Analyzing This Season's Virginia Tech Football Schedule For The Most Compelling Match-Ups

Should you look at the 2011 Virginia Tech football schedule, you will note quite a few common things but in addition some new things we haven’t observed in recent years. In 2011 your Hokies will have their regular ACC competitors both home and also on the road, including a couple of much talked about Thursday evening games. But what's absent which we’ve observed in the past few years is the high profile out-of-conference match-up that always arrives early in the season.

Recently, Virginia Tech has started the season having a much talked about out-of-conference match-up. This is usually a made for Television game that is against a premier challenger that's ranked, and also the game is hyped just about all throughout the off-season. Virginia Tech has played games such as this against USC, LSU, Alabama, and last year Boise State. While these games create great expectation for the season, and great determination for the team, there is a downside (well, at least for Virginia Tech) for the reason that Virginia Tech has lost most of them. This places them in an instant pit to begin the season.

We don’t know if this really is deliberate or not, however the This year's season doesn't have this kind of game. In fact, there is no compelling out-of-conference match-up on the schedule whatsoever. On the actual contrary, the actual Hokies start the season with Four OOC opponents from ‘mid-major’ conferences, including a games against East Carolina, Arkansas State, Marshall, and a Div I-AA team Appalachian State. Despite being I-AA, Appalachian State is a good program who has conpeted for several current national championships.

Following those 4 starting games, the Hokies enter ACC action full swing throughout the season. This year, Virginia Tech has home games against Clemson, Miami, Boston College, as well as North Carolina (UNC). They are on the road within the ACC against Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia Tech, as well as Virginia (UVa). A closer look reveals a few fascinating findings.

The Hokies clearly possess a favorable ACC schedule. Their most difficult competitors are all at home (Clemson, Miami, BC, and UNC). The lower opponents are on the road (Wake, Duke, as well as UVa). The ACC schedule lines up nicely for the Hokies in 2011.

Additionally, because of the Hokies are going to be busting in a brand new quarterback this year (Logan Thomas will take over for graduating Tyrod Taylor), getting 4 mid-major teams to open the season is certainly an advantage. This definitely gives the Hokies a chance to break in Thomas before hitting the harder ACC schedule.

Finally, while there is absolutely no large early season OOC match-up, there will be a few big Television games with regard to Virginia Tech this year. Particularly, the Hokies will play at Georgia Tech and at home against UNC in back to back Thursday evening games within November. Virginia Tech vs UNC football tickets will be probably the most difficult to get in 2011.

Looking for Virginia Tech vs Appalachian State tickets or even Virginia Tech vs Arkansas State tickets? You can find excellent ticket listings to these and other top Virginia Tech football matchups at VirginiaTechFan.com, as well as great deals on products and apparel.