply stops playing (there's been a whole lot of individual effort that doesn't scream "effort") and UVA takes advantage. While I'd like to think history means something in this rivalry, I don't think it will on Saturday. I could see this game going 28-13 in favor of the Hoos. As Hokies, it shouldn't really matter. VT has clearly leveled up and will prove to have one of the best coaches, along with his staff, in the ACC. We are already seeing the recruiting wins, and should see a complete roster rebuild before the Spring. I don't know what that will mean next season, but I do know teams like UVA and FSU are playing a dangerous game by completely building a roster in the portal. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. In just a few days, win or lose, we will all be able to turn the page on what has been a very bleak decade of VT football.