Dream Playoffs - First Round - Missouri vs. Virginia Tech

Here we go again, I officially call to order the Kings of the Roundtable....I have brought together the blogosphere's best and brightest to breakdown college football....the Fab Five are Zach of The Big Picture, Graig of Money Shot, Jon of Complete Sports, Virgil of The Ship of Fools (formerly of Wasting Company Time), and me (Rick) of Stiles Points.....today we breakdown the third of the four first round games in our Dream 8-team playoff to determine this year's National Champion....now to our thoughts on today's match-up.....

First round playoff game
#6 Missouri Tigers (11-2) vs. #3 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2)
Virginia Tech favored by 1.5
Game to be played at the Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta

Graig of Money Shot
One of the great mysteries that no one is discussing is the fact that Va Tech was ranked #1 in 3 of the 6 computer polls yet were not given an opportunity to play in the BCS title game. After the week 2 pounding in Baton Rouge, the Hokies have played great football and had it not been for the crazy Matt Ryan comeback, would only have that one loss. Frank Beamer's utilization of playing both Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor at QB has infused a ton of life in the offense. While Missouri is led by Heisman candidate Chase Daniel and talented freshman Jeremy Maclin, Oklahoma showed how to beat them. If you play physical and keep everything in front of you on defense, you can beat the Tigers. I think that the Hokie defense continues to play great football and Beamer Ball gets big special teams play. In the end, the Tigers settle for FG's instead of TD's and lose to the ACC champs.
Virginia Tech 27 Missouri 19

Jon of Complete Sports
It's a matchup between a very talented offense for Missouri and a very talented defense of Virginia Tech. For the Hokies, as always they have a lot of talent and speed defensively, as they gave up only 15.5 PPG on the season. Offensively, they are not very explosive, but they can move the ball with Sean Glennon and Brandon Ore. On the Missouri side, the offense has been excellent while the defense has been suspect at times. They are led by Chase Daniel, who makes quick decisions and gets the ball to where it needs to be. But the offense is not just Daniel, as there are playmakers all around. Martin Rucker is surehanded as a TE, Jeremy Macklin makes plays in every aspect of the game, and Tony Temple is a solid option running the football. Virginia Tech's defense is very good, but I think they'd have some troubles with the playmakers of Missouri.
Missouri 31 Virginia Tech 20

Zach of The Big Picture
Missouri was exposed as a fraud in the Big XII title game. The Tigers aren't good, never were good, and the fact that we thought they were shows how little we know. Michael Vick behind bars could win this one for the Hokies.
Virginia Tech

Virgil of The Ship of Fools
Two teams that seemed to end their seasons on completely different notes: The Hokies with the satisfaction of an ACC title and a solid two-loss season, and the Tigers with a loss in the conference title game, and the disappointment of losing after finally attaining the #1 ranking. Never have two identical 11-2 records seemed so different.

Virginia Tech seemed to flourish once they adopted the two quarterback system, with Tyrod Taylor providing a good change of pace from Sean Glennon. They were also a team, like most Frank Beamer coached teams, that was built around stingy defense and solid special teams. Defense was the weakness of the Mizzou Tigers, who basically rode the arm of Heisman candidate QB Chase Daniel all season. I think that the fast aggressive defense that VT plays will be like nothing that Missouri saw in a Big 12 conference replete with soft-as-charmin defenses. Its tough for me to pick against Chase Daniel, who I trumpeted for the Heisman all season, but I think the Hokies are just too fast and too strong.
Virginia Tech 24 Missouri 14

Rick of Stiles Points
We all know that so far this season, Mizzou can beat anyone except Oklahoma. We also know that Chase Daniel has been a solid quarterback. On the Hokie side, we know that Virginia Tech has an agressive defense that could put a wrench in any good team's offense. We also know that Beamer Ball usually shows up in big games. Missouri is a good team, but there will be too much Beamer Ball as the Hokies bring a punt back for a touchdown and slow down the Tigers offense.
Virginia Tech 24 Missouri 13

A decision has been made....So Let It Be Written - So Let it Be Done - the Roundtable rules 4-1 in favor of Virginia Tech advancing and playing the winner of the Southern Cal-LSU game...check back Friday for our thoughts on that game....