Virginia Tech’s soft schedule equates to possible title shot

With a soft schedule, Frank Beamer should be 12-0 by season's end

Since entering the ACC in 2004, Virginia Tech dominated the Coastal Division winning the conference an unprecedented four times.  Unfortunately, for head coach Frank Beamer and company, conference success did not translate to much beyond one failed title shot in 1998 (Virginia Tech was a member of the Big East at the time) and a disappointing 1-4 BCS bowl record.

In recent years, Beamer attempted to change the team’s persona by scheduling top non-conference games in hopes of strengthening its schedule for a legitimate national title shot.  However, this plan failed as Virginia Tech did not fare well against top-ranked opponents losing first to USC (13-24, 2004), LSU (7-48, 2007), Alabama (24-34, 2009), and then to Boise State (30-33, 2010).  

As the pride of the Coastal Division enters the 2011 season, Beamer has inked a soft schedule that will allow Virginia Tech to easily run the tables.  In all 12 games, Virginia Tech should be favored.  Most notably, Virginia Tech opens its weak schedule with four less than challenging cupcake teams: Appalachian State, East Carolina, Arkansas State, and Marshall.  These four teams had a combined 22 losses last season.

There is no denying coach Beamer changed the aura of Virginia Tech football.  He has taken the Hokies to 18 consecutive bowl games and landed in the AP top 10 four times since 2004.  With Frank Beamer entering his silver anniversary as head coach, he certainly has put himself and his team in a position to hoist the BCS national championship trophy, something that is sorely missing in the Merryman Center.

Virginia Tech’s 2011 Football Schedule:

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Tags: ACC, Coastal Division, Frank Beamer, TheMatadorSports, Virginia Tech