Game #14 - Sugar Bowl, VT vs. Michigan

[Lumbee09]

I've got a group buying 9 student tickets tomorrow. See yall on Bourbon Street!

 

[hunzworth]

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter...07/sugar-bowl-lookahead-a-primer-on-michigan/ <---- sugar bowl "primer"

 

[ckhokie]

Just made an upfront, nonrefundable reservation on Bourbon St. Locked.

 

[Sleepy T]

You know I have to agree with VTscores. It worries my the lack of practice or seriousness of practice and hope it doesn't show on the national stage.

Haven't heard much about practice..Hopefully not for LACK of practice. This is a game we need to win for the program, the fans, the doubters, and the BCS/Sugar Bowl who gave us the at-large bid. Any word on how the ticket sales for our allotment is going. I won't be going but it would be somewhat embarassing and the media would eat it up if VT doesn't sell the 17/18k tickets it needs to thru the school...

Welcome to the board Scores!!!

HAIL!!!

 

[hunzworth]

Haven't heard much about practice..Hopefully not for LACK of practice. This is a game we need to win for the program, the fans, the doubters, and the BCS/Sugar Bowl who gave us the at-large bid. Any word on how the ticket sales for our allotment is going. I won't be going but it would be somewhat embarassing and the media would eat it up if VT doesn't sell the 17/18k tickets it needs to thru the school...

Welcome to the board Scores!!!

HAIL!!!

just isnt going to happen. Way cheaper tickets on stub hub. Im not going either but if i would have ordered tickets through VT they would have been roughly 150 each, (now) you can get 3 on stub hub for that price.

 

[Chrish1023]

Virginia Tech gets so screwed over with each year with these stupid ticket deals. The only people that buy tickets through the school are those who do it to support the program. Everyone else just purchases tickets on stubhub where the prices are reasonable. I can only assume that VT will get bashed for this in some way.

 

[Lumbee09]

Doesn't help that Michigan will outnumber us at the game purely because they have over twice as many living alums. We were around 9,500 last I heard. We won't sell 17,500 but I'd like to see us sell around 13,000. People may also buy proxy tickets through VTTO to give to military and charities in New Orleans, which could bump our numbers.

 

[Sleepy T]

just isnt going to happen. Way cheaper tickets on stub hub. Im not going either but if i would have ordered tickets through VT they would have been roughly 150 each, (now) you can get 3 on stub hub for that price.

Right I saw that ($150). Hadn't checked stubhub but that does not surprise me at all. I'm not sure why these people think the common person (like me) can afford to buy, say 4 tickets totalling $600 apiece, for not the greatest of seats, then travel to N'awlins for several days. It is tough to do that. I must be in the wrong line of work I guess.

Virginia Tech gets so screwed over with each year with these stupid ticket deals. The only people that buy tickets through the school are those who do it to support the program. Everyone else just purchases tickets on stubhub where the prices are reasonable. I can only assume that VT will get bashed for this in some way.

It is pretty well commonplace nowadays (people buying on stubhub). If the bowls want this to stop then the organizers need to set tickets prices at a reasonable level (not $150-$200 for so-so seats) and stick to that. This is more along the pricing of an NFL game. I went to an NFL game this past weekend and payed that..for very good seats and good parking. The average Joe just isn't going to do that. I still chuckle at the fact that they say Boise would bring more people. Maybe it is because the bowl game is one of the few significant games they play every year. I'm not sure K State would either. They haven't done anything in YEARS, but maybe their fans would travel to a once every 10-15 years BCS game. VT will get bashed if we don't sell all the tickets, yes...

