Those of you who read my notebooks in the paper will notice I usually end them with “this and that”—a collection of various tidbits. Here now, the online version of “this and that”—a collection of tripe and smarm that will force kings to their knees and cause oceans to boil ...

- Virginia Tech is now a 13-point underdog to LSU. At one point last week, the line was seven. Vegas greaseball oddsmakers must have smelled Tech’s rotten offensive line performance from across the country—and that’s saying something, considering how much Aqua Velva those twits splash on.

- Here is an absolute gem that will spice up your afternoon. Kudos to blog pals Adam Kilgore and Mark Schlabach for passing it along.

- LSU, as you know, is ranked second in the country. Under Frank Beamer, Tech has never played a non-conference road game against a team ranked that high. The highest-ranked non-conference opponent the Hokies have faced on the road under Beamer is No. 6 Oklahoma in 1991. That was the first year Tech played in a conference, the Big East, and, thus, the first year it could play a non-conference game. The Hokies played at No. 2 Florida State in 1990, when both teams were independent. “We haven’t played anybody [on the road] better than this crowd right here,“ Beamer said.

- Beamer said the Hokies might practice at their indoor facility on Thursday and pipe in noise to simulate the chaos at Tiger Stadium. Tech is hosting a benefit concert at Lane Stadium that day. Last week, athletic director Jim Weaver said he’s thought a lot about how the concert will affect the field conditions. He’s cautiously optimistic that just two areas in the North end zone will require repairs.

- Beamer doesn’t anticipate changing the offensive line’s starters. But he noticed the linemen wore down toward the end of the East Carolina game. He said he wants to play more people this week. That could mean the first appearance of backup right tackle Blake DeChristopher (Clover Hill High).

- Beamer said it will be a week-to-week decision on whether true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor will play. Beamer is definitely leaving the door open to get Taylor on the field at some point this year. No sense in saying now that he will definitely redshirt. Might as well keep your options in play.