Tag: football

Posted on

Wofford vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date/Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Kickoff: 12:00pm, Saturday, September 20th
Broadcast: ACC Network Extra / ESPN+

A coaching change was badly needed. The administration made the right decision because prolonging it was not going to do any good. A coaching change gives this team a chance at a new opportunity under a new head coach. That doesn’t always work out but this team was in need of a reset. In the last two games, it looked like they had quit on this coaching staff. That’s not acceptable no matter who is coaching. Hopefully, Coach Monty can motivate the boys to play for each other and finish the season strong.

Wofford is a team that the Hokies should be able to line up and beat in almost every matchup. Tech should have a significant size and speed advantage. With a VT offense that has struggled so far this year, if I were Coach Monty I’d line up and run the ball. Build some confidence early, then let Drones throw it after you get up by a couple of scores. I see this as a game that should be out of reach in the 2nd quarter. As we all know, it’s never that easy with the Hokies but at some point, talent has to win out. And I believe this year’s team does have the talent even though they haven’t always had the coaching so far this season.

Wofford has a decent defense for an FCS team. It’s one that will likely give the Hokies more challenges than you’d expect from an FCS team. Still the Hokies should be able to pull away pretty quickly in this one. If it’s still a low scoring or close game at halftime, that’s a major concern. The Hokies should probably have three score lead by halftime.

The Terriers have struggled to score points this year. Tech shouldn’t have much trouble stopping their attack. They have two QBs that have not been particularly accurate this year and have taken a lot of sacks. They have a pretty good ground game but still one where the Hokies DL should be able to stop.

There honestly isn’t a lot to write about for this game. Tech should be able to dominate if they show up with even a hint of motivation. The coaching change and hitting a reset on the entire program is probably enough motivation to get the guys to where they need to be. It won’t be perfect and it will be far from beautiful, but if the Hokies can focus on lining up and running the ball, they should be in good shape. Wofford doesn’t have the offense to really challenge the Hokies struggling defense. The Hokies should be able to keep Wofford off the board most of the day. This week the Hokies get off the mat and look like a competent football team against an overmatched opponent. This would be a good week to get their confidence up before ACC play.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 42, Wofford 13

Betting Line / Odds

  • Spread: Virginia Tech -40+ (projected)
  • Over/Under: ~55 points

Projected score (probability model): VT ~ 46 — Wofford ~ 9
Projected margin: ~ +38 VT
VT win probability: ~ 99.6% → Fair ML ≈ -26,000 (Wofford ≈ +2,600)

Posted on

Old Dominion vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date & Time: Saturday, September 13th, 7:00pm ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Virginia
Broadcast: ACC Network (TV), Virginia Tech Sports Network (Radio)

The Brent Pry era at Virginia Tech is over. Whether it happens this week or in three months, he is cooked. He has had many opportunities to right the ship at Virginia Tech and simply has not shown any results. I would argue he doesn’t have a single big win in his 3+ years at Tech. Expectations here have changed over the years but that simply isn’t going to cut it. That wouldn’t cut it at most schools.

Old Dominion is a solid team. They played top 25 Indiana close in the opener and then spanked NC Central last week. This isn’t a team that the Hokies can take lightly. The point spread in this indicates a one possession game, which seems likely in my mind. Virginia Tech is a more talented team but they certainly haven’t looked like one the last two weeks — particularly in 2nd half of games. Expect a rock fight this week.

Virginia Tech saw QB Colton Joseph last year when he came into the game late and only threw two passes and rushed three times. Seems like a solid passer and dual-threat runner. I don’t think he is Diego Pavia but could pose similar issues for the Hokies. He gets the ball a lot in the run game so the Hokies need to be ready to stop an option-style attack, similar to Vanderbilt’s.

The Hokies need to watch out for RB Trequan Jones who has only touched the ball a few times this year but can break huge runs. It’ll be important to keep him boxed in when he gets touches. Playing disciplined football will be key this week.

As usual, ODU likes to spread the ball out to a lot of receivers. There isn’t really one guy you can key on, which has been their game plan for a few years now. They’ve got a couple of big receivers in Ja’Cory Thomas and Tre Brown who could give the Hokies trouble on jump balls downfield.

ODU has shown that they are a team that can be run on. Indiana rushed for 309 yards on them and NC Central put up 136 yards in a blowout. If Tech wants to win, they need to be able to run the ball consistently against a team that has had trouble stopping the run the first two weeks of the season. ODU is very good in the red zone so they Hokies will need to make sure to punch the ball in when they get inside the 20. An effective running game will help with that.