 

[ckhokie]

The ticket situation is just a way to assure the BCS money. The 17,500 allotment is mandatory for the schools to sell. If they don't, they are still obligated and the school and conference has to pay for them. VT must sell their tickets for what they are 'worth' thanks to the BCS pricing, even though you would be an idiot to pay $120 for an upper deck endzone seat when the secondary (real) market has them going for $55 or $60

 

[Sleepy T]

Found this recent article by Bitter concerning ticket sales. In contrast, VT isn't really doing all that bad when you take some things into consideration. It looks like Clemson and West Virginia aren't doing ANY better and when you consider the fanbase that Michigan has they also have not sold out their allotment through their school yet. At any rate I am confident VT will be well represented there. The ticket sales system is totally screwed and after reading some of the comments in this article from "seasoned bowlers" and people who have been through this I see why. There are a variety of reasons AB points to in this article, all very valid points. Obviously the price and the location of the tickets through a secondary source is the main reason. The day of the game (Tuesday or Wednesday night??), VERY high airfare, and the economy in general has to be part of the reason too. Good read from AB..as usual.

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter...echs-sugar-bowl-ticket-sales-lagging-but-why/

 

[bigesse16]

You also have to remember that VT didn't put their tickets on sale to the public until a week after they were selected. They are hurting themselves by doing this. I know they want to give season ticket holders and students first crack, but it also allows the secondary market to saturate to the point where the only reason you are buying tickets through VTTO is out of pride to help the school or naivete.

 

[VTscores]

You also have to remember that VT didn't put their tickets on sale to the public until a week after they were selected. They are hurting themselves by doing this. I know they want to give season ticket holders and students first crack, but it also allows the secondary market to saturate to the point where the only reason you are buying tickets through VTTO is out of pride to help the school or naivete.

That was my first thought as well, but you can't disregard the possibility that this actually HELPS their sales, by getting their captive audience first.

I'll be going to the game, and I purchased pretty good seats directly from Virginia Tech. I ignored the thought that there might be similar seats available somewhere else.

 

[VTscores]

This is a very talented Hokies team.

I can't help thinking that VT should win this, if the game strategy and coaching are good. Sadly, I'm not a football coach, but it seems that some element of predictability regarding the offense needs to be removed. If VT plays the "Clemson strategy" or the "Stanford strategy", they won't win it.

Teams like Michigan and Stanford are solid. They play a power game, and have great lines, and depth. Virginia Tech is no slouch, but if if they leave their defense on the field the whole game, Michigan is going to get some points.

VT needs to keep their offense on the field, and to do this, they need to avoid three-and-outs. Since Michigan is studying the game films, it seems that VT needs some unanticipated offensive plays. The Clemson strategy of bottling the run for a few plays and providing man-to-man pass coverage can't be allowed to work.

Thoughts?

 

[Ballboy534]

VT really needs to run DW consistently in the first half. Logan Thomas always seems to play well when there is a threat of the ground game, plus it really helps to open up the playbook for the offense. I was amazed at the lack of touches DW had in the ACCCG considering how well he ran all season and ran all over us in Blacksburg.

 

[NickVT10]

This is a very talented Hokies team.

I can't help thinking that VT should win this, if the game strategy and coaching are good. Sadly, I'm not a football coach, but it seems that some element of predictability regarding the offense needs to be removed. If VT plays the "Clemson strategy" or the "Stanford strategy", they won't win it.

Teams like Michigan and Stanford are solid. They play a power game, and have great lines, and depth. Virginia Tech is no slouch, but if if they leave their defense on the field the whole game, Michigan is going to get some points.

VT needs to keep their offense on the field, and to do this, they need to avoid three-and-outs. Since Michigan is studying the game films, it seems that VT needs some unanticipated offensive plays. The Clemson strategy of bottling the run for a few plays and providing man-to-man pass coverage can't be allowed to work.

Thoughts?

I agree we need to make things a little less unpredictable and that is one of the few faults of Beamer. He is uber conservative. We haven't run 1 trick play all season.

The Michigan defense is much improved but they aren't any better than the ones we have faced in the ACC. OSU had WRs wide open but didn't hit them. Michigan has given up 24+ points to the decent or above teams they have played this year except Nebraska. They have a handful at DT we have to worry about but they are still vulnerable. IMO we should come out with some option looks early (off tackle options not zone reads as much) and get their defenders moving side to side and then come back with counters and misdirection plays to DW. We also need to throw more screens and run more draws than we have been.

