go eagles

[dukie8]

it looks like we may have an acc team in the bcs game. cha-ching for duke football...

[Channing]

the end of that game was ridiculous. Matt Ryan basically did what J-Wil did against UMD in 01 - had a miserable game, and then when it got to be crunch time, turned it on and made some fantastic plays (ok - not as dramatic as Jwil, but same idea)

[VaDukie]

Matt Ryan should write VT Defense a thank you note; he just won the Heisman.

[Troublemaker]

Whoa there, on both the BCS game and the Heisman. BC's next 4 games: FSU, at Maryland, at Clemson, Miami-Fla. Then, they have to win the ACC championship game.

All winnable games, but all losable games as well. I do think tonight was the single toughest test but there are more tough tests ahead.

Matt Ryan's a winner, though.

[dukemomLA]

Sort of rooting for B.C. because of the ACC connections and $$ to the ACC. Then again, my niece (godchild) graduated from Vt Tech not so long ago...

The end of the game was ridiculous. I guess VT deserved to lose. "Beamer Ball" needs some adjustment. Ya think? The old adage of VT Defense ain't what is used to be.

[dukie8]

Sort of rooting for B.C. because of the ACC connections and $$ to the ACC. Then again, my niece (godchild) graduated from Vt Tech not so long ago...

The end of the game was ridiculous. I guess VT deserved to lose. "Beamer Ball" needs some adjustment. Ya think? The old adage of VT Defense ain't what is used to be.

was that va tech's version of stall ball?

yes, bc's remaining schedule isn't easy but the same goes for all of the teams left in the bcs mix.

[Highlander]

Sort of rooting for B.C. because of the ACC connections and $$ to the ACC. Then again, my niece (godchild) graduated from Vt Tech not so long ago...

The end of the game was ridiculous. I guess VT deserved to lose. "Beamer Ball" needs some adjustment. Ya think? The old adage of VT Defense ain't what is used to be.

My thoughts:
1) Va Tech changed their defensive strategy and started going into a prevent defense. Ryan actually had time to throw for the first time all night and picked them apart. Poor job by the Hokies of not staying with what got you there.
2) BC's special teams were awesome. Eddie Royal was a non-factor, no punts were blocked, and their punter just flat out boomed it all night. Throw in the recovery of the onsides kick, and they out-Beamer Ball'd VT.

That being said, VT should have found a way to make one more play and win the game. I think the "Gone in 54 seconds" analogy is pretty fitting. Only difference here is that this game didn't go into overtime.

[rthomas]

That was one boring football game. Snoozer. I missed the end.

[Troublemaker]

My thoughts:
1) Va Tech changed their defensive strategy and started going into a prevent defense. Ryan actually had time to throw for the first time all night and picked them apart. Poor job by the Hokies of not staying with what got you there.
2) BC's special teams were awesome. Eddie Royal was a non-factor, no punts were blocked, and their punter just flat out boomed it all night. Throw in the recovery of the onsides kick, and they out-Beamer Ball'd VT.

That being said, VT should have found a way to make one more play and win the game. I think the "Gone in 54 seconds" analogy is pretty fitting. Only difference here is that this game didn't go into overtime.

That is exactly right. VT started to rush 3 and for the first time all night, BC's o-line could block them, and even when they couldn't, Matt Ryan can sidestep and scramble away from 3.

Given time, Ryan got into a rhythm and was able to throw his beautiful arcs again. Both TD passes were beauties.

[Olympic Fan]

I think last night's game did a heck of a lot more for Ryan's Heisman chances than it did for BC's chances of playing in the BCS title game.

For Ryan, the comeback is one of those defining moments -- like the field goal Spurrier kicked against Auburn or Flutie's Hail Mary -- that crystalize a close race. In a year when there is no clearcut Heisman favorite, I believe last night's heroics stamped Ryan as the frontrunner.

He still has to play well the rest of the way, but that doesn't mean he has to win out to win the Heisman. If he has a big offensive day in a loss, he'd still be okay. And besides, those last four games aren't as formidable as they look at first glance. Miami, FSU and Maryland are all VERY mediocre teams. Only at Clemson is really threatening.