ODU is a very penalty prone team. That might be something that can help out the Hokies on Saturday. This game will be close so penalties and turnovers could easily swing the outcome. Again, disciplined football would help out a lot this week.

This is a very difficult game to predict. Virginia Tech has the clear talent advantage but they have been playing awful football in the 2nd half of the first two games. If Tech can put together 60 minutes of football, they should be fine. But if the 4th quarter team from the first games shows up, all bets are off. My guess is we get something in the middle. Which still isn’t great but might be enough to squeak a win against a Sun Belt team. Expect a lot of ugly football on Saturday.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 28, Old Dominion 24

Betting Lines Overview

Over/Under (Total Points): Consensus tightly sits between 50.5 and 51 points.

Point Spread: Virginia Tech is favored by 7.5 points, with several sportsbooks offering similar spreads. Circa Sports had initially listed them as 10-point favorites, though that appears to have adjusted.

Moneyline: The Hokies are around –305, implying a win probability of roughly 75%. Old Dominion is priced around +245 to +250.

Predictive Models & Simulations

  • SP+ (Bill Connelly’s model)
    Offers a 67% win probability for Virginia Tech, with a projected final score of 31–24 in favor of the Hokies. This system adjusts for tempo and opponent quality and is designed to be forward-looking—not rewarding luck or poor scheduling.

  • FPI (ESPN’s model)
    While direct probability figures weren’t quoted in recent coverage, FPI is mentioned in earlier reporting as giving Virginia Tech around a 65–66% chance to win.

  • Dimers Simulation Model
    Simulated 10,000 hypothetical matchups and projects a 63% win probability for the Hokies, with an expected score of 28–23.

  • Picks And Parlays (Pundit Opinion)
    Bucking the trend, this analysis believes Old Dominion could pull off the upset. They predict a 27–21 win for ODU and recommend betting on ODU +275.

Predictive Models vs. Betting Lines

  • Spread (VT favored by 7.5 points): SP+ and Dimers output a projected margin close to 6–8 points, aligning with the betting line and suggesting the market accurately reflects statistical expectations.

  • Moneyline (~–300 for VT): Implied probability here (~75%) is a bit higher than simulated win probabilities, indicating sportsbooks build in vigorish (bookmaker margin) or public bias toward favorites.

  • Total Points (~50–51): Both models suggest a reasonable combined score outcome (e.g., 31–24 = 55 total; 28–23 = 51), confirming the market’s total points projection.

Summary Table

Source / ModelVT Win ProbabilityProjected Score
SP+~67%31–24 (VT)
FPI~66% (est.)—
Dimers Simulations~63%28–23 (VT)
Picks and Parlays (Pundit)—21–27 (ODU upset)
Betting Line – Moneyline~75% (implied)—
Betting Line – Spread—VT favored by 7.5
Betting Line – Over/Under—~50.5–51 total

Posted on

Vanderbilt vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date & Time: Saturday, September 6th, 7:30pm ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Virginia
Broadcast: ACC Network (TV), Virginia Tech Sports Network (Radio)

Virginia Tech had a huge opportunity to reclaim respectability in Atlanta but instead fell on their faces in the fourth quarter. An 0-2 start would be a killer for confidence and motivation this season. This is as close to a must-win game as you can have in week 2. If Pry loses this game, it might be tough to ever get off the hot seat at Virginia Tech.

The Virginia Tech defense looked much better against South Carolina than they did last season. Were there missed tackles? Yes. Were there missed assignments? Yes. But overall the defense looked much more physical and aggressive than at almost any point in the past three seasons. They were running to the ball which was a staple under Bud Foster but hasn’t been seen much since.

The key to this game is for Kyron Drones not to let himself get outplayed by Diego Pavia. Tech’s defense is expected to do a better job of keeping Pavia contained this year but he will still be the best QB on the field on Saturday. The Hokies can’t let Diego Pavia dominate the QB matchup. In order for the Hokies to win, that matchup has to be somewhat close or win the matchup outright.

Virginia Tech has to pound the rock and set up play action. I know Phillip Montgomery likes to throw ball around but this needs to be a run-first team. The Hokies are at their best when they are running the ball and setting up play action downfield. They had some success running the ball on Sunday but will need to be better this week. Drones needs to be a bigger contributor to the rushing attack.

Virginia Tech forced zero turnovers on Sunday. The Hokies will increase their odds of winning if they can win the turnover battle. This is where they need to be in the backfield early and often to harass Diego Pavia and force him into mistakes and takeaways.

