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Old Dominion Q&A with Mike Langston of ODU Monarchists

Mike Langston is the founder of ODU Monarchists and an ODU alum. You can follow him on Twitter at @ODUMonarchists. You can also check out his podcast at the-monarchists.captivate.fm and at ODUMonarchists.com. Mike joined us this week for a game week Q&A.

Tell us about yourself and your podcast.

Our group, the Monarchists, is made up of about 18 folks and our significant others. This group has evolved quite a bit over the years going from just a twitter DM group to a tailgating group and now we’re a media outlet with 2 podcasts (one in partnership with ODU hoops). We still tailgate together, but throughout we have done our best to find the next charity or ODU team to support.

So far, we’ve helped raise over $60k for Old Dominion Athletics, as well as collecting thousands for Toys for Tots. We take a lot of pride in that. 

In 2022, Aaron Zielinksi and I decided to start a podcast to help support our fundraising efforts. This fall our group launched our website (odumonarchists.com) with the goal of supporting the program even more.

Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for Old Dominion this season?

We are in a state of major transition. We have 58 new players and are replacing quite a few starters. This includes three NFL draftees and a number of transfers, most notably VT WR Ali Jennings. Last season was a failure due to an offense that just plain didn’t work and required an overhaul this offseason.

Coach Rahne brought in a new offensive coordinator, Kevin Decker, who brings a new system from his stint at Fordham. Coach Decker’s offense is similar to Josh Heupel’s spread offense at Tennessee with modern Air Raid concepts and the ability to run in space. Like Heupel’s, the offense is spread out to the barriers of the field, is up tempo and has been wildly successful. Fordham averaged over 400 yards passing and 49.5 points per game in 2022.  He brought with him QB Grant Wilson who was just named the starter. Offensive line coach Alex Huettel also followed Decker to ODU and has already had an impact on the O Line bringing in some talented experience and improved their unit chemistry.

Once the offense starts clicking, this team will be a lot of fun to watch. It’s going to take some time and we have a pretty tough schedule lined up (VT, Wake, Liberty and the Sun Belt East).

Our defense is solid but needs to develop proven depth, especially at cornerback. The bend don’t break style we play combined with often short offensive drives, made for a tired defense late in games. This resulted in ODU’s defense being on the field more than any other defensive unit in the country.  

So, I expect to see an offense that is capable of moving the ball more consistently and think that will result in a more competitive team. It might not result in too many more wins early, but it’ll be a lot more fun to watch.

What are your thoughts on playing Virginia Tech in Lane Stadium for a night game?

Playing at night in Lane is both exciting and daunting. Our group is making the trip and I am looking forward to experiencing Enter Sandman at night for the first time. Everyone knows no matter how good or bad the Hokies are, they are a different beast at night in Lane. Should be a great environment.

How do you view the Virginia Tech program since going 2-2 against the Hokies since 2017?

If any Monarch tells you they expected to have 2 wins in the series already, they are lying. But I still view the program similarly to how we did when the series was first announced. Virginia Tech has the biggest fanbase, the best program support structure and facilities in the Commonwealth, and while y’all are down from the Fuente fiasco, the Hokies still provide an amazing challenge and a great measuring stick for a program as young as ours.

Are you excited about ODU joining the Sun Belt Conference?

We love the move to the Sun Belt. After our painful stint in CUSA, it’s a breath of fresh air to be in a regional division with programs that are easier to travel to and who have fan bases that care like App State, Georgia Southern, Marshall and JMU. It’s also nice to not have to be overly concerned about all this realignment drama.

What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?

This game could go a number of ways for ODU. It’ll be our QBs first ever start in a brand new offense for our team, on the road at night in one of the best environments in college football. So it could easily blow up in our faces. Or the offense could click early and make this a competitive game. I know we have the talent to compete. Our starting back, Kadarius Calloway, is an exceptional talent in an offense that makes finding running lanes a lot easier. But will the passing game click from the jump? I honestly don’t know. I do know we have a good knack for turning Grant Wells over and our defense remains talented. So if I was betting I’d tease the under up a few points, bet ODU on the spread, and take VT moneyline.

