Throwdowns > Closed

Bigalke said 12/05, 05:49 PM
Virginia Tech has come into full stride down the final stretch of the regular season, rebounding from its defeat at home against then-#2 Boston College to vault into its own #3 position in the BCS. On paper, the Hokies have superior talent to the Jayhawks. But this is precisely why they play the games...

And, while the Virginia Tech campus and fan base have their own motivations and emotions heading into this game, Mark Mangino certainly has some motivation of his own to drill into his squad. Remember, Kansas was en route to the national championship itself before losing the Armageddon @ Arrowhead Border War matchup to #4 Missouri and giving its biggest rival the shotgun position for its own title bid. Now, with Missouri the loser of another against Oklahoma and crying jilted cries as it heads to the Cotton Bowl, Kansas is being overlooked as the afterthought it has been for most of its history.

While Frank Beamer has done a masterful job rallying his Hokie team to rejuvenate a crestfallen Blacksburg community, it seems premature to underestimate the potential of Mark Mangino in this excellent coaches' duel and the arm and heart of Todd Reesing to leave college a victor.

Bigalke said 12/06, 07:51 PM
This is going to be a tight contest. Virginia Tech lost to two teams ranked #2 at the time they played. Kansas lost once to a #4 squad. Each team has faced tough in-conference competition. But whereas Virginia Tech was expected to be in contention when the season started, Kansas has the benefit of coming out of nowhere and being taken for granted.

Beamer will certainly have his team as prepared as possible for this game, knowing that the Flying Manginos will come in with chips on their shoulders. Remember, most everyone is declaring that Missouri should be here, not the Jayhawks. For a team who had all the pundits suddenly on their side only weeks ago, this will be strong motivation.

Both teams have proven adept at playing defense when it matters. Both schools have put up offense in droves at times. They each know how to win in blowouts and in tight contests. Certainly, Virginia Tech looks better on paper; but they don't play the games on paper, and a team flying under the radar and free of expectation can and have come out of nowhere to pull off the upset. If this season has taught us nothing else, it should be to never underestimate any squad.

Bigalke said 12/08, 10:04 AM
I don't know what has happened to my opponent here... I don't know if he is conceding the argument, or simply confident in his chances with just his first one-line post to guide him. Regardless, hope you are doing okay RIP...

Now to the argument. It is simple to assert that Virginia Tech is better than Kansas on paper. The depth charts all point toward the Hokies having better overall talent. But, remember, Virginia Tech has one MORE loss than this out-of-nowhere Jayhawks squad. When faced by comparable competition, Virginia Tech lost to two then-#2 teams: it blew a lead AT HOME to Boston College and lost HUGE at LSU. By contrast, Kansas' one loss, to then-#4 Missouri, came by eight points in a forfeited home game played on the neutral turf of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

They actually play these bowl games for a reason. Better talent does not always win the game... hopefully, if nothing else, this season of insanity has taught that much. Virginia Tech has proven mortal several times this season, and Kansas will come in prepared to exploit the weaknesses which led to those losses. This game should be more of a thriller than the pundits have come to expect...