Virginia Tech @ Duke preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2013 ) Duke 13, Virginia Tech 10

Duke looks to take another step toward a second straight ACC Coastal crown when it hosts reeling Virginia Tech on Saturday. The contest is the first of three straight home games to end the regular season for the 19th-ranked Blue Devils, who have won eight straight at Wallace Wade Stadium. After surviving a double-overtime affair at Pittsburgh two weekends ago, Duke had an easier time defeating Syracuse 27-10 last Saturday, keeping its top spot in the division ahead of a favorable stretch run.

Including the Hokies, the final three opponents for the Blue Devils own a combined 3-12 ACC record, paving the path for a possible rematch with Florida State in the ACC title game. Virginia Tech will have had two weeks off since a 33-31 loss to Boston College at home, hoping the time away will allow it to reset and attempt to snap a three-game slide. In Duke's turnaround 2012-13 season, it snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Hokies, who are in danger of missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 1992.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Duke -5

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (4-5, 1-4 ACC Coastal): The week off served well to allow many injured Hokies to heal, among them freshman running back Marshawn Williams. He had already returned from an ankle injury in the middle of October, but Williams - who had just 32 yards on 13 carries against Boston College - finally feels ready to go all out. "I think I'm 100 (percent) now," Williams - whose healthy presence provides a big boost for the ACC's 11th-ranked rushing offense - told the Roanoke Times this week. "Maybe not so much 100 two weeks ago, but enough. But yeah, I'm ready to go this week."

ABOUT DUKE (8-1, 4-1): There is a chance that if things break the right way, the Blue Devils can clinch at least a tie of the division crown on Saturday, and while that remains a big goal, they are not looking past the last-place Hokies. "It's in the back of our minds, but it's not something we think about," senior defensive end Dezmond Johnson told the school website this week. "We can only win one game Saturday." Duke was able to survive last year's meeting despite four turnovers and a season-low 198 total yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Blue Devils QB Anthony Boone needs 122 passing yards to become the eighth quarterback in school history to reach 5,000 for his career.

2. After throwing 11 interceptions in his first six games, Hokies QB Michael Brewer has none over his last three games, which spans 113 pass attempts.

3. Duke WR Jamison Crowder has 26 catches over the past three weeks and has 37 straight games with at least two, the second-longest active streak in FBS.

PREDICTION: Duke 23, Virginia Tech 17