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Tulane vs Virginia Tech Military Bowl Preview and Prediction

The goal for this season was always to make a bowl game. The Hokies had to go 6-3 down the stretch to make one but they got here. This season is exactly what Tech fans were hoping for. Get back to respectability and build momentum going into 2024. After a three-win season last year, that’s all you could really hope for. Now the goal is to close the season with a bowl win to go into next year with a winning record and momentum.

SP+ Rankings (take these with a grain of salt since there are roster changes on both sides)

Virginia Tech

Overall: 50th
Offense: 64th
Defense: 46th
Special Teams: 10th

Tulane

Overall: 43rd
Offense: 58th
Defense: 36th
Special Teams: 52nd

First, let’s get out of the way who is NOT playing this game.

Tulane will be missing:

Head Coach Willie Fritz
Defensive Coordinator Shiel Wood
Defensive Backs Coach Josh Christian-Young
Wide Receivers Coach Derrick Sherman
Starting QB Michael Pratt
Starting OL Prince Pines
Starting WR Chris Brazzell II
Starting WR Jha’Quan Jackson
Starting DL Darius Hodges
Starting CB Jarius Monroe
Starting S D.J. Douglas
DB Kentrell Webb
ST Kiland Harrison

Virginia Tech will be missing:

Starting S Jalen Stroman
Starting S Nasir Peoples
Starting TE Dae’Quan Wright

The biggest loss for Tulane in this game is star QB Michael Pratt. This is the same quarterback who knocked off #10 USC in the Cotton Bowl last year. He had a great career and now is off to try and get a shot at the NFL level. That means that Tulane will be playing one of their two backups, either Kai Horton or Justin Ibieta or both. Neither has a ton of experience and they would both be relative unknowns going into this game. They player to watch while Tulane is on offense is RB Makhi Hughes. He has gone over 100 yards seven times this season. With Tulane having to go to a backup and their top WR being out, expect him to get a heavy load. The Hokies would be smart to focus on stopping the run and making Makhi Hughes a non-factor in this game.

Tulane has a stout rush defense this season. A big part of that was the contributions of Devean Deal and Keith Cooper. The game plan for this game needs to be the same as the Boston College and UVA games, run the ball with Bhayshul Tuten and Kyron Drones. An effective run game opens up the pass game for Dae’Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane. The Hokies should establish the run early to control clock and try to get up a score or two to force Tulane into passing situations.

This feels like teams going in different directions. Tulane is at the end of a great two-year run where they just lost their coach and starting QB. The Hokies are building momentum off a good 2nd half of the season and what looks like an even brighter 2024. Seems like the Hokies have the motivation / momentum edge in this game. While Tulane is not quite a 2021 Pinstripe Bowl situation, they are definitely lacking some of their big pieces going into this game. Not to mention a skeleton coaching staff. Unless this game turns into a turnover fest, looks like one that the Hokies should be able to win comfortably.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 35, Tulane 20

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How did I do with my predictions this year?

Virginia Tech Preseason Picks

On Twitter, I like to keep receipts and tell people how bad their preseason picks were but I also do the same for myself. I like to claim that “I know ball” so I keep the receipts to prove it.

I did pretty well overall and I stuck to my guns on my preseason picks. If you want to read my preseason preview, you can read it here. I had Tech going 6-6 and they went 6-6. So I feel good about that. How they got there was not exactly how I expected.

I didn’t have Tech losing to Purdue but I did have Tech losing to Pitt. Those outcomes ended up flipping and trading a loss in one game for a win in another. I didn’t feel good about Virginia Tech’s chances going out on the road in non-conference play. I felt like it was too early for them to have success on the road so early in the season. I didn’t feel like Rutgers and Marshall were world-beaters but I thought they were good enough to win those games.

Florida State and Louisville were obvious to me that those would be tough to win. I felt good about the Wake and Syracuse games. Those are teams we should be able to beat at home. BC was a tough one for me. We always seem to struggle up there. This year was totally different. We made a big-time statement on the road. With NC State, I didn’t really know what to expect. For most of the year they underperformed but they turned it on late. Lucky for us we played them late (ha!). And with Virginia, until they prove they can beat us consistently. I’m picking Tech.