Players to Watch

QB Diego Pavia
RB Sedrick Alexander
TE Eli Stowers

Virginia Tech is 9-3 in night games in Lane Stadium since 2020. Playing in Lane at night still remains a tough task for most teams. The Hokies need to feed off that energy and build on the good things they did on Sunday. If Tech can contain Diego Pavia and force him to use his arm, they should be in good position to win. Watch to see if the Hokies are able to run the ball early in this game. If they can run to move the chains, that’s a good sign. Whether Vegas likes it or not, don’t pick against the Hokies in night games in Lane. This feels like the week that things turn for the Hokies.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Vanderbilt 20

Betting Line

Spread: Virginia Tech is favored by approximately 1 point (−1 to −1.5) across multiple sportsbooks. For instance, DraftKings lists Virginia Tech at −1.5 (–110)

Over/Under (Total): The game is set at 47.5 points, a consistent number across major platforms

Moneyline: Virginia Tech is slightly favored—around –115, with Vanderbilt lined around –105 to –102

Early Line Movement: Some early reports even noted Vanderbilt may have been a 3-point underdog, though this appears to have settled closer to a 1-point margin

Model Projections

ESPN FPI (Football Power Index)

Virginia Tech Win Probability: 63.3%

This projection dropped slightly (about 3.8%) after VT’s loss in Week 1. 

Bill Connelly’s SP+

Projected Score: Vanderbilt 28, Virginia Tech 24

Win Probability: Vanderbilt favored at 59% to win according to SP+ efficiency metrics. 

Data Skrive (Fox Sports / AP)

Spread: Virginia Tech –1.5 (−108) Total (O/U): 47.5

Predicted Score: Virginia Tech 29, Vanderbilt 21

Implied Win Probability: VT ~53.5%; Vandy ~51.0% (based on moneyline). 

Dimers Simulations

Win Probability: Virginia Tech 52%; Vanderbilt 48%.

Reflects a near-even matchup with a slight edge to Tech. 

BetMGM Model

Win Probability – Tech Wins: 54.5%

Probability Tech Covers Spread (1 point): 51.3%

Posted on

South Carolina vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date & Time: Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.
Location: Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia (Aflac Kickoff Game)
Broadcast: ESPN (TV), Virginia Tech Sports Network (Radio)

The Hokies start with a huge opportunity against a ranked SEC opponent on national TV. You can’t ask for a bigger stage if you’re Brent Pry and the Hokies. A win on Sunday could go a long way toward bringing back belief in the program.

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers is impressive. He’s a big QB who can run and throw. I’m not buying into the Heisman hype but he certainly should be a concern for the Hokies. Particularly on the ground. He’s a guy who is tough to tackle and the Hokies had big issues with tackling and physicality last year. I expect him to have a good day on the ground on Sunday.

I’m also concerned about the size of South Carolina’s receivers. Those are physical matchups that should give the Hokies trouble. Expect Sellers to throw up a couple of jump balls and have his receivers come down with them. They are simply bigger than our corners and safeties.

If there is a silver lining for the Hokies is that South Carolina has had OL issues in the past. This might be an area where the Hokies could exploit to get pressure on Sellers. New Hokies DC Sam Siefkes might have some opportunities to bring the blitz and get home against Sellers. But with those big wide receivers out there, he needs to pick his spots.

The South Carolina defense was a very strong unit in 2024 but they only return 49% of that production in 2025. So this might not be the look like the same group as last year. This is an aggressive defense that likes to create turnovers. The Hokies will have to take care of the ball against a group which will be looking to create havoc. I’d expect a strong defensive performance from the Gamecocks limiting what the Hokies are able to do offensively.

Ultimately, I don’t think the Hokies can match South Carolina’s physicality. I’m a big believer that the more physical team usually wins. Unless the Hokies did a 180 in the weight room in the offseason, they aren’t on the same level as South Carolina. I hope I’m wrong but this feels like a game that’s not close in the 4th quarter.

Prediction: South Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 14

Betting Lines & Statistical Projections

South Carolina is a 7.5-point favorite (FanDuel & BetMGM), with a moneyline of around –325 / +260 and over a 70% win probability. 

Predictive models lean SC’s way—SP+ projects a 30‑21 Gamecock win (72% probability).

Posted on

2025 Preseason ACC Predictions

A preseason prediction for all 17 ACC teams heading into the 2025 college football season.

Projected ACC StandingsComments

12-0		Clemson looks like a complete team that could be 13-0 headed into the CFP

11-1		Expect Kevin Jennings to take a bit of a step back this year but the schedule almost assures a really strong season.