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2023 ACC Football Preseason Predictions

This week we are doing ACC preseason predictions from our favorite Hokie podcast and Twitter personalities. We are joined by @OX_VT, @PeteBVT from the Two Deep Podcast, Brian Seigla from the Boundary Corner Podcast, Dan (@Visionary_SZN) from the Tales from the Terrordome Podcast, @DriftVT from the @VT4L Podcast and Hokie Pharmacist from Main Street Pharmacy with their picks for the 2023 ACC football season.

Treadmillhorse (@treadmillhorse)
12-0
10-2
10-2
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
5-7
3-9
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearDrake Maye
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearPat Narduzzi
ACC Title Winner
OX_VT (@OX_VT)
10-2
9-3
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
4-8
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearBrennan Armstrong
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearBrent Pry
ACC Title Winner
Pete B. (@PeteBVT)
from the Two Deep Podcast
11-1
11-1
8-4
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
2-10
ACC Offensive Player of the YearWill Shipley
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
Brian Seigla (@Seig5052)
from the Boundary Corner Podcast
12-0
10-2
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
5-7
4-8
4-8
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearDrake Maye
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
Dan (@Visionary_SZN)
from the Tales from the TerrorDome Podcast
10-2
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
5-7
4-8
3-9
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearBrennan Armstrong
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJared Verse
ACC Coach of the YearMike Norvell
ACC Title Winner
@DriftVT
from the @VT4L Podcast
11-1
9-3
9-3
8-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
6-6
6-6
6-6
6-6
4-8
3-9
2-10

ACC Offensive Player of the YearJordan Travis
ACC Defensive Player of the YearJeremiah Trotter Jr.
ACC Coach of the YearMario Cristobal
ACC Title Winner
Hokie Pharmacist (@HokiePharmacist) *
12-0*
12-0
10-2
9-3
9-3
9-3
8-4
8-4
7-5
5-7
5-7
4-8
4-8
0-12

ACC Offensive Player of the YearGrant Wells*
ACC Defensive Player of the YearDrake Maye*
ACC Coach of the YearDave Clawson
ACC Title Winner

* See the full Hokie Pharmacist Twitter thread here:

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2023 Virginia Tech Season Preview

Virginia Tech is hoping to bounce back from its worst season in 30 years. 3 win seasons are rare in Blacksburg and Brent Pry is hoping to get bowl eligible after a challenging first season.

Coaching Staff:

Brent Pry enters his second season in Blacksburg. Pry struggled in his first season after inheriting a roster with many departures from the previous coaching staff. This season Tyler Bowen will be running the offense as the one-and-only offensive coordinator. Last season, he split the role with Brad Glenn who has since moved on to Cincinnati. This season will hinge on Bowen’s ability get more out of the offense than last season. He will need to be more creative and install an offense that makes sense with the personnel he has.

Offense:

The Hokies’ offense struggled last season leading to historically bad results. Tech had trouble run blocking and receivers had a tough time getting open. That along with an injury to Malachi Thomas led to an offense that couldn’t move the ball consistently.

The good news for this season is that Tech loaded up on capable offensive threats through the transfer portal. The coaching staff brought in Ali Jennings from ODU, Jaylin Lane from Middle Tennessee State and Bhayshul Tuten from North Carolina A&T. All these players have shown explosive abilities at their previous stops. These additions should add some explosive targets for Grant Wells in the passing game and another threat in the running game.

Grant Wells is a capable quarterback. Last year’s performance had a lot to do with a line that couldn’t block and receivers who couldn’t get open. Not to mention an injury to his number one running back. Few quarterbacks would perform well under those conditions. Even with that, he graded out as an average quarterback in the ACC. With more help this season, you should see those numbers improve. His most important task is cutting down on turnovers. Even with Wells in a game manager role, this offense can be successful.