GamePreseason PredictionGame Week PredictionOutcome
Old Dominion
Purdue
at Rutgers
at Marshall
Pitt
at Florida State
Wake Forest
Syracuse
at Louisville
at Boston College
NC State
at Virginia
8-4 on Preseason Picks9-3 on Game Week Picks
Virginia Tech Game by Game Predictions

ACC Preseason Picks

View my picks and my panel of Twitter experts picks here.

Preseason Picks Preseason Record Actual ACC StandingsActual RecordTreadmillhorse Commentary
12-012-0
(8-0)		I thought FSU would be good but not this good.
10-210-2
(7-1)		I thought Louisville would be kinda mid, they turned out to be really good.
10-29-3
(6-2)		NC State came on late and had a good year, I thought they would be this good in the preseason.
8-46-6
(5-3)		Big surprise. I thought Brent Key was going to be done after this year. Turned it around big-time.
8-46-6
(5-3)		Exactly where I expected them record-wise but they won one more ACC game than I thought they would.
8-48-4
(4-4)		Biggest disappointment in the ACC. Dabo is in trouble. He needs to turn this around quick.
7-58-4
(4-4)		Exactly as good as I thought they would be.
7-57-5
(4-4)		I thought they would flop this season. Now Mike Elko is the head coach at Texas A&M.
6-67-5
(3-5)		I thought they’d be a little better but only a little.
6-66-6
(3-5)		Always a solid team. I feel like BC goes 6-6 every year.
5-76-6
(2-6)		I’m not sure they have a higher ceiling than this. They might find out Dino was maxing out the potential here.
5-73-9
(2-6)		They get the silver medal for disappointment this season. Yikes. What is going on with this program?
3-93-9
(2-6)		I had them going 2-10 and they went 3-9. They had a couple of nice wins over UNC and Duke. I wouldn’t have expected that.
2-104-8
(1-7)		Dumpster fire. Maybe Dave Clawson can’t actually coach.
* The order of finish is based on the ACC Standings, not Overall Record
ACC Offensive Player of the YearDrake MayeDrake Maye had the most yards but you gotta give the nod to Jordan Travis here.
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr. There was no better defensive player than Payton Wilson this year.
ACC Coach of the YearPat Narduzzi This pick is just comical now. I think Jeff Brohm deserves the award this year.
ACC Title Winner Tune in Saturday.
ACC Awards and Title Game Winner
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Virginia vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Losing on Senior Day is always disappointing. The Hokies had a great chance to seal up a bowl bid at home and let it slip away. Now, Virginia Tech will need to get a win on the road in Charlottesville to become bowl eligible.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 60th
Offense: 73rd
Defense: 54th
Special Teams: 15th

Virginia

Overall: 96th
Offense: 89th
Defense: 99th
Special Teams: 77th

Virginia’s offense is driven by true freshman QB Anthony Colandrea. He has gone over 300 yards passing and over 60 yards rushing each of the last two games. He has been UVA’s leading rusher in both those games. He also has a great receiving option in WR Malik Washington. Washington is one of the best wide receivers the Hokies will face this season. He is already over 1,300 yards receiving with 9 touchdowns. The key to stopping the ‘Hoos offense will be to stop Colandrea. Keep him bottled up in the run game and get pressure on him. He has been sacked 15 times in his last six games. Virginia is 116th in the FBS in sacks allowed. This would be a good week for APR to get back in on the sack party.

Virginia ranks 112th in rush defense. The Hokies offense is predicated on the run. This would be a good game for Virginia Tech to establish Drones and Tuten on the ground early. Both of those guys are tough to bring down in the open field. This might also be a good week to use Jaylin Lane and Xavion Turner-Bradshaw in the run game. Use that top-end speed to make the ‘Hoos have to defend sideline to sideline. The Hokies can take care of business this week by running most of the time. They should still use Kyron Drones’ arm and Dae’Quan Felton’s deep ball ability but this is a good week to keep the ball on the ground. Old school Virginia Tech smash-mouth football.

