Tudor's take
Bleak as the season has become, the Wolfpack (4-6, 1-5 ACC) won't phone it in, and since Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2) isn't likely to block the sun with passes, there's room to think State will be in position to make some fourth-quarter noise.
The problem is that Frank Beamer's club was caught napping at home by North Carolina and isn't going to close the season with a second straight loss in Blacksburg. Hokies, 27-17.
Observations
Special teams shine
Virginia Tech's special-teams play under coach Frank Beamer is nothing short of amazing.
The Hokies lead the ACC in net punting and kickoff returns, and they have the ACC's most accurate kicker in Matt Waldron, who's made 16 of 18 field-goal attempts.
A lot of coaches have tried to study why Virginia Tech is so good in the kicking game over the years, but nobody has duplicated the Hokies' success.
N.C. talent lifts Hokies
Beamer was excited when Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004 because he thought it would open up recruiting opportunities in North Carolina for the Hokies. Boy, was he right. Virginia Tech's receptions leader, wideout Jarrett Boykin, is from Butler High in Matthews. The Hokies' best defender against the run, Barquell Rivers, is from Wadesboro. Starting cornerback Stephan Virgil is from Rocky Mount, and backup tailback Josh Oglesby is from Garner. That's a lot of key players from a bordering state.
Player to watch
Barquell Rivers
Virginia Tech, SO., ILB, 6-0, 237
N.C. State's defense sure could have used Rivers, who's from Wadesboro. He has emerged as a force against the run in the middle of Virginia Tech's defense. Rivers leads the Hokies with 66 tackles against the run and has 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Overall, he ranks second on the team with 80 tackles.
By the numbers
NCSU | VT | |
32.6 | scoring | 29.7 |
30.9 | scoring def. | 16.6 |
136.1 | avg. rush yds. | 197.9 |
131.0 | opp. avg. rush yds. | 147.5 |
277.1 | avg. pass yds. | 180.0 |
214.7 | opp. avg. pass yds. | 157.2 |
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While there will be bonus time to draw up a game plan for Thursday's trip to Duke, the break also comes at a good time for C.J. Williams. 
N.C. State's 61-52 ACC victory against Georgia Tech on Thursday was built on the memories of what happened the last time the two teams played. 
N.C. State’s 61-52 ACC victory against Georgia Tech on Thursday was built on the memories of what happened the last time the Wolfpack and Yellow Jackets played. 
The Wolfpack cannot lose this game and still harbor serious hopes of earning an NCAA bid based on its regular-season resume. 
If it weren't for that little home stumble against Georgia Tech, N.C. State might be very much on track for the 11 ACC wins their coach - astutely - thinks it will take to make the NCAA tournament. 
The first sentence of the foreword to "Duke Sucks," a newly released book that's jammed full of disdain for the Blue Devils basketball program, offers the following Tar Heel blue assertion: "The best thing about hating Duke University is that you never have to explain yourself." Keep up with the latest sports stories with our free e-mail newsletters, delivered to your inbox!
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