Alabama vs. Virginia Tech Expert | Sports handicappers

Even with all the years with Vick at quarterback, the Hokies of Virginia Tech have begun a season ranked as high as the number seven spot this year. They should enjoy the taste of pre-season, because all that is likely to come to an end Saturday night in Atlanta, as Alabama returns to the Georgia Dome for the opening night, a building where they dismantled the Georgia Bulldogs in the opening weekend last season.

The Crimson Tide, ranked 5th in the country, come with a massive chip on his shoulder by a highly rated, a chip born of the humiliation of having the man in charge Utah in the Sugar Bowl last year, on the heels of the tide to deflate the eventual loss national champion Florida in the title game of the SEC.

For a team that lost its quarterback, Alabama does not have much to be terribly worried. After all, are won or lost games last year on the back of his defense ranked third, a team that returns eight holders and should be back at the top of the final rankings of the season.

better chance Alabama Tech is to keep hitting the ball in the throat, but GamePlan had a blow last month when RB Darren Evans stepped off the season with a torn ACL. Add to that the fact that from FB Kenny Jefferson will miss the first game with a suspension, announced that the burden runs redshirt freshman Sophomore Ryan Williams and Josh Oglesby.

The good news is the young star will lock in front of an offensive line that will also concerned with providing password protection for the QB Tyrode Taylor, who has been erratic at best his first two seasons in Blacksburg. Taylor has launched more annotations interceptions by completing less than 60 percent of his passes. No upper classmen in width to provide a sure thing when things are played, the Hokies will need Taylor's a quantum leap to maintain their high place in the standings.

As the tide, the Hokies will depend heavily on their defense. Alabama has proven who have serious problems placement of points last year, and that was with a quarterback high level. With QB Greg McElroy making his first start, the tide will to rely on a rebuilt offensive line and a quarter of the riders to wear a small team of Virginia Tech's John Parker Wilson spent much time on his back against Utah on that fateful defeat Sugar Bowl, McElroy and need more time to make decisions.

The tide dropped three owners of the line of the year past and that can ensure Frank Beemer and his aides have spent hours, if not weeks, thinking about how to prepare the disruption of blitz packages McElroy unproven.

Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster's life for this kind of moments. His defenses have ranked among the top six in the country six of the last eight years, and although technology has been in over a decade, a great victory against a team like Alabama, probably presage a massive season for the Hokies, could make Promote coaching candidates sexiest on earth end of the year. Of course, parenting can be a little too aggressive on defense, which will give young McElroy the opportunity to exploit the secondary blitzes and cheats with quick strikes in July Jones, one of the best wide receivers in the nation.

If the limits McElroy turnovers and Alabama massive, if somewhat unproven offensive line can win the battle in the trenches and time of possession, the tide must be just where they were at this time last season atop the polls and hungry to prove they are for real.

Must be a low scoring game, and Beemer legendary special teams can really change the situation, so to speak. But it's just hard to see Nick Saban Tide, coming off the end of mortification last year, did not get off to a strong start, especially playing in the South in a place where neautral who have experienced success in the past.

Forecast: Alabama 16, Virginia Tech 14

2009 College Football Picks for Week 3

Filed under: College football

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