College football

3 key matchups

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published December 3, 2005

FSU's offensive line vs. Virginia Tech's defensive line

Another game, another daunting challenge for the Seminoles' increasingly patchwork O-line. It's not only the three starters (Matt Meinrod, John Frady and Cory Niblock) they've lost or the first-half suspension of starting guard Cornelius Lewis, it's the constant shuffling of the few able bodies left. The past few weeks, redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Weatherford, the former Land O'Lakes star, has had little time. Tech senior defensive end Darryl Tapp can be a one-man wrecking crew and he'll be against either redshirt junior tackle Mario Henderson (he hasn't started all year and has just one start in his career and might be a better run blocker than he is pass protector) or fifth-year senior tackle/guard Ron Lunford.

The Seminoles historically have had problems slowing a top-shelf tight end. Miami's Greg Olsen had eight catches for 137 yards in the opener and he dropped a couple big gainers. Virginia's Jonathan Stupar and Tom Santi combined for 102 yards on eight catches and a touchdown in the Cavaliers' win. But the speedy Sims did help contain Maryland's Vernon Davis (four for 54) and North Carolina State's T.J. Williams (two for 10). Up now is King, who moves the chains methodically (20 catches for 230 yards) and moves the scoreboard (team-high five touchdown receptions). If Sims and company can neutralize King, it will put more pressure on quarterback Marcus Vick to find other targets down field, which are tougher passes. Anything that takes him out of his comfort zone looms large.

The Hokies under coach Frank Beamer have made a name for themselves blocking kicks. His teams have gotten 108 kicks (54 punts, 33 field goals and 21 extra points) in 225 games since 1987. They have only three blocks this year, but two (a field goal by Tapp and a punt by cornerback Victor Harris) came in last week's win against North Carolina. But Beamer's block-partying bunch has been upstaged by FSU in the teams' past two meetings, the 2000 Sugar Bowl and the 2002 Gator Bowl. FSU blocked a punt for a touchdown (and returned a punt for a score) in the national championship game and then former Lakewood star Marcello Church blocked a punt that FSU recovered at the 1 in the Gator Bowl win. This year, FSU has blocked five kicks (and then had a field goal blocked by Florida for a score last week that changed that game).

[Last modified December 3, 2005, 01:22:20]