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The Virginia Tech football team (1-1, 0-0 ACC) will head to Greenville, N.C., to take on the undeafeated East Carolina Pirates (2-0, 1-0 C-USA) Saturday inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on the new FOX Sports 1. Adam Alexander and Chris Simms will handle the announcing duties.

The Series
• Virginia Tech and East Carolina University will be meeting for the 18th time Saturday with the Hokies leading the series, 12-5. The series began in 1956 when the schools met in Bluefield, W.Va.
• Tech is 5-2 all-time at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, winning its last four contests in Greenville (1994, 2000, 2009, 2011). In Tech’s last trip there, the defense held ECU to just 112 yards of total offense and David Wilson ran for 137 yards as the Hokies held on for a 17-10 victory in 2011.
• In its last five trips to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Tech’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 110 net yards of rushing to the Pirates: 90 in 1992, 89 in 1994, 97 in 2000, 110 in 2009 and minus-15 in 2011.

Coaching Their Alma Maters
• When the two teams meet Saturday, two alums will lead their respective teams onto the field. For the Hokies, it’s long-time head coach Frank Beamer leading the charge. The 1969 graduate of Tech is in his 27th year at the helm of his alma mater. On the other sideline, Ruffin McNeill leads the Pirates into battle. He is a 1980 graduate of East Carolina University and is in his fourth year at the helm of the Pirates’ program. They are two of 12 coaches at the FBS level who serve their alma mater as a head coach in 2013.

Success in the Tar Heel State
• Tech has had pretty good success playing in the state of North Carolina, winning nine of its last 11 games. Since 2000, the Hokies are 17-3 in games played in the Tar Heel State with the lone losses coming at the hands of ECU in Charlotte in 2008, Clemson in Charlotte at the 2010 ACC Championship Game and last year at UNC. Under Frank Beamer, Tech is 20-6 in games played in North Carolina.

Strong in September
• Tech has a 68-12 mark in September dating back to the start of its bowl streak in the 1993 season, including a 29-7 mark over the past seven-plus seasons (2005-2013).

North Carolina Hokies
• Tech has four North Carolina natives on its roster: freshman receiver Carlis Parker (Statesville), freshman running back Chris Mangus (Raleigh), freshman linebacker Dahman McKinnon (Hope Mills) and freshman linebacker Jamieon Moss (Elizabeth City).

Tweet It Out
A few game notes in 140 characters or less

This will be the 18th meeting between @ECUAthletics and @VT_Football with the #Hokies leading 12-5. #VTvsECU

.@VT_Football is 5-2 all-time at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, but 5 of the 7 games have been decided by 7 points or less.

.@VT_Football has a 68-12 mark in September dating back to the start of its bowl streak in the 1993 season.

In their last 5 trips to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, the #Hokies’ defense hasn’t allowed more than 110 net yards of rushing to the #Pirates.

Under Frank Beamer, @VT_Football is 20-6 in games played in the state of North Carolina, winning nine of its last 11.

.@VT_Football’s F. Beamer and @ECUAthletics R. McNeill are 2 of 12 coaches in the FBS who serve their alma mater as a head coach in 2013.

For updates on Virginia Tech football, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Football).