We have come to Week 2 in our Ultimate ACC Road Trip, where each week we pretend we have all the power to decide where we're going to watch some football.
Another double-dip is in our future.
Week 2 schedule
Friday, Sept. 5
Pitt at Boston College
Saturday, Sept. 6
South Carolina State at Clemson
Duke at Troy
The Citadel at Florida State
Georgia Tech at Tulane
Murray State at Louisville
Florida A&M at Miami
San Diego State at North Carolina
Old Dominion at NC State
Richmond at Virginia
Virginia Tech at Ohio State
Gardner-Webb at Wake Forest
Our pick: Pitt at Boston College AND Virginia Tech at Ohio State
Why you should come along: Since money is no object in our dream road trip across the ACC, we decided to go with two games again. The last time I was in Chestnut Hill was in 2001, when Miami nearly lost its perfect season to Boston College, in a game that will forever be remembered for the Matt Walters/Ed Reed interception touchdown that saved the day. So I think it is high time I made a trip back.
BC and Pitt have not played since they were both in the Big East back in 2004, so there is some history between the two schools. Plus, I want to see whether Pitt is going to live up to the early prediction that it will be a sleeper team in the ACC. I also want to see how Steve Addazio does in Year 2, with a vastly different looking offense than he had on his bowl team a year ago. To me, this qualifies as a must-see game because it does have ACC implications so early in the season.
Then Saturday morning, an easy two-hour flight to Columbus, Ohio, would take us to see the national headliner on the schedule -- Virginia Tech at Ohio State. Nobody is giving Virginia Tech much of a chance in this game because the Hokies have been down recently, and Ohio State ran through the regular season unbeaten a year ago. Virginia Tech did not fare well against Alabama to open the 2013 season, but the Hokies gave the Tide all they could handle up front. If they had not made so many blunders, the game would have been closer.
The matchup between Braxton Miller and his receiving group against the Virginia Tech secondary is an intriguing one. The Hokies should have one of the better secondaries in the ACC, and Ohio State has some fast but unproven players at the position headed into the fall. Virginia Tech ranked No. 6 in the nation with 19 interceptions a year ago. Five players who combined for 16 of those interceptions are back this fall. So if the Hokies can make some opportunistic plays, they could give themselves a shot to stay in the game.
Road trips
