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Virginia Tech wide receiver Jarrett Boykin scores a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes. (Photo by Gary Cope)

Blacksburg, VA — The Boston College Eagles are on a roll. They’re 4-1 and coming off back-to-back home wins over Wake Forest and Florida State. They have a 25-year-old rookie quarterback who is getting better each week. The have beaten Virginia Tech the last three times the two teams have met in the regular season, although the Hokies have won two straight ACC championship games at the Eagles’ expense.

Tomorrow at noon, the Eagles will try to make it four straight regular season wins when they travel to Blacksburg to take on the 5th ranked Hokies. Tech is suddenly back in the national champtionship hunt after reeling off four straight wins including a dominating 31-7 win over then-No. 9 Miami on national TV and a dramatic 16-15 win over Nebraska.

Frank Beamer’s team is a heavy favorite to win on Saturday, but Hokie fans aren’t so sure. They remember the heartbreaking loss at home two years ago that dashed their hopes at a national championship. Sure, the ACC titles help make up for it, but the Hokies have lost eight ACC games in five seasons since joining the conferece; three of those losses are courtesy of the Eagles.

While the Eagles have played beyond expectations, they are still a very vulnerable team. Their four wins have come against Northeastern (54-0), Kent State (34-7), Wake Forest (27-24, OT) and Florida State (28-21). Northeastern and Kent State aren’t necessarily top level competition, though the Eagles did what they should have done – blow them out. BC’s one loss was on the road against Clemson in which the offense managed a total of 54 yards in a 26-7 defeat.

BC then blew fourth quarter leads against Wake and FSU, but pulled out wins in both games. Wake Forest is 3-2, but their wins are less than impressive: Stanford, Elon and N.C. State. Florida State is off to its worst start (2-3) since Bobby Bowden’s first year on the job. The Noles have lost to Miami, Wake and most recently, a terrible home loss to South Florida, who had a freshman quarterback.

While the first-year head coach Frank Spaziani has the Eagles are playing better than expected, they haven’t proven they can keep up with better competition. Clemson manhandled them on offense and BC’s defense broke down in horrific fashion against the Decons and the Noles. However, if they can pull it together on Saturday and shock the Hokies, the Eagles will certainly jump up in the polls and deservedly so.

Meanhwile, the Hokies have had an inconsistent-at-best season thus far. The offense struggled against Alabama and Nebraska early in the season, but woke up against Miami and then again against Duke.

Normally, you wouldn’t think putting up big numbers against Duke would be a big deal, but considering the Hokies’ quarterback Tyrod Taylor passed for 327 yards – the most in three seasons – and that a wide receiver, Jarrett Boykin, was the first Tech wide receiver to have more than 100 yards receiving in a game since Eddie Royal in 2007, it was certainly an impressive showing for a passing attack that has been dormant for two seasons.

Should the Hokies continue their offensive output as they have in the last two games, it could be a long day for the Eagles. The big question mark for the Hokies, and it almost sounds sacriligious to say, is their defense. Bud Foster has a young and inexperienced bunch and they have struggled at times this season, especially last week against Duke in which they gave up 26 points.

Rest assured the Hokies will come ready to play. They have lost three straight to the Eagles in the regular season and will not allow Boston College to sneak up on them this season.

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