The key to this game will be who scores first and gets up early. Both of these teams play better with the lead. They both like to get up early and use the run game to control the clock and maintain possessions. Tech needs to get pressure on Anthony Colandrea and force him into mistakes. He is a much better quarterback when he can settle in and have time to throw. Like he did against Duke. When Colandrea is getting pressured, his completion percentage goes down and he is more likely to make a mistake.

My take on this game is that UVA is feeling good about their performance against Duke and Virginia Tech is not happy about their performance against NC State. I think Virginia Tech will go into this game with something to prove. This Anthony Colandrea quote will also help to add a little extra motivation for the Hokies.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 30, Virginia 21

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NC State vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Virginia Tech needed a strong road performance. That performance against Boston College was about as good as you could ask for. The Hokies appear to be hitting their stride right now. They need one win in the next two games to be bowl eligible. Getting a win at home on Senior Day would be the best way to get there.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 62nd
Offense: 71st
Defense: 43rd
Special Teams: 15th

NC State

Overall: 42nd 
Offense: 75th
Defense: 16th
Special Teams: 17th

The NC State offense has had some real struggles this season. This offense reminds me of Virginia Tech’s offense last season. Brennan Armstrong, former UVA QB, has given the NC State offense a bit of a boost since MJ Morris decided to redshirt for the rest of the season. Brennan Armstrong is the type of QB that usually gives the Hokies trouble. He’s an accurate QB, completing nearly 60% of his passes, and is also a run threat. The Hokies will have to be focused on bottling him up the same way they did Thomas Castellanos last week. The NC State running backs don’t really scare me but they need to be accounted for in a run-first offense. Tech should make Armstrong have to throw the ball since he’s been known to throw an interception or two. This offense looks a lot like Syracuse and Boston College’s offenses.

The NC State defense is just as good as Florida State and Louisville’s. If NC State is going to win, it’s going to be with the old BeamerBall formula. Play good defense and run the ball. This is a defense that is capable of putting Virginia Tech behind the chains and make it difficult to convert first downs. The Hokies need to run their offense, which is run first to set up the pass. I like what they did against Boston College using Tuten as a lead blocker for Drones. That has the potential to work against the NC State defense. The Hokies will win if they can hit on a couple of deep balls down the field. The passing game is where you have a shot to hit on some big plays against this defense.

Virginia Tech has not played well against defenses of this caliber. They scored 17 points against Florida State and 3 points against Louisville. However, both of those games were on the road. Virginia Tech can have more success at home. The Hokies are averaging over 30 points per game at home this season. I’m not expecting them to score over 30 this week but they should score more than 17 like they did against Florida State. To win, Tech will need to find some big plays in the pass game or via a turnover or a special teams play. NC State isn’t going to give them a lot on the ground so they are going to have to find another way.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, NC State 20

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NC State Q&A with Red White Podcast

This week we are joined by Red White Podcast, an NC State blog and podcast. You can follow Red White Podcast on Twitter at @RedWhitePodcast.

Tell us about yourself and your blog.

Our blog functions more as a home for the podcast but we’re expanding coverage this year to have more written content starting with hoops season. Folks can get on the email list and find all our content at RedWhiteNetwork.com.

What are your thoughts on NC State so far this season?

Man what a roller coaster. I’m not sure there is any other way to describe it and while there are still 3 winnable games to play, I think NC State fans feel like its is another missed opportunity. Everything set up for NC State to make it to Charlotte but the offense came out of the gate miserably slow and unable to support the really disruptive defense. That cost us the Duke and Louisville games which were both winnable and advanced metrics showed NC State should have won both of those games but didn’t. They’ve sort of found a flow lately mixing in packages and leaning on Kevin Concepcion to do pretty much everything but it isn’t exactly an offense that NC State fans feel comfortable relying on.

Given the roller coaster offensively, being 6-3 at the moment with wins over Clemson and Miami feels like a pretty big accomplishment all things being considered.

What’s your favorite memory from the NC State-Virginia Tech series?

Considering we’ve only beaten VT twice in the ACC, there’s not a ton of fond memories from the NC State side in this series. Take 2020 for example. VT was decimated with transfers and no hope on the roster and comes out like they were playing in the Orange Bowl beat the brakes off of the Wolfpack 45-24.

