Can Pirates steal a win from Hokies?

East Carolina is in the driver’s seat in the C-USA East Division and takes a brief pause to try for second straight upset of Virginia Tech on their home turf. The Pirates have been off since Oct. 27, after mauling Memphis 38-19 and likes the direction the offense has gone in being more productive. In East Carolina’s last two games, they have averaged 478 yards per outing, be it against far weaker competition than Virginia Tech.

Quarterback Patrick Pinkney is at his best when the Pirates (5-3, 3-4 ATS) have a lead or are within one score when trailing. Pinkney is a dissonant thrower of the football and a far better game manager than playing the role of Captain Comeback. East Carolina is 7-3 in last 10 games at Dody-Ficklen Stadium. (Couldn’t possibly make up that name)

Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-5 ATS) is in unfamiliar territory. It’s the first week of November and they have nothing to really play for other than improving overall record to save face and avoid 2003 campaign that finished with 8-5 record and Insight Bowl loss to California. Bookmaker.com has Hokies as 13-point favorites with total of 52, which is a dangerous number for a potentially unmotivated road fave. This is the first of two road games for Virginia Tech and they are 10-4 ATS as visiting favorites the last five seasons.

Virginia Tech assistant coaches are coming under fire in Blacksburg. Offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring has been in hot water for some time and has in own website (http://firebryanstinespring. com/). Hokies’ fans haven’t liked his conservative game plans and vent their frustration towards him. Even Bud Foster’s defensive prowess is being attacked in Hokies’ blogs, with defense being abused for 180 or more yards on the ground in half of Virginia Tech’s games. They are hard to comprehend 79th in the country against the rush and 3-8-1 ATS in non-conference encounters.

East Carolina’s best chance is to bottle Hokies running game (allowing 108 YPG) and make them throwing team. QB Tyrod Taylor has made great strides as a passer and Pirates secondary is not going to discourage any team from throwing against them (103rd), however as witnessed last Thursday, the junior signal caller is not polished when slinging from the pocket. Since knocking of Virginia Tech and West Virginia to start the 2008 season, East Carolina is 0-5 SU and ATS in most recent non-league matches.

Even with last week’s upset, Frank Beamer’s club is still 14-4 ATS on Thursday’s and 8-2 ATS in November.

Though the bigger goal is winning another C-USA title, it will be festive atmosphere in Greenville, with ECU looking to take down a vulnerable Hokies bunch. The Pirates are 8-1 ATS when catching 10.5 or more points and coach Skip Holtz will have them in a frenzy. East Carolina is 5-9 SU all-time against Virginia Tech and has covered only twice in last six meetings.

ESPN will provide the coverage at 7:45 Eastern, with the Hokies on 11-0 UNDER run on Thursday nights.

Sports Bettor makes Virginia Tech call

The calendar shows Virginia Tech on Thursday night, this can mean only one thing, time to make mucho dinero. (Sorry for Bob Griese reference) If you are a serious sports bettor like me, you know the Hokies are more golden than shakin’ down friends and family for old gold jewelry to profit from. (Frank) Beamer’s boys are 14-3 against the evil empire the last 11 years.

It’s understandable a few of you might be a little skitterish about laying 16.5 (at Bookmaker.com) on Virginia Tech, after watching them get plowed under for 309 yards by Georgia Tech and North Carolina stepping on Florida state for a cool 238 last week, not to worry friends, the ol Red-man will not steer you wrong.

How can I be so sure? Comparing the Yellow Jackets option offense to North Carolina’s running game is like comparing to Erin Andrews to Chastity Bono. GT is second in the country running the ball and the Tar Heels are 86th even after crossing the 200-yard barrier.

North Carolina players still have to be lower than my latest 401K update, blowing 24-6 third quarter lead near the Dean Dome last Thursday. The Tar Heels actually do have decent defensive talent and have held all teams not named Georgia Tech and Florida State to 17 points or less. I have to question how much they are going to want to play before a geeked Virginia Tech crowd, especially if the offense plays to norm, meaning 115th in FBS land. I like fishing as much as the next guy, but I’m not taking the bait UNC is for real, besides they are 1-7 ATS after gaining 200 or more yards rushing the pigskin.

Frank Beamer has had a few extra days to coach up his downtrodden team since being stung by Yellow Jackets. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster probably led the Hokies in tackles in practice since their last contest, showing his defensive guys it’s OK to tackle somebody REALLY HARD in practice and in games. Anything less than max effort from the defense would be a bigger shock than Andre Agassi's revelation. The Beamer’s are 12-6 ATS off a bye week and 7-2 against oddsmakers if opponent has positive record.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor doesn’t throw the ball like Jimmy Clausen, nonetheless is improving passer and has been sharp after so-so passing games. What I like about Beamer, he’ll having his team find out right away what kind mood and effort North Carolina is likely to provide, running the ball right at them, throwing deep balls and trying to scare the devil out of Heels chucker T.J. Yates, with continual blitzes. Reports out of Chapel Hill have Yates being chased out of Franklin Street establishments for making holes in the wall on errant dart throws, despite no oncoming pass rushers.

With North Carolina one of the six worst offenses in the country and already 0-5 (2-3 ATS) against Virginia Tech since they’ve joined the Atlantic Coast Conference five years ago, take the Hokies to start a fun-filled Halloween weekend 34-10 and cover convincingly.

Red Wydley wrote this ACC Thursday matchup.