UCLA Football: A Statistical Preview of Virginia Tech

Nov 30, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Anthony Barr (11) celebrates after sacking Southern California Troans quarterback Cody Kessler (not pictured) in the fourth quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As we get closer to the UCLA Football team’s match-up with the Hokies of Virginia Tech in the Hyundai Sun Bowl, more and more will be revealed about these two and how they match up. UCLA (9-3, 6-3), the fourth place team in Pac-12 will face VT (8-4, 5-3), the fourth place team out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. While there is still a lot of game tape to watch, let us get you, the UCLA Football fan, a preliminary look at the Bruin’s bowl opposition.

If you have been following UCLA, you know they are a tempo team. They managed to score 36.5 points per game while holding their opponents to 24.1. On the offensive side of the ball, the Bruins would pass for an average of 251.6 yards while running 196.6 yards per game. On defense, the Bruins have limited their foes to 221.1 yards passing and 170.4 yards rushing.

Virginia Tech has been able to put 23.4 points on their opponents while limiting them to 17.4 points per game. Their offensive production is less than UCLA, but is pass heavy as they throw for 241.3 yards per game and run it for 117.8. Their defense, which by the numbers, looks to be stingier than the Bruins as they keep their opposition’s passing game to 165.8 yards and the running game to 103.8.

Virgina Tech QB Logan Thomas has thrown for 2861 yards this season (238.4 per game) and has 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He is also second on the team in rushing with 295 on the year. Trey Edwards is the main guy the Hokies go to when a rushing attack is needed. He put up 675 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and stamped that with 10 TDs.

Now the Hokies pass the ball around and they do it very efficiently. Willie Byrn, Demitri Knowles and Joshua Stanford have all individually caught for over 600 yards on the year. The Bruin secondary better be ready for this air attack.

The Bruins lost to the three best teams in the Pac-12, the top conference in the nation according USA Today. The Hokies have had an up and down season in a conference that is the fifth best conference in the Nation according to that same poll.

Va Tech has had some good games and some not so good:

Key Wins: #11 Miami (FL), Pitt, North Carolina

Key Losses: #1 Alabama, Duke, Boston College, Maryland

Stay tuned Bruin fans as we bring more information on the Sun Bowl as it nears. Plus, we need to review game tape.

Mike W.R.

Twitter: @TheBigDisco