The biggest area to watch for is the play of the offensive line. How do they respond to new coach Ron Crooks? Can he turn them into a productive group? Or does it look like last year’s group that struggled to run and pass block most of the season? My guess is that Crooks’ scheme will fit better with what Bowen is trying to do on offense.

Defense:

Brent Pry’s specialty is defense and we should see more out of that group compared to last season. Since Pry arrived he has prioritized size and speed on the defense. This group is slowly getting more athletic than the group Pry inherited from the previous coaching staff. Pry’s staff has made that a focus in recruiting and in the transfer portal.

The Hokies’ secondary will once again be the strength of the defense with Mansoor Delane and Dorian Strong starting at cornerback. The defense’s ability to create turnovers and limit big plays will be pivotal to the team’s success. The Hokies ranked 129th out of 131 teams in generating turnovers last season. That must change this season in order to improve on last year’s 3-win season.

The biggest question marks for this defense are at defensive end and linebacker. If Brent Pry can find a couple of young guys to step up at those positions this should be a pretty solid group. If not, this could be an average defense like last year’s.

Key Players to Watch:

Quarterback Grant Wells: Wells had a 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio last season. That has to improve for Tech’s offense to be a threat in 2023.

Running Back Malachi Thomas: This offense needs a consistent chain-mover in short yardage. In order for the offense to come around, we need to see Thomas return to his 2021 form.

Defensive Back Mansoor Delane: One of the top cornerbacks in the ACC entering 2023. He needs to back up the hype as a lockdown corner for this defense and become a ballhawk who can turn the ball over to the offense when it comes his way.

Non-Conference Matchups:

Virginia Tech has a manageable non-conference slate. They need a win against Old Dominion in the worst way. This staff cannot afford another loss to an in-state Group of 5 program. There are good opportunities for Power 5 wins against Purdue at home and Rutgers on the road. And finally, don’t overlook that road game against Marshall. Marshall won 9 games last season and will be far from a pushover this season.

ACC Outlook:

After the media picked the Hokies to finish 11th in the ACC preseason poll, the Hokies will have their work cut out for them. If the Hokies can build on the progress they made on defense last season, they should be able to outperform these expectations.

Conclusion:

When Brent Pry took the position of head coach, this job was always going to be a multi-year rebuild. The cupboards were pretty bare when he got here. After bottoming out with a 3-win season, it looks like the outlook is brighter but it is going to be a year-by-year process. The goal for this season should be six wins and a bowl game. Anything more than that is gravy.

Tough games (<40% chance to win)

Pitt. Florida State. Syracuse. Louisville. NC State. The goal here is to try to steal one or two of these games. They are winnable but tougher than the rest.

Toss-up games (50-50 games)

Purdue. Rutgers. Marshall. Wake Forest. Boston College. Virginia. These games will be the difference between 8-4 and 4-8. VT must win at least three of these.

Should win games (>60% to win)

Old Dominion. Tech can’t afford to stub their toe again here especially not at home.

Key games for the Hokies: Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia.

Upset Alert: at Marshall

Game By Game Predictions

Old Dominion
Purdue
at Rutgers
at Marshall
Pitt
at Florida State
Wake Forest
Syracuse
at Louisville
at Boston College
NC State
at Virginia
Virginia Tech Game by Game Predictions


Final Regular Season Record: 6-6 (4-4 in the ACC)
Expected finish: 7th in the ACC

Bowl Game:

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How did I do with my predictions this year?

I did a little better on my picks this year than last year. But I thought this team would be much better in the preseason than they actually were. I thought the offense would not have a drop off from Corn’s offense — boy, was I wrong about that. I saw a lot of winnable games and I thought an improved defense combined with a similar offense would get VT over-the-hump to 8 wins. The offense falling off the face of the earth really hurt this team. If VT can find a way to get a more cohesive offensive game plan next year, I think we could see a big improvement in wins and losses. Luckily for the Hokies, there is nowhere to go but up. Can’t get any worse than this season. The coaches need to get really active in the portal this offseason. This team needs more game breakers on offense.