10-2		Color me a bit skeptical of Mario Cristobal and Miami but the schedule is there to be a CFP contender.

9-3		The Haynes and Haynes combo is not to be trifled with. Brent Key seems to have finally found a roster that can compete for an ACCCG berth.

9-3		Manny Diaz proved me wrong last year. With a good transfer QB and soft schedule, they will make noise this year.

8-4		Offense should be really good. Defense — who knows?

8-4		Dave Doeren is usually able to pull together a solid squad every year but will that defense hold up after all the transfers?

6-6		Too much talent to be as bad as last year. Will the new influx transfers this year work out for them? Hard to pick anything but middle of the road.

6-6		Solid additions through the portal but Brent Pry is still the head coach.

6-6		Pitt and Pat Narduzzi are trending toward becoming a perennial 6-6 team.

5-7		Bill Belichick is a football genius but he doesn’t block, tackle or run the ball.

5-7		They have a great RB and that’s pretty much it. However, that may be enough to win 5 games with that schedule.

4-8		Tough schedule and not enough talent. Not a great combination.

4-8		Fran Brown might get a reality check in year 2.

4-8		Soft schedule might help them out a lot but ultimately they have to show they have become a better team when they hit the field.

3-9		Cal football looks lost at the moment. At least they have the #Calgorithm.

3-9		Tough schedule. Transfer losses. Interim head coach and a new AD trying to make his mark. Looks like a bottom-out season for Stanford.
Posted on

Duke’s Mayo Bowl Preview and Prediction

Let’s look at this season in a glass half full, glass half empty perspective. If you’re looking at it half-empty, then Virginia Tech took a very talented team that only went 6-6 this year. The half-full view is that Brent Pry keeps reloading talent and producing a much more talented and deeper team than Virginia Tech has had in many years. Keep loading up on talent and eventually that will turn into a good season. The question is how much more time does Brent Pry get to do that?

Let’s get something out of the way first. This is essentially a first look at Virginia Tech’s 2025 team. Transfers have gone. NFL prospects are sitting out. We’re basically getting Virginia Tech’s second string against whatever Minnesota decides to trot out. Watch with low expectations and keep an eye on which young guys stand out for Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech isn’t Pinstripe Bowl levels of bad. I think they will be trotting enough talent to be able to be competitive and maybe even possibly win. But I wouldn’t count on it. My guess is this game looks more like the Military Bowl last year but Tech is playing the role of Tulane. They can keep it close for most of the game with Minnesota pulling away late.

I don’t have a lot of analysis here because the teams are so different than their regular season forms but I will say I don’t like the look of our OL. Expect Pop Watson to be under duress early and often in this one. This is a game where Tech will need to scheme a lot of roll-outs, screen passes and draws against what should be an aggressive defensive line.

If I was the Hokies’ coaching staff, I’d go out and play with house money and put on a show. Trick plays galore and let the young guys have fun. I know folks who paid a lot of money to travel to Charlotte don’t want to hear that but that’s the best we’re likely to offer. Just have fun and treat it like a more fun version of the Spring Game.

This game is likely to end in a lopsided win for Minnesota. What Tech should focus on is having fun and getting tape on their young players. Bowl games have turned into glorified exhibitions (whispers: they’ve always been). Tech should max-out the fun element in a game whose outcome is a bath in mayonnaise. Don’t worry so much about the scoreboard and take heart the philosophy “f*** it, we ball.” Nothing really to lose, everything to gain. Play with house money in this one.

Prediction: Minnesota 34, Virginia Tech 17

Posted on

Virginia vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Things have really started to fall apart on Brent Pry. This season kicked off with so much promise. And now we’re finishing in only what could be considered a worst-case scenario for the season. It’s not unusual for Virginia Tech to find themselves needing a win in the last game of the season to make a bowl. What makes it so unusual this season is that the expectations were so much higher. This season can only be categorized as a massive flop. There is going to have to be a lot of soul searching going on at Merryman this offseason.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 31st
Offense: 41st
Defense: 40th
Special Teams: 41st

Virginia

Overall: 81st
Offense: 88th
Defense: 80th
Special Teams: 66th

Virginia has a decent passing offense when they have time to throw. They are one of the worst teams in the country at protecting the quarterback. This is a game where APR and the defensive line should shine. QB Anthony Colandrea has been going through a rough stretch lately and he took 9 sacks in his last game vs SMU. If Tech can keep pressure on him, they should be able to rattle him and maybe force him into a couple of mistakes. His play early on is something to keep an eye on.