Of course, that's the problem for BC and the BCS. Their schedule stinks. I haven't heard any postgame commentary yet, but I'll be shocked if I don't hear "experts" comparing LSU's demolition of VPI with BC's narrow win. To me, that's unfair -- teams play at different levels, week to week -- but there will also be strength of schedule issues -- and those are fair arguments. BC's overall schedule (and Ohio State's for that matter) is much, MUCH weaker than what LSU, Oklahoma and Florida are facing.

It's possible that LSU -- with one loss -- could jump unbeaten BC in the standings at some point.

We'll see ... keep in mind that both teams also have conference championship games that will come into play. BC could face Va Tech again (Virginia leads the division, but they've still got to play VPI, so the last game of the year could very well decide the division). LSU and Florida could meet in the SEC -- that would give the winner a real boost in the polls.

[throatybeard]

Rooting for BC because they represent the ACC is like, um, like watching Dukes of Hazzard because your really like Coy and Vance.

This hardly puts BC in the title game. Their conference schedule is totally back-loaded, with 4 conceivably losable games.

What I haven't been able to figure out is if UVA is for real. VT could get into the ACCCG if UVA falters and BC might have to deal with them again.

[throatybeard]

The end of the game was ridiculous. I guess VT deserved to lose. "Beamer Ball" needs some adjustment. Ya think? The old adage of VT Defense ain't what is used to be.

I don't think so. Their D was great for 56 minutes. Then they went into a soft prevent and boom. Stall ball indeed.

[Stray Gator]

Ryan looked pretty good...for two minutes, against an exhausted defense playing loose prevent. For the first 58 minutes, his performance was no better than the average backup for most SEC teams. His Heisman stock may go up because of that last two minutes and the shameless cheerleading of the ESPN announcing crew (including homeboy Doug Flutie), but I'm guessing his passing efficiency rating will drop even further based on the overall game performance.

There's still a lot of college football and many huge games to be played; but can anyone seriously dispute that so far the best player on a consistent basis against solid competition week-to-week has been Tim Tebow, who has not only lived up to, but surpassed, the enormous expectations? I've had the pleasure of watching every game this kid has played--in person for all home games at the Swamp, the SEC Championship Game, the BCS Championship Game, and many regular season away games (at LSU and at Kentucky, most recently). As an avid college football fan who has followed the sport since the days of Bud Wilkinson and Joe Bellino, I can honestly say I've never seen another player who comes closer to combining all the talents (strength, speed, running, passing) and personal attributes (fierce competitor with strong leadership, but also genuinely modest and respectful, with great team spirit and sportsmanship) you'd want in a football player. Unless he falters down the stretch, the only reason he won't win the Heisman is because of the reluctance of some to vote for a sophomore, and maybe a bit of regional bias.

[Troublemaker]

Love Tebow. He's everything you say, and he's like the Redick of CFB wrt the hatred he musters around the country.

About Matt Ryan, though, don't start to think that he's overrated or not worthy of the Heisman because he struggled for most of the game last night. First off, pass efficiency rating is not a good way to rate a QB, and even though Ryan's is really good, it won't be the best because he's surrounded by very little talent. He has scrappy receivers but they are nowhere near the talents that Fla's receivers are, and you saw what happened last night when BC's o-line came up against a good d-line. They were thrown around like rag dolls. Again, Tebow has a much, much better o-line in front of him as well.

Here's my take on Matt Ryan. He is better than Brohm, better than Woodson, MUCH better than Henne or any other senior QB. It will be a mistake when he slips to the bottom of the first round or into the second because he is the best QB in this draft and a future Pro Bowler. He has a huge brain in his head, great field vision, a strong arm, touch, charisma and leadership, and even though he doesn't have great wheels, he knows the Brady-esque tricks to slidestep and evade the rush.

