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Clemson looks to run by host Virginia Tech on Thursday

Oct 24, 2006 - 7:12 PM No. 10 Clemson (7-1) at Virginia Tech (5-2), 7:30 pm EDT

BLACKSBURG, Virginia (Ticker) - Virginia Tech looks to slow down the nation's top scoring offense when it hosts No. 10 Clemson in an Atlantic Coast Conference battle on Thursday night.

The Tigers (7-1, 4-1 ACC Atlantic), who are averaging a national-best 42.25 points, are coming off a 31-7 home rout of Georgia Tech in a matchup of division leaders.

Sophomore James Davis ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns and true freshman C.J. Spiller rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown and had a 50-yard TD reception for Clemson, which is averaging 260.75 yards on the ground, the fourth-best mark in the country.

The Hokies (5-2, 2-2 Coastal) had lost back-to-back league games to Georgia Tech and Boston College before stepping out of conference play and routing Southern Mississippi here, 36-6.

Branden Ore rushed for 207 yards and two TDs for the Hokies, who scored 29 unanswered points over the final three periods.

Virginia Tech is 12-2 in Thursday night games on ESPN, but it lost its last one, a 22-3 setback at B.C. two weeks ago.

Clemson leads the all-time series, 17-10-1, but has dropped the last three encounters. However, the teams have not met since a 41-20 Hokie romp in the 2001 Gator Bowl.