GamePreseason PredictionGame Week PredictionActual Outcome
at Old Dominion (Fri.)This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg❌VT 30 – 20❌ODU 20 – 17
Boston CollegeThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg✅VT 24 – 20✅VT 27 – 10
WoffordThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg✅VT 38 – 0✅VT 27 – 7
West Virginia (Thurs.)This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg❌VT 24 – 21❌WVU 33 – 10
at North Carolinahttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_logo.svg/300px-North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_logo.svg.png✅UNC 35 – 21✅UNC 41 – 10
at Pitt✅Pitt 33 – 10✅Pitt 45 – 29
MiamiMiami Hurricanes - Wikipedia✅Miami 28 – 21✅Miami 20 – 14
at NC State (Thurs.)✅NC State 24 – 10✅NC State 22-21
Georgia TechThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg❌VT 28 – 21❌GT 28 – 27
at DukeThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg❌Duke 31 – 17✅Duke 24 – 7
at LibertyThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo-white.svg✅Liberty 24-13
(pick made by @DriftVT)		❌VT 23 – 22
Preseason Picks:
7-4		Game Week Picks:
7-4

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Liberty vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

This week we have a guest contributor @DriftVT from Twitter writing this week’s preview.

Before we get into the preview, please consider giving to a GoFundMe to support the families affected by the shooting in Charlottesville this week: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/uva-shooting-help

After back-to-back collapses against NC State and Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech was completely outmatched by the Duke Blue Devils this past weekend. A game that left most Virginia Tech fans feeling demoralized. It was a tough game to watch, as Virginia Tech took the lead to start the game, and failed to score again. Losing even against the spread which was 9.5 in favor of Duke.

Moving forward to this week, Virginia Tech is playing the best program in the state of Virginia, in Liberty. Hugh Freeze has built a winning G5 program, and he was recently signed to an extension keeping him at Liberty for years to come. Until the SEC gives him a ring.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 98th
Offense: 123rd
Defense: 48th
Special Teams: 82nd

Liberty

Overall: 73rd
Offense: 81st
Defense: 49th
Special Teams: 87th

In order for Virginia Tech to contain this Liberty offense, they will need to slow down Demario Douglas. From Jacksonville, FL, Demario has 830 yards this season on 56 catches, which is already a season high for him. He is a shifty mismatch nightmare for defenses to contain and it begs the question, who will Virginia Tech put on him? Usually in this scenario, Chamari Conner or DJ Harvey will cover the slot in man coverage. I’d expect to see more zone this week as I do not believe the staff will be comfortable playing man coverage against him all game. 

On the offensive side of the ball, the Hokies still look completely lost. Everything looks difficult and forced. At least we have been able to snap the ball without false starting every play, which has been about the only improvement. In terms of what works; well, nothing really, outside of throwing the ball downfield to Kaleb Smith. Virginia Tech will have to do whatever they can to score at least 20 points to keep this game within reach. And they’ll need the defense to gift them a turnover as well. 

There are quite a few fans calling for Tyler Bowen to be fired, and while I am completely uninspired by his performance this season, I don’t think he will be let go. I think Pry would like to keep the same staff heading into next season, hoping to learn and grow as a unit. While a new OC could help, I think it might be too soon to cut the cord. 

Up until after the Georgia Tech game, I had said on Twitter just how far one of these games would help recruiting in Virginia if Pry could squeak one or two out. We thought we had it with Miami, then NC State, and then Georgia Tech. If we get blown out this weekend, it will seriously damage the moral of the fanbase and all the buzz around the program. I really think a win here, while unlikely, could go a very long way in repairing some of the damage done by previous staff. Remember, it is a revenge game for the Hokies. 