Or the 2010 game where VT and Tyrod Taylor couldn’t do anything in the first half, scored late in the 2nd to make it 17-7 and then David Wilson takes the opening kick 92y for a TD and the game turns into a track meet which VT ended up winning.

Or what about the 24pt basketball game, that was vs VT. Fun times.

I guess I could go back to the 17-16 rock fight from last year but I’m gonna go with the 1908 game that NC State won 6-5. Fond memories of that thriller.

What do you think of the ACC’s new scheduling format?

Meh. It’s fine, we dont have to play peak-Clemson every year anymore (but does anyone? heyooo). Hard to really criticize the schedule without questioning the decision to add Cal, Standford and SMU at the same time and that treadmill horse has been beat to death.

I do like that we get to play the NC Schools on rotation. Silly that NC State and Duke have only played once in 10 years prior to this matchup but really that’s ACC leadership in a nutshell.

How do you view the current state of the Virginia Tech football program?

VT is very analogous to NC State. There are so many parallels between the schools, fans, and program that I hold VT in high-regard. Just like NC State, the fans show up and support their team no matter how big of a dumpster fire the program is. Albeit VT doesn’t have as many dumpster fire years as NC State does but the last 10 haven’t been great but they still pack Lane Stadium.

I did think Fuente would be a decent hire and just like Tom O’Brien did at NC State he left the roster devoid of talent. The Hokies will be able to dig out of it but it is a process to rebuild that brand now. Brent Pry has shown promise and I thought VT was trending the right direction before they laid an egg against Louisville. I really don’t think they are as bad as their record and just going through some growing pains as they retool the roster.

What is your outlook for the future of the ACC?

Dead. ACC is spinning its wheels in the mud and there is no sign of recovering. I have no faith in the ACC leadership as it stands now to pull the league through the changing landscape of college football. That is not just a shot at the commissioner, its a shot at all the ACC Presidents too. They are the ones who could be demanding change but instead they go out and add two more academic schools who stink at football and yet another small private school.

It is so disheartening to see the league erode as it is now and the leadership to seemingly do nothing about it b/c they are happy they think the grant of rights will keep the league together. The reality is, a crafty lawyer or two will find a way for Clemson or FSU to get out and the whole thing will be come crashing down.

What conference do you see NC State belonging to in the next 5-10 years?

Eh, I suspect NC State leadership will take whatever path is easiest and that means staying put in the ACC, as sad as that is.

What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?

No one knows what you’re gonna get from NC State other than a stout and disruptive defense and schizophrenia on offense.

The offense will lean on and revolve around Kevin Concepcion and he’s elite but with the QB news of the week (MJ redshirting and Armstrong starting), I don’t know what to expect from the offense. If Brennan doesn’t try to do too much, and they keep leaning on the playmakers, we’ll be ok but his propensity to turn the ball over is what worries me.

Defensively, just watch #11. You won’t see many like him. He plays the game 110mph at all times and is one of the best defensively players to come through NC State and the ACC. He is must see TV. The defensive front is stout and has shown the ability to take away the run game for almost every team not name Notre Dame (although i still think we win that game if it doesnt get rain delayed). The corners are strong and can be relied upon but the injury-riddle safety position can be a liability. Teams like Miami were able to find success with the screen game and exploiting NC State’s aggressiveness is how you beat them.

If we don’t turn the ball over on offense we have a chance. NC State will make VT do whatever it is they don’t do well in order to beat them. That’s almost a certainty with Tony Gibson’s defense.

What’s your prediction for the game?

Neither team knows how to advance the ball passed the 50-yard line and both teams end up starring at each other for 60 minutes. The game goes to 11 overtimes before it is mercifully ended by an NC State safety. Pack wins 2-0.

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Iowa Women’s Basketball Q&A with Holly&Go

This week we are joined by Iowa podcaster Holly&Go from the Hot Mess Happy Hour podcast. You can follow Holly on Twitter @hawkchick11.

Tell us about yourself and your podcast. 

