Duke University is far from being a national college football powerhouse, but they’re no longer a team you can take lightly either. #6 ranked Virginia Tech found that out on Saturday, and what they expected to be an easy afternoon became a tightly contested affair. Ultimately, the Hokies would survive for a 34-26 road victory. Virginia Tech improved their record to 4-1, while Duke dropped to 2-3 on the 2009 college football season.
Despite the straight up loss, Duke won where it counted as they rewarded sports players who bet on college football with the ATS victory as +17 home underdogs. Duke evened their mark at 2-2 in their lined games, while the Hokies dropped to 2-3 against the spread. The 60 combined points scored went well OVER the posted total of 48.
The Hokies were saved by the career day posted by their quarterback, Tyrod Taylor. Taylor threw for 327 yards on 17 of 22 passing and two touchdown passes with no interceptions. After the game, Taylor modestly downplayed his own impact on the outcome of the game:
„I know we have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. It’s just my job to get the ball to them.“
Venerable Tech coach Frank Beamer saw his team defeat Duke for the ninth straight time, but noted:
„I don’t think that’s the old Duke football team.
Blue Devils coach David Cuttcliffe said his team is reaching the point where moral victories don’t provide enough satisfaction:
„We got close enough in the fourth quarter to go beat a great team. Once you taste that, you like it. I wouldn’t say we spit it out — it wasn’t a choke — but we just didn’t finish.“
Despite getting the win, Hokies coach Beamer was critical of his teams performance:
„Too many penalties and too many long plays. We weren’t as sharp as we would like, but I don’t think it was lack of effort. Part of it was Duke, and part of it was us. … Sometimes I think you’ve just got to win some games that’s not real pretty on the road, and this is probably one of those.“
Still, he praised his team for doing what they needed to do to preserve the victory:
„When we needed to run the football, and we did, and got points, that was critical to this ball game. They were going to take the run away, so you’ve got to be able to throw the ball.“
Virginia Tech will host Boston College next Saturday before traveling to Atlanta the following weekend for a game against Georgia Tech. Theyll enjoy a bye week before a nationally televised Thursday night game at home against North Carolina on October 29th. Duke will play at North Carolina State next Saturday before a bye week.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on World Cup soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.