 

[Sleepy T]

That was my first thought as well, but you can't disregard the possibility that this actually HELPS their sales, by getting their captive audience first.

I'll be going to the game, and I purchased pretty good seats directly from Virginia Tech. I ignored the thought that there might be similar seats available somewhere else.

OT to your post scores-- but it looks like most every school is having trouble selling tickets. Even the mighty Cavalier traveling fan base is nowhere near their allotment after their monumental season...

Virginia football hasn&rsquo;t yet sold out Chick-fil-A Bowl ticket allotment - Cavaliers Journal - The Washington Post

 

[VTscores]

OT to your post scores-- but it looks like most every school is having trouble selling tickets. Even the mighty Cavalier traveling fan base is nowhere near their allotment after their monumental season...

Virginia football hasn&rsquo;t yet sold out Chick-fil-A Bowl ticket allotment - Cavaliers Journal - The Washington Post

The Cavaliers are a drive away from Atlanta, not a flight away. That said, they've probably sold more tickets by now than that.

The funny thing is that after 9,000 tickets, the ACC is paying for the tickets, not Virginia Tech. The only negative for Virginia Tech is the press, who get a free, controversial topic that a high school student could write in his basement.

I bought through the school, but mostly out of loyalty. The main point isn't purchasing through VT, but to make the trip if one wants to. It should be a great time.

I don't really care about ticket sales, as from my perspective, VT has sold a respectable number. What I really care about is VT winning the match against Michigan. THAT I'd like to see. It's the next step towards a national championship. At some point, you have to win the national spotlight games.

 

[ckhokie]

OT to your post scores-- but it looks like most every school is having trouble selling tickets. Even the mighty Cavalier traveling fan base is nowhere near their allotment after their monumental season...

Virginia football hasn&rsquo;t yet sold out Chick-fil-A Bowl ticket allotment - Cavaliers Journal - The Washington Post

This is fairly surprising considering its a Dec 31st game. It's not surprising that the Orange Bowl (and Sugar this year) continue to struggle to sell tickets when they get effed into playing the games on the 3rd or 4th. The Orange is on a Wednesday night, Sugar on a Tuesday, after a holiday weekend and after people have taken time off for xmas. Not many people are down to take vacation for the first 2 or 3 days of the year.

Put the Sugar on the 1st like the Rose Bowl, and each team sells out their allotment no problem.

 

[VTscores]

VT really needs to run DW consistently in the first half. Logan Thomas always seems to play well when there is a threat of the ground game, plus it really helps to open up the playbook for the offense. I was amazed at the lack of touches DW had in the ACCCG considering how well he ran all season and ran all over us in Blacksburg.

The thing is, you can't run an offense that isn't working. VT can't afford three and outs, so they need a dependable way to get a first down. Running DW is predictable, and will therefore only work against a decent run defense if there are other options as well. VT can't waste offensive opportunities. If they can reliably get first downs in the first half, they win the game.

Clemson had a pretty good strategy, that worked BECAUSE VT was predictable.

VT is now faced with the challenge of being both unpredictable, and reliable. It is a challenge for the offensive coaching staff, but one that they have to address to win. Michigan is not Wake Forest.

 

[VTscores]

This is fairly surprising considering its a Dec 31st game. It's not surprising that the Orange Bowl (and Sugar this year) continue to struggle to sell tickets when they get effed into playing the games on the 3rd or 4th. The Orange is on a Wednesday night, Sugar on a Tuesday, after a holiday weekend and after people have taken time off for xmas. Not many people are down to take vacation for the first 2 or 3 days of the year.

Put the Sugar on the 1st like the Rose Bowl, and each team sells out their allotment no problem.

Good point. A lot of people have to take time off work to make a game on a Tuesday night.