A little about me, I was born and raised in Iowa and I have been a Hawkeye fan since birth, and that fandom has been passed down to my son who will be attending UI next fall. I’m a season ticket holder for Iowa football (yes, the last two seasons have been painful) and I try to make it to men’s and women’s basketball games, volleyball, and wrestling since I live close to Iowa City. I’m really excited that Iowa has added women’s wrestling, so I plan on attending a dual to watch them too!

I have a podcast with my friend Amy called Hot Mess Happy Hour with the Wing Chicks. You can listen to us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Our friend Jess is the third Wing Chick, she is taking a break at the moment. We all met at a burlesque dance studio in our area several years ago, and hilarity/ridiculousness has been happening ever since. We were told for a few years that we should have a podcast so we took the plunge a year ago. We talk about a lot of topics, usually funny, but we talk about serious topics too. One of our favorites is what it is like being a woman who loves sports and all of the crap that goes along with it. There’s a reason it’s called Hot Mess Happy Hour so be prepared!

We all know Caitlin Clark but who else should Virginia Tech be keeping an eye out for tonight? 

Well, I would hope everyone knows about Caitlin Clark but another name everyone should learn is Hannah Stuelke. She is a sophomore, averaged 6.5 points and almost 4 rebounds in 13 minutes last year and she was the 2022-23 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year. Hannah is going to have an even bigger role this year for the Hawkeyes after some departures and I am really excited to see what she can do. She’s already shown improvement in the exhibition games and the first game this season. 

Tell us a little bit about the history of Iowa women’s basketball for those of us who aren’t familiar prior to the Caitlin Clark era. 

Iowa women’s basketball has been pretty solid since the 1990’s when we had C. Vivian Stringer as our coach. Coach Stringer was such an influential part of Iowa women’s basketball, I remember watching her when I was a kid and thinking she was just the coolest person ever. There has only been a handful of seasons since her time at Iowa where the team did not make the NCAA tournament. After Coach Stringer left, we had Angie Lee, who I understand was an assistant coach at Virginia Tech for a few years after she left Iowa. Coach Lisa Bluder is the fifth coach in program history and has been with the Hawkeyes since 2000. I think we’re at 15+ tournament appearances in her time at Iowa. Last year was the first time the team made it to the Final Four since 1993, and it was the first time the team made it to the championship game, so it has been a pretty exciting time for Iowa women’s basketball. 

What do you think about Virginia Tech’s women’s basketball program?

I am not super familiar with the Virginia Tech women’s basketball program but I did get to watch their Final Four game against LSU last year. I was pulling for them, I thought they would have been a great match up for Iowa. I’m excited to see how the teams matchup in this game.

What do you think games like the Ally Tip-Off do to grow the women’s game? 

I think it’s awesome that there are more opportunities like this for women’s basketball. Last month, Iowa did an exhibition game in Kinnick Stadium that had over 56,000 people attending, and thousands more watching on tv. I know the NCAA tournament had a massive increase in viewers last year, which just proves that people will watch if they are given access. Anything that can be done to grow the sport is amazing, and events like the Ally Tip-Off do just that. 

What’s your prediction for the game?

Iowa wins 79-68.

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Boston College vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

That game against Louisville was a BEATDOWN. The Hokies were outclassed on offense, defense and special teams. It’s disappointing to have a no-show in such a big game but the goal for this season was always to make a bowl game. And that’s what the Hokies should focus on in these next three games.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 66th
Offense: 88th
Defense: 43rd
Special Teams: 17th

Boston College

Overall: 78th
Offense: 78th
Defense: 64th
Special Teams: 93rd


The key to stopping Boston College is to stop their run game. This year they are nearly a lock to rush for 200 yards every time out. They have a two-man offense with Thomas Castellanos and Kye Robichaux. The Hokies need to sellout to stop the run in this game. They should consider mixing in run blitzes to get the BC offense off-schedule. This is a game where if you get beat through the air, so be it. But don’t let them beat you on the ground.

The formula for Virginia Tech on offense is the same as Boston College. Tech needs to run the ball. This needs to be the Drones-Tuten show. Keep running read option and make the BC defense stop it. The goal needs to be to show a lot of motion and misdirection to keep the defense from keying in on one rusher. It may be a good idea to get Jaylin Lane involved in a couple of jet sweeps or reverses too.

