Duke is first ACC opponent for Virginia Tech

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Posted 5:43AM on Friday, September 17, 2004

RALEIGH, N.C. - Virginia Tech takes the field for the first time in an Atlantic Coast Conference game Saturday, and the Hokies hardly could have a better opponent than Duke. The Blue Devils (0-2) had a 30-game losing streak in the league before beating Georgia Tech last year, and they haven't won the title since Steve Spurrier's last season in 1989. Still, Duke's players said the Hokies shouldn't expect a walkover in Blacksburg. ``I don't know if we're going to say, 'Welcome to the ACC. This is what you're in for,''' linebacker Malcolm Ruff said. ``But we're definitely going to give them a good game, play as hard as we can, and bring the game to them.'' After losing its opener to Southern Cal, Virginia Tech (1-1) pounded Western Michigan 63-0 last week. Bryan Randall threw for 253 yards and two TDs in the first of four straight home games for the Hokies, who are growing accustomed to being unranked. ``Everybody's excited, I think, by being under the radar and being able to come up and bite people,'' Randall said. ``We've been bitten in the past couple of years.'' Elsewhere in the ACC this week, Georgia Tech travels to North Carolina in the only other conference game, Maryland is at No. 7 West Virginia, No. 4 Miami hosts Louisiana Tech, Akron visits No. 12 Virginia, No. 9 Ohio State comes to North Carolina State, No. 8 Florida State plays UAB, Wake Forest hosts North Carolina A and Clemson is at Texas A Duke had chances to win both its first two games, but blew leads at Navy and Connecticut. Last week against the Huskies, Matt Brooks missed a 36-yard field goal with six seconds left in a 22-20 loss. The Blue Devils complete a difficult three-game road trip Saturday in the most hostile environment yet. ``There will be a bunch of people screaming against you,'' Duke coach Ted Roof said. ``That's good. If you're a competitor, you can relish that but at the same time, those people aren't going to tackle anyone.'' Roof last visited Lane Stadium in 2000 as an assistant with Georgia Tech, when the early-season BCA Classic was canceled by lightning and heavy rain. With the cancellation, Roof said he lost out on an extra month's pay. ``The ball was on the tee,'' Roof quipped. ``We were actually about three seconds away. We were begging the officials, 'Please blow the whistle so we can kick it off.''' At Raleigh, the Wolfpack (1-0) get another chance against the Buckeyes, who are making a rare non-conference road trip, their first since 2002. Last season, Ohio State won 44-38 in triple overtime at home, narrowly keeping T.A. McLendon out of the end zone on the final play of the game. That was part of an incredible run for the Buckeyes in close games; including last week's 24-21 victory over Marshall, they are 15-5 in games decided by a touchdown or less under coach Jim Tressel. ``We've had a lot of close games here, but that was one of the closest,'' Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk said. ``That's the only triple-overtime game I've ever played in. Everybody was tired on both sides of the ball. It was really fun to play in.'' Georgia Tech should have plenty of fun against the Tar Heels, who are allowing an average of 495 yards a game. They lost to Virginia 56-24 last week, while the Yellow Jackets were rallying for a 28-24 victory over Clemson. They scored three touchdowns in the final five minutes, including the game-winner with 11 seconds to go on an 11-yard pass from Reggie Ball to Calvin Johnson. Ball, the ACC rookie of the year in 2003, has completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for 452 yards, with six TDs and two interceptions. ``I think he's improved in two things one is his knowledge of what we are doing, and the other is the knowledge of what the other team is doing defensively,'' Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. ``I think once you have a better grasp of that, then you understand the game. You're not just executing plays, you are running an offense and that is a big difference.''