Tuesday links

The countdown to the Chick-fil-A Bowl kickoff continues. Here is some reading to get your Tuesday started.

On Thursday against Tennessee, Virginia Tech will be looking to settle a score against a Southeastern Conference opponent. But if the Hokies do win, John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel writes, the ACC will really have something to crow about.

Between Jayron Hosley and Cris Hill, the Hokies aren't quite sure who will be filling in at cornerback for Stephan Virgil, who was ruled academically ineligible for the meeting with the Volunteers; for more on Virgil, you can check the video below. Virgil's absence doesn't matter to Tennessee wide receiver Gerald Jones, who said the Volunteers planned to take shots at his replacement. "He'll have to make us respect him," Jones said.

Meanwhile, there is still chatter about Tennessee's recruiting practices, as the NCAA investigates the Volunteers' alleged use of hostesses in reaching out to prospects. Some high school players say the Tennessee coaches are new to this racket and that's the reason they've been tangled up in some of this stuff.