What worries me most about this game is BC’s ability to get yards on the ground, no matter who they are playing. Virginia Tech has to show up ready to fill gaps in the run game and shut that down. If Tech plays like they have in the rest of their road games this season, it’s going to be a long day. They need to show that their run stopping abilities can travel on the road with them. A noon start at BC also has snoozer written all over it. The Hokies need to BYOE (bring your own energy) and be ready to play from the opening whistle. I’m going to go with Tech in this game. They can play better than they did against Louisville and it sounds like BC’s top two rushers might be a little banged up going into this game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 24

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Louisville vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

This is the best that Virginia Tech football has looked in a couple of years. The offense, defense and special teams all appear to be getting the job done right now. The last three wins have not come against great competition but it has been an opportunity for the Hokies to build some confidence. They looked like a very confident team on Thursday against Syracuse.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 59th
Offense: 80th
Defense: 37th
Special Teams: 22nd

Louisville

Overall: 24th
Offense: 32nd
Defense: 19th
Special Teams: 41st


Louisville’s offense is predicated on the run. They lean on star RB Jawhar Jordan to do the heavy lifting. The one game where he went out early is the only game they have lost this season. Virginia Tech should focus on bottling up Jordan and make QB Jack Plummer beat them with his arm. This should be a good test for the Virginia Tech defense that has had trouble stopping the run against talented running backs this season.

Louisville is top-10 in the nation at stopping the run. If the Hokies hope to move the ball against this defense, it will have to be through the air. This is a game where Tech will need Jaylin Lane and Da’Quan Felton to show up huge in the passing game. Louisville is not going to let Tech’s running game have a day like they did against Syracuse.

Louisville is an extremely well-coached team. This team has done an exceptional job of handling their business this year. They have talent, they are well-coached and have a good gameplan each week. On paper, Louisville should be the clear #2 team in the ACC right now behind Florida State. Virginia Tech has a chance in this game. They need to come in an play their best game of the season. They need a clean game defensively where they do not give up big runs to Jawhar Jordan. And they need to be turnover-free on offense. Based on how Tech has been playing recently, I think they can keep this a competitive game but Louisville is clearly one step ahead of where the Hokies are right now.

Prediction: Louisville 33, Virginia Tech 23

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Syracuse vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

For the first time in the Brent Pry era, Virginia Tech appears to be playing good football. The Hokies thoroughly handled Wake Forest before going into their bye week. The big concern now is how will the Hokies show up post-bye week. Will they look rusty? Or will they be able to maintain the momentum they had prior to the week off?

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 66th
Offense: 86th
Defense: 39th
Special Teams: 36th

Syracuse

Overall: 48th
Offense: 67th
Defense: 40th
Special Teams: 65th


Syracuse is pretty solid all around on offense. Jason Beck, former UVA QB coach under Bronco Mendenhall, remains at Syracuse and he has done a good job with QB Garrett Shrader. They like to balance the run with the pass and lean on Shrader and RB LeQuint Allen to get yards on the ground. Allen is a capable runner but thus far this season has not been a home run threat. The longest run that Syracuse has this season is 39 yards. The Hokies need to focus on bottling up those two in the run game and make Garrett Shrader beat them with his arm.

Syracuse’s big weakness on defense is defending the pass. They rank 111th in the country in passing yard allowed. This week, Kyron Drones needs to show that he is more than just a runner. After throwing for over 300 yards against Wake Forest, Drones needs to show he can do it again. While the Syracuse run defense isn’t great, the pass game is where the Hokies will want to attack them. Once again, the Hokies need to set up the pass game with an effective run game behind Drones and Tuten.

This matchup does not scare me, particularly at home. I’m more worried about the Hokies getting off to a slow start after the bye week. This is the type of game where a slow start could doom Tech. The formula for this game needs to be for the defense to feed off a great atmosphere to get off to a good start until the offense can get into a rhythm. This would be a good week to get the pass catching weapons involved like Jaylin Lane, Dae’Quan Felton and Stephen Gosnell. This looks like a close game but I like the Hokies at home on Thursday night.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Syracuse 24