Tech takes on Notre Dame for first time in program history

It will be the second straight year Hokies play in Indiana, but first contest against the Irish

November 14, 2016

Virginia Tech football will face Notre Dame for the first time in program history when the Hokies travel to South Bend, Indiania this Saturday for a contest with the Fighting Irish. The game can be seen nationally on NBC with the kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m.

• GAME NOTES page - includes links to Tech's game notes, this week's opponent's game notes, ACC weekly notes and head coach Justin Fuente's quotes from Monday's press conference.

HOKIES MAKE DEBUT VS. NOTRE DAME

• VT owns America’s longest active bowl streak recognized by the NCAA at 24 straight seasons.
• The Hokies have won six of their last eight contests.
• In three games against common foes, both VT and ND beat Miami. The Hokies defeated Duke and lost to Syracuse, while ND beat Syracuse & lost to Duke.
• VT has won six of its last seven road games and owns a 10-5 road mark dating back to 2014.
• ND is seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since enjoying a six-game victory string in 2015, while VT is seeking to avoid consecutive losses for the first time under Justin Fuente.
• VT most recently visited the state of Indiana last year, winning a 51-24 decision at Purdue (9/19/15).
• Notre Dame will make its initial appearances at Lane Stadium (10/13/18 & 10/9/21), while Virginia Tech will return to Notre Dame (11/2/19).

ROAD, SCORING STATS ON HOKIES, IRISH

• The Hokies are 3-1 on the road under Fuente.
• Under Brian Kelly, the Irish are 18-6 (.750) against ACC foes, including a 2-2 mark in 2016.
• The Irish are 1-1 at home against ACC foes in 2016, losing a 38-35 decision vs. Duke (9/24) and winning a 30-27 contest vs. Miami (10/29).
• All four of ND’s 2016 home games against P5 opponents have been decided by eight points or less.
• Virginia Tech has outscored its foes by a 39.0-15.1 ppg margin in its seven wins in 2016.
• Overall, the Hokies outscored its opponents by a 33.4-21.2 ppg margin this season.
• Notre Dame owns a 40.8-19.0 scoring edge in its four wins. The Irish have been outscored 29.8-25.0 ppg in their six losses.
• The Irish went 39-13 from 2012-15, owning a 30.0-22.0 scoring edge in those 52 games.
• VT is 62-1 (.984) when holding non-con foes to 17 points or less dating back to 1996 under Bud Foster.
• Notre Dame has lost its last three games when being held to 17 points or fewer.
• Virginia Tech is on pace to score 434 points over 13 games. The school single-season record of 474 was set in 2010.
• VT is outscoring foes 166-107 in the first half and has led at halftime in all seven of its wins. The Hokies have trailed at halftime in their three losses.
• Notre Dame has outscored its foes 116-30 in the first half of its four wins and has been outscored 81-69 in the first half of its five losses.

THE #LPD STANDS THE TEST OF TIME

• Dating back to the 1996 season, no FBS team has registered more sacks (773.0) or INTs (354) than the Lunch Pail D or a lower third-down conversion rate (31.5%).
• The Hokies are 14-0 on the road against non-conference foes since 1996 when registering 3.0 or more sacks, doing it most recently in a 35-21 win at Ohio State (9/6/14).
• ND is 0-4 when allowing 3.0 or more sacks this season.
• VT is 37-3 (.925) on the road since 1996 when forcing two or more INTs, including a 23-1 mark since 2003 and a streak of 13 straight wins dating back to 2010.
• Among P5 teams, only Michigan (19.7) & Wisconsin (26.9) own lower conversion rates on third down than Virginia Tech (27.5). Notre Dame ranks 52nd among FBS squads, allowing foes to convert 38.4% on third down.
• Virginia Tech (184.9 ypg) is second in the ACC and sixth in the P5 in pass defense, while ranking second in ACC and ninth in the P5 in defensive pass efficiency (105.8).
• The Hokies have allowed the fewest first downs in the ACC (160), ranking eighth in the P5. Only five P5 teams have allowed fewer passing first downs than the Hokies (76).
• DT Woody Baron is tied for second in the ACC and fifth among P5 players with 16.0 TFLs. CB Greg Stroman is second in the ACC, averaing 1.22 PDs per game. Stroman & Terrell Edmunds are tied for fifth in the ACC with three INTs.
• The Hokies rank third in the ACC in Red Zone defense with a 75.9 scoring pct., trailing only WF (70.6) & Clemson (74.2).
• Only Miami (14) has permitted fewer Red Zone TDs than Virginia Tech (16) and Duke (16) in the ACC.

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