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Gents:
Took Virginia Tech -15 1/2 tonight. Best of luck.
Mark
TheRealAnimal.com
[email protected]
Certainly a ton of points tonight but how does one possibly back North Carolina after last week's collapse against Florida State at home? The Tar Heels led 24-6 and FSU was on the brink of their 4th consecutive loss, which has never happened during the Bobby Bowden era. But in the end Christian Ponder would throw for a career-high 395 yards and three touchdowns leading to a 30-27 FSU win. I have to believe that loss should totally deflate UNC, now 0-3 in conference play. North Carolina figured to have a rough year. Five Tar Heels from a year ago on the starting offensive unit are now playing in the NFL. The offensive line is hobbled by injuries and depleted by unexptected departures. There are just no weapons for QB T.J. Yates to find. Last week as he was walking off the field he felt something ping off his helmut launched by a Tar Heel fan. Afterwards, he said "I guess its deserving in some way." Wow, when you justify your own fans throwing things at you, that is a quarterback playing with no confidence. Yates has no had a good season. Last year he led the ACC in pass efficiency. This year he's not in the top 10. In a road game this year at Georgia Tech, Yates completed 11-of-26 for 137 yards and two interceptions. The timing is not right tonight either with Virginia Tech coming off a loss as a favorite and having 12 days to dwell on it. UNC is 1-4 ATS in their last five road games with the one cover by 1/2-point at Duke last year. Since 2003 the Tar Heels are 9-25 SU on the road. They have been a double-digit underdog in 4/5 years versus Virginia Tech and are 0-5 SU, 2-3 ATS with the Hokies. Virginia Tech easily won and covered their last two home games crushing Boston College 48-14 and Miami 31-7. In those two games they out-rushed the Eagles and Hurricanes by a cumulative margin of 507-104. Earlier this season the Tar Heels had rushing disasters against Connecticut (35 yards), Georgia Tech (17 yards), and Virginia (39 yards). The UNC defense was decent earlier in the year against suspect offenses like The Citadel, Connecticut, East Carolina, and Virginia. But they yielded over 300 rushing yards to Georgia Tech and allowed a season-high 438 yards to the Seminoles, despite Florida State committing 16 penalties for 121 yards. Ponder was sacked just once in 40 attempts. We can assume a couple of things here. Virginia Tech always gets fired up for weeknight home games in Blacksburg in front of the ESPN cameras. The defense will be looking to make a statement after getting somewhat embarrassed, albeit versus a red-hot Georgia Tech offense. Special teams almost always go the way of the Hokies, especially against losing teams like UNC. Add those intangibles to Coach Beamer's 15-4 ATS record at home off a loss and facing an above. 500 opponent (UNC 4-3 overall). The Hokies are an incredible 14-3 SU and ATS on Thursday nights. That includes a PERFECT 7-0 ATS AS A DOUBLE-DIGIT CHALK! As if you need more, Virginia Tech is 4-1 ATS off a bye week the last five years. North Carolina is #114 out of 120 teams in total offense averaging just 289 yards a game. Tyrod Taylor leads the ACC in QB efficiency and keep your eye on Dyrell Roberts. He leads the country in kickoff returns averaging, get this, 40 yards per attempt! Should the Hokies get up early, this could turn out to be a laugher. UNC is dead last in the conference in passing efficiency averagaing just 5.82 yards per attempt. Virginia Tech is #1 in that category averaging 10.03 per pass. I really have to question UNC's mental state after blowing that 18-point lead to the Seminoles on ESPN last Thursday.
Took Virginia Tech -15 1/2 tonight. Best of luck.
Mark
TheRealAnimal.com
[email protected]
Certainly a ton of points tonight but how does one possibly back North Carolina after last week's collapse against Florida State at home? The Tar Heels led 24-6 and FSU was on the brink of their 4th consecutive loss, which has never happened during the Bobby Bowden era. But in the end Christian Ponder would throw for a career-high 395 yards and three touchdowns leading to a 30-27 FSU win. I have to believe that loss should totally deflate UNC, now 0-3 in conference play. North Carolina figured to have a rough year. Five Tar Heels from a year ago on the starting offensive unit are now playing in the NFL. The offensive line is hobbled by injuries and depleted by unexptected departures. There are just no weapons for QB T.J. Yates to find. Last week as he was walking off the field he felt something ping off his helmut launched by a Tar Heel fan. Afterwards, he said "I guess its deserving in some way." Wow, when you justify your own fans throwing things at you, that is a quarterback playing with no confidence. Yates has no had a good season. Last year he led the ACC in pass efficiency. This year he's not in the top 10. In a road game this year at Georgia Tech, Yates completed 11-of-26 for 137 yards and two interceptions. The timing is not right tonight either with Virginia Tech coming off a loss as a favorite and having 12 days to dwell on it. UNC is 1-4 ATS in their last five road games with the one cover by 1/2-point at Duke last year. Since 2003 the Tar Heels are 9-25 SU on the road. They have been a double-digit underdog in 4/5 years versus Virginia Tech and are 0-5 SU, 2-3 ATS with the Hokies. Virginia Tech easily won and covered their last two home games crushing Boston College 48-14 and Miami 31-7. In those two games they out-rushed the Eagles and Hurricanes by a cumulative margin of 507-104. Earlier this season the Tar Heels had rushing disasters against Connecticut (35 yards), Georgia Tech (17 yards), and Virginia (39 yards). The UNC defense was decent earlier in the year against suspect offenses like The Citadel, Connecticut, East Carolina, and Virginia. But they yielded over 300 rushing yards to Georgia Tech and allowed a season-high 438 yards to the Seminoles, despite Florida State committing 16 penalties for 121 yards. Ponder was sacked just once in 40 attempts. We can assume a couple of things here. Virginia Tech always gets fired up for weeknight home games in Blacksburg in front of the ESPN cameras. The defense will be looking to make a statement after getting somewhat embarrassed, albeit versus a red-hot Georgia Tech offense. Special teams almost always go the way of the Hokies, especially against losing teams like UNC. Add those intangibles to Coach Beamer's 15-4 ATS record at home off a loss and facing an above. 500 opponent (UNC 4-3 overall). The Hokies are an incredible 14-3 SU and ATS on Thursday nights. That includes a PERFECT 7-0 ATS AS A DOUBLE-DIGIT CHALK! As if you need more, Virginia Tech is 4-1 ATS off a bye week the last five years. North Carolina is #114 out of 120 teams in total offense averaging just 289 yards a game. Tyrod Taylor leads the ACC in QB efficiency and keep your eye on Dyrell Roberts. He leads the country in kickoff returns averaging, get this, 40 yards per attempt! Should the Hokies get up early, this could turn out to be a laugher. UNC is dead last in the conference in passing efficiency averagaing just 5.82 yards per attempt. Virginia Tech is #1 in that category averaging 10.03 per pass. I really have to question UNC's mental state after blowing that 18-point lead to the Seminoles on ESPN last Thursday.