Key Losses: WR De'Cody Fagg, TE Charlie Graham, OG Jacky Claude, OT David Overmyer, OT Daron Rose, OT Shannon Boatman, DT Andre Fluellen, DE Alex Boston, DT Letroy Guion, LB Geno Hayes, LB Marcus Ball, FS Roger Williams

Key Returnees: QB Drew Weatherford, RB Antone Smith, WR Preston Parker, WR Greg Carr, OL Rodney Hudson, OL Ryan McMahon, DE Neefy Moffett, DE Everette Brown, DT Budd Thacker, DT Paul Griffin, LB Dekoda Watson, LB Derek Nicholson, CB Tony Carter, CB Patrick Robinson, CB Michael Ray Garvin, ROV Myrone Rolle

Florida State suffered from their biggest talent deficit in years last season, and also caught the injury bug. They have gone a combined 14-12 over the last two seasons, hardly FSU-like numbers. Over 20 players missed the Music City Bowl last season because of the academic scandal that hit the program, and some of those players will be suspended for the first three games of the 2008 season as well.

FSU has not been judged by the NCAA as of yet, but they have imposed penalties on themselves. They will lose eight scholarships over a two year period.

The last two NFL Drafts have shown that the 'Noles have suffered from a loss in talent. They have had just eight players drafted over the last two years, including just one player taken in the first two rounds. By comparison, the Hokies had eight players taken in last year's draft alone.

Florida State will have a senior quarterback in Drew Weatherford, who has been a starter since he was a r-freshman. They don't come any more experienced than Weatherford, who also has the talent to back it up. He struggled with turnovers his first two years, but had just three in 2007, a 0.9% ratio, which was the best in college football.

Just take a look at this list of accomplishments for Weatherford:

• 3rd in career passing yards at FSU
• 8th in career passing TDs at FSU
• 2nd in career completions at FSU
• 3rd in career 300 yard games at FSU
• ACC and FSU record 270 passes without an interception
• One of only 2 FSU quarterbacks to complete over 600 career passes

In a situation that was similar to Virginia Tech's last year, Weatherford was benched in favor of Xavier Lee, a mobile quarterback. However, Weatherford came back to win the job and had a very good season. He was the least of the 'Noles problems on offense in 2007. He should have a strong senior season, but he won't be able to play to maximum effectiveness because of a bad offensive line.

Florida State's offensive line has been going downhill for sometime, so they hired Rick Trickett away from WVU last season. The line improved somewhat, but was limited at times because of injuries. It looks like things will get worse for FSU before they get better. The 'Noles lost Jacky Claude (11 starts), David Overmyer (9 starts), Daron Rose (11 starts) and Shannon Boatman (10 starts). Some of those players started at multiple positions.

They received more bad news recently when it was announced that projected starting guard Evan Bellamy was declared out for the season. The 'Noles return just two offensive linemen with starting experience. Both of them, Rodney Hudson and Ryan McMahon, were Freshman All-Americans last season.

However, every single player in Florida State's OL 2-deep right now is a freshman or a sophomore, and there isn't a single junior or senior OL on the roster. Under Rick Trickett, they will almost certainly be good down the road. However, they'll be too young in 2008, and will likely get pushed around by nearly everyone they play.

Florida State should have plenty of talent at defensive end. They bring back two starters in Everette Brown and Neefy Moffett. Brown, who had 6.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2007, appears poised to have a breakout season. Moffett will be steady and reliable, as usual.

The star of the group could be incoming JUCO defensive end Markus White. He is 6-4, 245, and he had 24.5 sacks at Butler Community College, where he was named National Player of the Year in the JUCO ranks. The 'Noles always have playmakers on the edge, and White looks like he could be the next one.

Florida State has good players in the secondary, but they aren't good enough to play their normal man-to-man style of defense when they go up against top notch receivers, and a quarterback who can make them pay. Tyrod Taylor and Justin Harper proved that last season.

Cornerbacks Tony Carter and Patrick Robinson are good players, but Florida State has gotten just average production from the free safety position recently. At Rover, All-Everything recruit Myron Rolle has been more hype than anything so far. He has just seven pass breakups and one interception in two years as a starter.

Last season, the feeling that VT's program had overtaken FSU finally became a reality, as the Hokies shook off 30+ years of frustration and 12 straight losses to handily defeat the Noles, 40-21. With that win, the Hokies broke through the last psychological barrier present in the ACC ... maybe (more on that in a moment).

There was a day (you young'uns won't remember it) when Clemson seemed unbeatable; Tech now owns five straight wins against the Tigers. There was a time when Miami was the unscalable mountain; the Hokies have beaten The U 9 of the last 13. Is last year's win over FSU the beginning of a similar run against the Noles? Hokie fans hope so.

Breaking through against a team like FSU is important, but like the 1995 win over Miami, the breakthrough came at home in Lane Stadium. VT still has to conquer Doak-Campbell, the site of this year's game on Oct. 25th. Tech has lost five straight in Tallahassee, with the last meeting there in 1990 (39-28, Seminoles, in a game in which the Hokies led the #2 Noles 21-3). I like Tech's chances in this one, but even in myself, I can still sense that mental block. A win in Tally would be a big stepping stone for the VT program, and this is as good a year as any to get it, and to start building a record of success against a program that once owned the Hokies lock, stock and barrel.