Final Thoughts and Prediction
Checking in from the Dolphin Stadium press box with a list of things to watch for.
January 3, 2008
By Case Keefer
MIAMI — A grey sky is hovering over Dolphin Stadium, where the vibrant colors of the seats radiate because of their emptiness.
Only a handful of early bird television reporters and ZZ Top, the halftime performers, stagehands have found their way to the field. But outside the stadium in the 59 degrees weather, a sea of fans cloaked in either blue or maroon fill the tailgating area.
They’ve still got 40 minutes before the doors open. Then, this quiet oasis transforms into a piercing battleground. This is the site of the 74th annual FedEx Orange Bowl.
From the press box, I offer you these final feelings on the match up between Virginia Tech and Kansas and top it off with my prediction.
-Virginia Tech linebacker Vince Hall is going to be a game time decision. Hall sprained his knee on a jet ski during Virginia Tech’s beach party two days ago. This could be potentially devastating to the Hokie defense. Despite missing four games this season because of injury, Hall is still the team’s second leading tackler. He averages more than nine tackles per game. On a defense that mostly prides itself on speed, Hall’s scouting report reads the opposite. He’s a physical run-stuffer in the middle who intimidates opponents with his sheer strength. By the way Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer talked about Hall’s injury; I don’t expect him to play. Keep in mind that this is only a guess but Beamer’s tone didn’t sound too optimistic at the press conference yesterday. A Hokie defense without Hall would definitely benefit the Jayhawks.
-Along those lines, I think Kansas senior running back Brandon McAnderson may be the key to this game. Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing may struggle early because he’s never faced a secondary as strong as Virginia Tech’s. To put it into perspective, both of Virginia Tech’s cornerbacks, Brandon Flowers and Victor “Macho” Harris, are as good as Kansas’ own Aqib Talib. Kansas sophomore running back Jake Sharp only carried the ball seven times per game in the Jayhawks last three games. He may get it even less tonight because his quickness can be neutralized by the innate quickness of the Hokie defense. McAnderson, on the other hand, can ram up the middle like a bulldozer and try to get four or five yards per carry. Without Vince Hall on the field, that should come much easier for McAnderson.
-The one area where I think Kansas has an undeniable advantage is in the trenches defensively. Virginia Tech rushes for only 133 yards per game and that’s more of a reflection on the inefficiency of the offensive line than running backs Kenny Lewis, Jr., or Brandon Ore. Kansas senior defensive tackle James McClinton will have an advantage against Virginia Tech sophomore guard Sergio Render. In fact, McClinton will probably dominate Render.
-The Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech’s home, hasn’t won a BCS game in its last seven tries. The ACC is 2-5 this bowl season as opposed to the Big 12, which is 4-3. With all of the talk surrounding Kansas’ weak schedule, it certainly looks as if the Jayhawks came out of a tougher conference with only one loss. Not to downplay impressive Virginia Tech victories against Clemson and Boston College in the ACC Championship, but the Big 12 is the more competitive football conference this season.
-Kansas Key to the Game: Get pressure on Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon early. Kansas averages less than two sacks per game. That number must rise in Dolphin Stadium. If a team gets pressure on Glennon and hits him a couple times, he crumbles as evidenced in last year’s Chick-fil-A Bowl. If Glennon finds a rhythm, though, he can make defense’s pay.
-Virginia Tech Key to the Game: Make big plays on special teams. That objective seems simple enough because since 2000, no team in the nation has blocked more kicks or played more effective special teams than Beamer’s Hokies. These two teams are so evenly matched that one special teams touchdown could be the difference in the game. I have a feeling that if Virginia Tech can pull one off like they have time and time again, it will win.
PREDICTION: Kansas 20, Virginia Tech 16
(UPDATE: Asher Fusco's Orange Bowl prediction: Virginia Tech 17, Kansas 14
The Kansas players have spoke and acted with some sort of quiet confidence all week. From covering them all season, I just see some sort of minor difference. They all make facial expressions like a child whose trying to keep a secret. Even coach Mark Mangino addressed the media with a gentle swagger yesterday in his press conference. He smirked at times, answered questions with longer responses and played up the importance of this bowl game. From the Kansas side, I get the impression of ‘we know something, you don’t know’. From the Virginia Tech side, I get the impression of ‘we’ve been here before, we know how to handle this’. I prefer the subtle mystery from the Jayhawks.
Make sure to check Kansan.com after every quarter for live updates from the Orange Bowl.
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