Even with that being said, here’s my prediction:

Liberty 24, Virginia Tech 13

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Duke vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

For the third time this season, the Hokies have collapsed at the end of a game. A game they should have had in hand and failed to put away. This is a trend that has been present for the last few years. It’s a losing mentality. When this team encounters any adversity, they fold like a cheap tent. There are reasons like talent and depth that this team wears out late in game. But that’s only part of the answer. The other part is a psychology of losing that this team can’t seem to kick.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 91st
Offense: 116th
Defense: 48th
Special Teams: 49th

Duke

Overall: 76th
Offense: 61st
Defense: 80th
Special Teams: 53rd

It’s been a while but Duke is good at football again. Mike Elko has done an awesome job of getting the most out of the roster he inherited from David Cutcliffe. This is what VT fans were hoping for from the Pry era but it appears that Duke had a more ready-made roster. Duke has a very good rushing offense that will give the Hokies trouble. Particularly rushing from the QB position. Expect the Hokies to play a lot of zone to try to keep the Duke running game in check. There will be a lot of rushing yards from Duke QB Riley Leonard, especially from read option plays.

Duke’s defense is vulnerable against the pass. Unfortunately, VT’s passing offense is not consistent enough to take advantage of it. The Hokies show flashes here and there in the passing game but it’s not enough. If there was a game where the Tech should focus on airing it out a bit, it’s this game. The Hokies should focus on targeting Kaleb Smith, Dae’Quan Wright and Nick Gallo downfield. This is also a good opportunity for guys like Da’Wain Lofton and Stephen Gosnell to step up in the passing game. The Hokies won’t be able to score much in this game from their run-based offense. They will need some downfield throws to move the ball against a stout Duke defense.

It seems like everything has been a struggle for the Hokies this season. Do they have a chance in this game? Of course. But Duke seems like they are firing on all cylinders based on their roster. Tech is still trying to figure things out. The best thing for Tech to do is forget all the negative plays and bad energy and focus on going 1-0. This team has the talent to win but they need to put a complete game together. There are only three more opportunities to get that done this year. Let’s see if they can finish the season strong.

Prediction: Duke 31, Virginia Tech 17

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Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

That NC State loss was a tough one to swallow. Virginia Tech did what they needed to do to win but couldn’t close the deal. After NC State scored their first touchdown, the Hokies went into expect-to-lose mode. That game felt like a carryover from the Fuente era. We have seen more than a few games play out like that over the last few years. This program has a losing culture right now. They need to start changing that mentality if they want to move forward and build a winning program again.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 91st
Offense: 117th
Defense: 49th
Special Teams: 49th

Georgia Tech

Overall: 97th
Offense: 106th
Defense: 83rd
Special Teams: 89th

Grant Wells should be able to make plays against Georgia Tech’s secondary. The Hokies offense just needs to avoid being one-dimensional. Running into the interior of the line over and over again will not work. The Hokies need to open up their passing attack and press the edges of the defense with outside runs. VT should try more misdirection and read options. Right now, the offense is just to easy to read for defenses. The Hokies also need to try to get the ball in the hands of Keshawn King and Bryce Duke in open space. Whether it be via outside runs or quick screen passes. They were far too predictable on offense against NC State.

https://twitter.com/All_Things_VT/status/1587330216984051712

This game will come down to whether Jeff Sims is healthy enough to play and be effective. The Georgia Tech offense is much better with him behind center. Even if Jeff Sims is available, the Georgia Tech offense hasn’t had much to write home about this year. Like the Hokies, they are one of the worst Power 5 offenses in the nation. They run the ball a little better than they throw it but they are not really good at either. This is where the Hokies’ defense should have a significant advantage.

