Tweet

Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2 ACC) will return home after a hard-fought win at Miami last Saturday to host the University of Maryland (5-4, 1-4 ACC) Saturday at Lane Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network. Tim Brant, Dave Archer and Rachel Baribeau will have the call on the air.

The Series
• Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland will be meeting for the 31st time in a football series that dates back to 1919 with the series tied 15-15.
• Tech won seven of the first 10 meetings between the two schools. The Hokies have managed just eight victories in the last 20 matchups, but have won the last five, including a 36-9 win in 2009, the last time the two schools met.
• The two teams have met just six times since 1950.
• Tech snapped a six-game Maryland winning streak in the series by posting a 55-28 victory in 1993 at Blacksburg.
• The last time these two met in Blacksburg, Darren Evans ran for a school-record 253 yards as the Hokies won 23-13 in an ESPN Thursday night contest on Nov. 6, 2008.
• Maryland’s last win in the series was a 20-13 decision at College Park during the 1990 season.
• From 1921 through 1936, 13 of the 16 games in the series were played at neutral sites.

What’s At Stake
• If Virginia Tech can win its last two games, it has a shot to win the Coastal Division for the sixth time in nine years. The Hokies would win almost every tiebreaker except a head-to-head with Duke). If Virginia Tech wins its final regular-season tests against Maryland and Virginia, the only way the Hokies won’t advance to Charlotte is if Clemson defeats Georgia Tech on Thursday, and Duke defeats Miami, Wake Forest and North Carolina.
• Per David Teel, “if Virginia Tech and Duke both win out, and Georgia Tech upsets Clemson, creating a three-way tie at 6-2, the Hokies go to Charlotte based on better divisional record (5-1 trumps 4-2). Virginia Tech, Miami and Georgia Tech could tie at 6-2, or 5-3 for that matter. The Hokies’ victories over the Hurricanes and Yellow Jackets would prevail there. If Virginia Tech stumbles against either Maryland or Virginia, the Hokies still could back-door their way into the championship game. For example, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Duke, Miami and the Pittsburgh-North Carolina winner could tie at 5-3. The Hokies would advance based on their 3-1 record against the group. One tiebreaker Virginia Tech would lose: a four-team scrum with Duke, Miami and Georgia Tech. The Hokies and Devils would be 2-1 against the group, the Hurricanes and Jackets 1-2. Duke would emerge, again on the strength of beating Virginia Tech.”
• A win by Maryland would make the Terps bowl eligible.

Strong In The ACC and In November
• Virginia Tech is an impressive 61-17 in ACC games since joining the league in 2004 … The Hokies are 22-11 against ACC Atlantic Division teams and 31-8 in ACC home games … Tech is also 12-6 in ACC home games against Atlantic Division opponents … The Hokies have posted a 30-5 record in the month of November (28-5 in ACC games) since 2004.

Senior Day
• Fourteen seniors will be honored before Saturday’s game: D.J. Coles, J.R. Collins, Tariq Edwards, Antone Exum, Kyle Fuller, James Gayle, Tony Gregory, Trey Gresh, Derrick Hopkins, Cody Journell, Andrew Miller, Logan Thomas, Jack Tyler and Tyrel Wilson.
• The group has a four-year record of 35-15, played in two ACC Championship Games, won a conference title and will play in its fourth bowl this postseason.

A House Divided
• When the Hokies and Terps take the field Saturday, it’ll be a family reunion of sorts as a set of brothers will battle for house bragging rights. While they won’t line up against each other, Tech junior free safety Detrick Bonner and Maryland sophomore defensive back Alvin Hill will be the first set of brothers to play against each other at Lane Stadium since Eddie and Chris Royal squared off in 2005 as the Hokies took on Marshall.

Tweet It Out
A few game notes in 140 characters or less

This will be the 31st meeting between @VT_Football and @umterps with the series tied 15-15.

The #Hokies have won just 8 times in the last 20 matchups, but have won the last 5, including a 36-9 win in 2009 (last meeting).

The #Hokies are 22-11 against ACC Atlantic Division teams and 31-8 in ACC home games since joining the league in 2004.

Fourteen @VT_Football seniors will be honored before Saturday’s game. The group has a four-year record of 35-15.

The #Hokies have posted a 30-5 record in the month of November (28-5 in ACC games) since 2004.

FS Detrick Bonner of @VT_Football and CB Alvin Hill of @umterps are brothers and will be playing on the same field Saturday.

For updates on Virginia Tech football, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Football).