Some odds and ends on this Columbus Day …
*Saturday’s a huge day for the fourth-ranked Hokies. Not only can they create a massive buffer between themselves and Miami and Georgia Tech in the Coastal Division standings, but it’s also one of the last weekends from this point forward where the could presumably make a jump in the national rankings. No. 3 Texas plays No. 20 Oklahoma on Saturday in the Red River Rivalry, and now that reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is back quarterbacking the Sooners, there’s a legitimate chance the Longhorns could fall.

OU is one of the few roadblocks for Texas. In a few weeks, it faces No. 16 Oklahoma State, which faces the remainder of the season without its best player – WR Dez Bryant – and No. 17 Kansas on Nov. 21. Other than those two games, it’s pretty much smooth sailing for the Longhorns until the Big 12 championship game.

The other two teams ranked ahead of the Hokies – No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama – might have easier roads to the national title game. Florida plays one ranked team the rest of the season – No. 22 South Carolina on Nov. 14 – before the SEC title game. Bama plays two ranked teams – South Carolina on Saturday and No. 10 LSU on Nov. 7.

*Tech redshirt freshman tailback Ryan Williams is collecting ACC rookie of the week awards just like he is big plays and touchdowns. The league awarded him his fourth rookie of the week honor for his performance Saturday against Boston College. Williams rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in the Hokies’ 48-14 win. He also caught a 23-yard pass. He owns three of the top 10 rushing games in the ACC to date, and leads the league with 122.3 rushing yards per game. He is well on pace to break the freshman rushing records at Tech and in the ACC, both of which were set by the Hokies Darren Evans last season (1,265 yards).

*Here’s where the Hokies and some of their players rank in the national rankings:
>Williams is fifth in total rushing yards (734), sixth in per game average (122.33), 25th in scoring (nine points per game) and 26th in all-purpose yards per game (146.17).
>Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is 10th in passing efficiency (159.6).
>Punter Brent Bowden is ninth in punting average (45.37).
>Dyrell Roberts is second in kickoff return average (39.88).
>Cornerback Rashad Carmichael is tied for 10th in interceptions (three).

As far as team rankings go, Tech is ranked …
>9th in pass efficiency offense (162.36) … this really underscores how well Tyrod Taylor has played for the Hokies. And don’t forget about backup Ju-Ju Clayton, who boosted this stat with his 80-yard touchdown strike to Marcus Davis.
>16th in rushing offense (208.5).
>20th in scoring offense (34.17).
>54th in total offense (387.67) … Tech’s offense is playing better than it has in years, thanks to the emergence of Williams and Taylor’s maturation at QB.
>Also of note: VT is one of only 10 teams to have thrown one or no interceptions this season.

*Here’s a telling stat I stumbled on while scouring the NCAA’s stat page. Georgia Tech has converted 54.4 percent of its third and fourth downs this season. The Yellow Jackets have converted 43 of 82 third downs and 6 of 8 fourth downs. I’m guessing with that run-heavy offense, GT is faced with a lot of short third downs.