This game represents the Hokies best chance of getting a win the rest of the season. If the defense plays well and can limit the GT offense, I see the Hokies having a good chance to win. If Jeff Sims shows up and is healthy, he’s the best player on the field and could be the difference. All things being equal, the Hokies will put enough together on offense and defense to squeak a victory. I hope they find a way to play more than one quarter of offense this week.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 28, Georgia Tech 21

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Georgia Tech Q&A with Talkin’ ACC Sports

This week we are joined by Jeffrey Fann from @TalkinACCSports.

Tell us about yourself and All Sports Discussion. 

I am graduate of Georgia Tech and Clemson grew up a fan of ACC Basketball. Those were the collegiate sports I’ve watched the most and I started All Sports Discussion about 10 years ago because I spent so much time talking about ACC sports, I figured I’d start sharing it. I didn’t think the ACC got fair coverage in media and I want to the voice that too. I started an ACC podcast with @Hokiesmash_ASD a couple of years after that and that’s a lot of fun. He usually lines up the guests freeing me up to write. 

Tell us about your team this year. What are your thoughts on Georgia Tech this season?

The best thing about the Georgia Tech season was the day Geoff Collins was fired. He was a total disaster as a head coach. The season was going nowhere when he was there. For a couple of games after his firing Georgia Tech played some inspired football and beat Pittsburgh and Duke, but with the injury to QB Jeff Sims and his status unknown the offense just can’t move the ball. Defensively, they have had some good moments since Collins was fired, and is a decent unit. I feel like the bowl chances are gone, but there will be a game where things break right and they win one more time. 

What do you think about the job that Brent Key has done so far?

He’s made the special teams a respectable unit. That in itself is a win as it was a total mess with Collins. He brought accountability to the team and a sense of cohesion. The back to back wins made you feel good about Georgia Tech football for the first time in years. Unfortunately, the injury to Sims limits what he can do. Overall, he’s done a pretty decent job taking over and making Georgia Tech look functional. Just getting functional was a big upgrade over the previous coach. 

How do you feel about the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech annual rivalry coming to an end?

I think it’s had better days for sure, but in it’s hey day when both were competing for Coastal division titles, it was one of the most underrated annual games in the ACC. With the frequency that they will still play I will miss the game, but they’ll meet often to maintain a good sense of rivalry.  

What’s your favorite memory from the rivalry? 

The 2009 game that Georgia Tech won 28-23 over a top 5 ranked Virginia Tech. There was a lot of talk that the 2nd time around seeing Paul Johnson’s triple option that teams would be on to it. That was a really good Hokie team and it convinced me that Paul Johnson had a chance to win a lot more games. He did and it start with game. QB Josh Nesbitt was warrior in that one. 

What’s your outlook on the future of the ACC? 

 That’s a good question. I think for the next 5-7 years nothing happens regarding team movement, but the TV Deal in comparison to the Big 10 and SEC is a problem. I don’t think the ACC is catching them, no matter what they do. What the ACC must do is get well ahead of the Big 12 and Pac 12 to be solidly in third. I do think you’ll see adjustments to the TV deal, but will it be enough? It would be nice if ACC commissioner Jim Phillips would be more transparent in what he is doing to raise ACC revenues. He’s been far too quiet on the matter. 

What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game? 

It all depends on the status of QB Jeff Sims. Zach Pryon showed some ability against Florida State, but he’s really inexperienced. That’s a bad combination on the road, against a pretty good defense. I think the defense can limit Virginia Tech’s inconsistent offense and I’d like see Pryon continue to develop. 

What’s your prediction for the game?

I expect Sims to not play or be very limited, and Virginia Tech showed some good things on offense against NC State. 

These feel like a defensive battle but one that goes in the Hokies favor 20-10.  