I read an article recently about how the real reason Manning and Brady are so much better than any other NFL QB is because of their pre-snap reads. Matt Ryan is cut from the same mold because of his intelligence. Tom O'Brien has said that Ryan is easily the best QB he's ever coached, and the stable of QBs he's coached includes Pro-Bowler Matt Hasselbeck. So yes, Ryan struggled in the face of a ferocious pass rush last night that was on top of him virtually at the snap, but once VT allowed him to get into his rhythm by rushing only 3, Ryan cut right through that defense like warm butter. There are very few QBs that could've led both TD drives under such time pressure, on the road, against a well-lubricated, loud night crowd.

[VaDukie]

Ryan did not perform early because of inclement weather, or at least I think so.

[Stray Gator]

Love Tebow. He's everything you say, and he's like the Redick of CFB wrt the hatred he musters around the country.

About Matt Ryan, though, don't start to think that he's overrated or not worthy of the Heisman because he struggled for most of the game last night. First off, pass efficiency rating is not a good way to rate a QB, and even though Ryan's is really good, it won't be the best because he's surrounded by very little talent. He has scrappy receivers but they are nowhere near the talents that Fla's receivers are, and you saw what happened last night when BC's o-line came up against a good d-line. They were thrown around like rag dolls. Again, Tebow has a much, much better o-line in front of him as well.

Here's my take on Matt Ryan. He is better than Brohm, better than Woodson, MUCH better than Henne or any other senior QB. It will be a mistake when he slips to the bottom of the first round or into the second because he is the best QB in this draft and a future Pro Bowler. He has a huge brain in his head, great field vision, a strong arm, touch, charisma and leadership, and even though he doesn't have great wheels, he knows the Brady-esque tricks to slidestep and evade the rush.

I read an article recently about how the real reason Manning and Brady are so much better than any other NFL QB is because of their pre-snap reads. Matt Ryan is cut from the same mold because of his intelligence. Tom O'Brien has said that Ryan is easily the best QB he's ever coached, and the stable of QBs he's coached includes Pro-Bowler Matt Hasselbeck. So yes, Ryan struggled in the face of a ferocious pass rush last night that was on top of him virtually at the snap, but once VT allowed him to get into his rhythm by rushing only 3, Ryan cut right through that defense like warm butter. There are very few QBs that could've led both TD drives under such time pressure, on the road, against a well-lubricated, loud night crowd.

I don't disagree that Ryan is a very good pro prospect, with a great arm and fine cerebral skills for the game, or that he's at something of a disadvantage based on surrounding talent. But quite a few of his throws during the first three quarters were way off the mark, and not just because the receivers slipped. VT could very easily have had 4 picks instead of 2. The fact that he was plainly rattled by the rush--at least until VT started sending only 3, which allowed him to scramble--is a shortcoming. I would agree he is more deserving of individual awards than any other upperclass QB this season. But let's face it: Nobody's saying Superman wears Matt Ryan pajamas.

[throatybeard]

Ryan looked pretty good...for two minutes, against an exhausted defense playing loose prevent.

What Stray said, except call it 56.

That was some world-class, stall-ball, prevent out-wussing by VT.

[throatybeard]

There's still a lot of college football and many huge games to be played; but can anyone seriously dispute that so far the best player on a consistent basis against solid competition week-to-week has been Tim Tebow, who has not only lived up to, but surpassed, the enormous expectations?

Um, yeah, I'm gonna call you on homerism on this one, boss.

[Stray Gator]

Um, yeah, I'm gonna call you on homerism on this one, boss.

Okay, I can understand why you'd suspect bias in my assessment. But I'll "call you" back: Name the college football players you believe have--on a consistent basis against solid competition week-to-week--played better than Tebow. I'll give you Glenn Dorsey as one who has excelled every Saturday on the defensive side (though he unfortunately had to sit out much of the Auburn game because of a nasty chop block). Who else?

[captmojo]

Okay, I can understand why you'd suspect bias in my assessment. But I'll "call you" back: Name the college football players you believe have--on a consistent basis against solid competition week-to-week--played better than Tebow. I'll give you Glenn Dorsey as one who has excelled every Saturday on the defensive side (though he unfortunately had to sit out much of the Auburn game because of a nasty chop block). Who else?

The kid from South Florida. I know his competition level doesn't match up, but with this guy's instincts and abilities, I'd say he might be a higher draft pick.