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The biggest non-conference meeting of the opening weekend of the 2010 college football season will take place Labor Day evening as the Boise St. Broncos and Virginia Tech Hokies collide in a battle of top-10 teams at FedEx Field outside of Washington, D.C. The Boise St. Broncos are a “chic” pick to play in the BCS championship game and rightfully so as head coach Chris Peterson returns 20 starters to a team that went 14-0 last season culminating with a 17-10 win over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Junior quarterback Kellen Moore is a legitimate Heisman candidate who has plenty of help around him, including running back Jeremy Avery and his top six receivers from 2009. Last season, Moore threw 39 touchdown passes against only three interceptions in a remarkable 431 passing attempts. He did so behind an experienced line that only allowed five sacks. One shouldn’t expect the Broncos offense to miss a beat in 2010, which isn’t good news for Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster as he leads a defense that only returns three starters from a year ago. The sentiment out of Blacksburg is for the first time in a longtime, the offense will have to carry the defense early on in the season. Led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies offense is the strength of the team. The Hokies return seven on that side of the ball, and feature a formidable running attack led by a trio of running backs (Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and David Wilson). However, focus too much on the run and Taylor can beat you with an improved passing attack, led by receiver Jarret Boykin. The Boise St defense rarely gets the credit it deserves, considering the wide open conference it plays in. However, sports betting sharps will tell you the reason the Broncos can be considered for a BCS berth and are strapped with a lofty preseason ranking is their defense. For a reminder of just how good this defense is, one should reference last seasons Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos lost coordinator Justin Wilcox to Tennessee, but with Pete Kwiatkowski promoted to replace him and 10 starters coming back, no drop off is expected from the 14th ranked defense a year ago. This “neutral-site” affair figures to be a stiff test for the Broncos who enter as the hunted. The Hokies last played at FedEx in 2004, a 24-13 loss to USC, while this will be the first visit to FedEx for the Broncos. Too many question marks surround the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball and with their special teams. The Hokies offense is talented but one shouldn’t expect them to outscore the Broncos, so the defense will have to make plays. At this point in the season, we’re not sure if the Hokies defense is capable of doing so consistently. With that said, look for the Broncos experience to be the difference as the Broncos pull away late. Play on the Boise St. Broncos (-) the points for 1 unit. Good luck to all.
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