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NC State vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

The Hokies offense caught fire in the fourth quarter against Miami. Does that mean they’ve turned the corner? We don’t know yet. Sometimes a good quarter means something and sometimes it doesn’t mean anything at all. The Hokies will need to build on that fourth quarter if they have any hope of beating a good NC State team.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 88th
Offense: 115th
Defense: 41st
Special Teams: 30th

NC State

Overall: 41st
Offense: 82nd
Defense: 12th
Special Teams: 25th

The key mismatch in this game is the NC State defense vs the Virginia Tech offense. It’s big-time strength vs big-time weakness. The Hokies struggle to move the ball against bad defenses and I’d call NC State’s defense a very good one. The Hokies looked like they were turning the corner against Miami but the Wolfpack defense could set them back to square one. The Hokies will have to get creative to try to move the ball against this defense. Running into the interior of the line over and over again is not going to work. They need to incorporate some misdirection and get their running backs out in space if they want to have success this week.

NC State is missing QB Devin Leary but it won’t matter. Virginia Tech’s defense is good enough to keep VT in the game. However, the NC State offense will not have to do much to get a win. The Hokies offense will not be able to move the ball very much against the ‘Pack defense. So if the ‘Pack are able to score more than 10, it might be game over for the Hokies.

These teams are mirror images of each other but NC State does everything that VT does but better. This NC State team reminds me a lot of how VT would play back in the day. The offense didn’t have to score much for the Hokies to win. They could rely on a turnover and short field to put some points on the board. Expect a low-scoring affair that may drop below the O/U of 40 — which is already pretty low. I expect for NC State to turn a couple of short fields into points. It won’t be a pretty game and NC State should find a way to put it away by a couple of scores.

Prediction: NC State 24, Virginia Tech 10

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NC State Q&A with Tuffy Talk

This week we are joined by NC State podcast Tuffy Talk (@TuffyTalkNow).

Tell us about yourself and your podcast.

Tuffy Talk is an NC State Youtube Channel that covers and discusses ALL NC State Sports, and is run by five die-hard NC State fans.  We post 2 episodes a week, along with doing a Live Show every Monday Night at 8:00 PM, along with doing different content, such as vlogs and watch parties. We also export the audio for our content, so if you can watch us on our Youtube Channel, you can listen to us on ALL major podcast platforms.

Tell us about your team this year. What are your thoughts on NC State so far this season?

Definitely has been a roller coaster to say the least.  Very grateful to escape ECU and FSU with a win, as those were games that history has shown, would not normally be in our favor.  We were dealt a HUGE blow last week, with the announcement of our starting QB, Devin Leary, being ruled out for the season.  We still have a lot of key weapons and both of our losses are against Top 20 teams on the road. 

How do you feel about Virginia Tech finally coming back to play a game in Raleigh?

Should be an EXCITING environment!  Excited to play under the lights and see what will come of this ACC matchup!

Are you happy with the ACC’s new scheduling model?

I think every team in the Atlantic Division LOVES it, and every team in the Coastal Division HATES it lol.  Was definitely bummed that we will not be playing WF every year anymore, as that is one of the nation’s longest running rivalries.  But looking forward to having a more balanced schedule across the ACC and playing different opponents each year.

What’s your outlook on the future of the ACC? 

A TON of new coaches and a TON of programs on the rise.  I think the new scheduling model will really stir up the future ACC seasons.

What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game? 

For this game, I am really focusing on what NC State does.  Offensively, we GOTTA figure out a way to put Jack Chambers in a position to be successful and get our WR’s move involved.  We really have relied on Thayer Thomas this year, but have guys like Devin Carter and up and coming WR Julian Gray, get more involved.  Defensively, we need to be more technically sound.  Missed a TON of tackles and had many missed assignments and missed opportunities, but this is a defense that CAN be dominant, if they play like we expect them to.

What’s your prediction for the game?

I think the bye week could not have come at a better time.  Having that extra week to regroup and get some players healthy and play back at home next is HUGE.  Should be a tough environment for VT to come into, and I think that will definitely have an effect.  A lot of questions for NC State coming into this game, which could make this game go in 100 different directions.  But I am going to say that we have a huge bounce back game, defense gets back where it needs to be, and we take care of business, 24-14.