The Hokies travel to Tallahassee for a prime-time kickoff against the struggling FSU Seminoles. The game is probably closer than the spread, and the ‘Noles’ coach on the extreme hot seat but their baseline operation is way higher than our best effort.

The realistic way to look at the game on Saturday is that it’s one game closer to the end of the season. There could be a dream or two that the “struggling Seminoles” could be vulnerable to a complete Hokie performance, but dreams are often misleading and it’s often much better to expect the worst, and end up potentially being pleasantly surprised.

The team is already down in Florida; it’s a long haul for the equipment trucks so they brought the good stuff.

It looks like white hats, and maroon pants for the game. That’s a great combo.

PJ Prioleau has become a really critical player on Special Teams, and this week he gets to wear the Beamer Ball Jersey.

Coach Montgomery’s Presser

Here’s the X cut of Coach Montgomery’s press conference on Tuesday. The team is off a bye, and it’s always an issue. Hopefully there was a chance to heal up some of the dings and dents that come with late season football.

The Seminoles entered the year as a legit top-15 team. Many believed they would prove that last season was an outlier. Unfortunately for FSU, it’s been much of the same, and its coach, Mike Norvell, is on the hot seat. The question is, can the Noles find enough cash to fire him, hire a new staff, and buy a new roster? Oh well, that’s for them to figure out. We have a game tomorrow. I believe Florida State is more talented than Virginia Tech, but the Hokies play harder. Tech’s players have gone all-out for interim coach Philip Montgomery. I was not surprised FSU was a favorite. However, they were close to a two-touchdown favorite. I like the Hokies if I am betting that. It’s been a rough season for both teams. I think this game comes down to the wire, but Virginia Tech’s lack of a passing game proves too much to overcome as the Seminoles win a close game. FSU 27, Virginia Tech 23

Norvell might be on some sort of hot seat this season, last year FSU was dreadful. They had no quarterback, and their team just flat failed. This year, the ‘Noles have 4 losses, all those games were in a block of 4 that started off their ACC season on an impossible foot. They dropped games to the Hoos, the ‘Canes, Pitt, and Standford. Those 4 losses knocked them out of any rational contention to win the ACC, but it didn’t knock them out of bowl eligibility and at least a par season or a bit better. They currently stand at 4-5 with their only ACC win against a good Wake Forest team. They need two more wins to be bowl eligible and the next three teams that they face they will be favored to beat. That’s Tech, NC State, and the wrap their regular season against hapless Florida.

Norvell is trying to save his job or at least sweeten the pot for the next one. If he can squeak by with a 7-5 season and nab a decent winnable bowl bid, FSU’s firebirds might pipe down some, and he might save himself.

That means the Hokies are likely to see a fired-up home crowd and team doing their incessant “Tomahawk Chop Chant” and looking better, talent wise, as the struggle than anything that the Hokies can field.

The wiseguys don’t think Tech has much of a chance to do much of much. The spread is 14 and the O/U is 55.5. That equates to a long sad trip home for the Hokies and a guarantee that they go home for the holidays.

I think the flight back from Tallahassee is going to be very quiet, indeed.

The Polling Service is Unavailable So comment away.