A couple of interesting factoids before we settle down here to watch some real football.

**Virginia Tech and Alabama are both reportedly receiving $2.3 million to play tonight’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff at the Georgia Dome. That’s more than 23 bowls paid out last year. This game not only has a bowl game feel. It has a bowl game payout. Wow.

Here’s a rundown of last year’s bowls and what they paid their participants.

BOWLS THAT PAID OUT LESS THAN $2.3 MILLION
EagleBank Bowl $750,000
New Mexico Bowl $750,000
St. Petersburg Bowl $1 million
Las Vegas Bowl $1 million
New Orleans Bowl $325,000
Poinsettia Bowl $750,000
Hawaii Bowl $750,000
Motor City Bowl $750,000
Meineke Bowl $1 million
Champs Sports $2.125 million
Emerald Bowl $750,000 (ACC), $850,000 (Pac 10)
Independence Bowl $1.1 million
PapaJohns.com Bowl $300,000
Alamo Bowl $2.25 million
Humanitarian Bowl $750,000
Texas Bowl $750,000
Armed Forces Bowl $750,000
Sun Bowl $1.9 million
Insight Bowl $1.2 million
Music City Bowl $1.7 million
Liberty Bowl $1.8 million
Independence Bowl $750,000
GMAC Bowl $750,000

BOWLS THAT PAID $2.3 MILLION OR MORE
Holiday Bowl $2.3 million
Chick-fil-A Bowl $3 million
Outback Bowl $3.2 million
Capital One Bowl $4.25 million
Gator Bowl $2.5 million
Rose Bowl $17 million
Orange Bowl $17 million
Cotton Bowl $3 million
Sugar Bowl $17 million
Fiesta Bowl $17 million
BCS championship $17 million

**No wonder the Hokies lost their opener last season against East Carolina. The 24 players who started that game in Charlotte, including both kickers, had a combined 178 career starts, and 10 of those players made their first career starts against ECU.

Tonight, the 24 expected starters have 266 career starts, and only five (WR Xavier Boyce, RB Ryan Williams, LB Jake Johnson, PK Matt Waldron, FB Kenny Younger) are penciled in to make their first career starts against the Crimson Tide.

Here’s a breakdown of the 2008 and 2009 starting lineups with career starts listed next to each player’s name.

2008
OFFENSE
WR Dyrell Roberts 0
LT Ed Wang 13
LG Nick Marshman 16
C Ryan Shuman 20
RG Sergio Render 26
RT B. DeChristopher 0
TE Greg Boone 16
QB Sean Glennon 22
TE Andre Smith 2
RB Kenny Lewis 3
WR Danny Coale 0

DEFENSE
DE Orion Martin 15
DT John Graves 0
DT C. Thompson 0
DE Jason Worilds 0
LB Brett Warren 4
LB P. Sturdivant 0
LB Cam Martin 13
CB Stephan Virgil 0
ROV Davon Morgan 0
FS Kam Chancellor 14
CB R. Carmichael 0 (Carmichael was an injury replacement for Macho Harris in the season opener)

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Dustin Keys 0
P Brent Bowden 14

BREAKDOWN
118 offensive starts; 46 defensive starts; 14 special teams starts
178 total starts
10 players making first career starts

2009
OFFENSE
WR Xavier Boyce 0
TE Greg Boone 29
LT Ed Wang 24
LG Sergio Render 40
C Beau Warren 2
RG Jaymes Brooks 1
RT B. DeChristopher 11
RB Ryan Williams 0
FB Kenny Younger 0
QB Tyrod Taylor 15
WR Danny Coale 14

DEFENSE
DE Jason Worilds 12
DT John Graves 14
DT C. Thompson 14
DE Nekos Brown 2
LB Barquell Rivers 1
LB Jake Johnson 0
LB Cody Grimm 2
ROV Dorian Porch 14
CB Stephan Virgil 14
FS Kam Chancellor 28
CB R. Carmichael 1

SPECIAL TEAMS
P Brent Bowden 28
PK Matt Waldron 0

BREAKDOWN
136 offensive starts; 102 defensive starts; 28 special teams starts
266 total starts
Five players making first career starts