Virginia gives up a lot of yards through the air. Unfortunately for the Hokies, they will likely be playing Pop Watson who does not appear to be a seasoned passer. This may be a game where Tech needs to get creative in ways they run the football. Run the ball as many different ways as you can come up with. Virginia Tech really struggled to run the ball against Duke. This week, their best gameplan will be to establish the run early and often since the pass game doesn’t seem like it’s an option with Pop Watson behind center.

These rivalry games with Virginia are always weird. They are very difficult to predict. The uncommon becomes common in these games. All things being equal, I think Virginia Tech has more talent. However, Tech has a head coach who can’t coach his way out of a wet paper bag. So who knows what happens? I pick these games by looking at what the teams look like on paper. And on paper, it looks like a 11- point victory for the Hokies. That doesn’t mean it’ll happen though.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 28, Virginia 17

Posted on

Duke vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

The Hokies missed a big opportunity to get their season back on track against Clemson. The defense played pretty well but the offense couldn’t do anything. To salvage the rest of this season, the Hokies have to go 2-0 in their last two games. Even then, this season would still be considered a pretty big disappointment. But it would likely keep Brent Pry and maybe his coordinators off the hot seat going into the offseason.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 29th
Offense: 37th
Defense: 33rd
Special Teams: 37th

Duke

Overall: 43rd
Offense: 70th
Defense: 25th
Special Teams: 89th

Duke has a pretty strong passing offense led by QB Maalik Murphy. He’s been consistent about putting up good numbers in just about every game this season. The good news for the Hokies is that he is not a running quarterback. If Tech’s talented secondary can slow down Duke’s passing attack, that would go a long way toward the Hokies getting a win in this game.

Duke’s defense is the strength of their team. Particularly by stopping the pass game. They have a talented secondary that is only giving up 191 yards through the air per game. This is a game where Tech needs to stick to the run game. If Tech can run the ball consistently, they should have good results against this defense. This is a game where Tech should be able to move the ball on the ground regardless of who is available at running back.

Duke is 7-3 against a pretty soft schedule. They are certainly better than a lot of people expected this year but it looks like they are over-performing against a weak schedule. That’s not to say Duke isn’t a good team because I think they are. But they might be getting more credit than they deserve. If the Hokies can run the ball and stop the pass, they should be able to get out of Durham with a win. The Hokies are 7-1 in Durham since joining the ACC. This is a good opportunity for Brent Pry to get his first one-score victory this season.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 23, Duke 20

Posted on

Clemson vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

A couple of things before we move on to Clemson. First, it is completely unacceptable to blow a 21 to 3 lead halfway through the third quarter. Doesn’t matter if you’re playing an FCS team or the #1 team in the country. Secondly, no one will take this coaching staff seriously until they can win a one-score game. They are 1-11 in one-score games and that one win wasn’t REALLY a one score game. If you remember, Virginia Tech kneeled the ball against Liberty on the goal line for the win. They could’ve easily score to win by two touchdowns. These coaches need to prove they can win a one-score game or they’ll be gone from Virginia Tech sooner than later.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 27th
Offense: 31st
Defense: 37th
Special Teams: 24th

Clemson

Overall: 15th
Offense: 11th
Defense: 25th
Special Teams: 124th

Clemson RB Phil Mafah is a beast and the Hokies will have a tough time tackling him. He is a big back with good speed. He’s Clemson’s version of Derrick Henry. And for a team that has trouble tackling at times, he should look like a nightmare for the Hokies. This offense looks a lot like the Syracuse offense that torched the Hokies defense last week. This is a good opportunity for the Hokies to show that they’ve improved on that performance from last week. The biggest task this week is stopping the run.

This isn’t the Clemson defense of old. In fact, it looks like they’ve taken multiple steps back from the Brent Venables days. At this point, I’d call them an average ACC defense but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have a couple of All-ACC talents. If Tuten and Drones are healthy, I definitely think they can move the ball against this defense. The biggest thing is don’t get behind big or early on the scoreboard. If Tech is able to run the ball and doesn’t have to chase the game from behind. They’ve got a good shot in this game.

Clemson is the best team the Hokies will play this year despite their issues this year. If I felt good about a 100% healthy Kyron Drones and Bhayshul Tuten, I might feel better about thinking Tech could win in a shootout. But with lingering injury concerns and even questions about if they will actually play, I’m leaning Clemson here. I’m also leaning Clemson because I don’t think the Hokies defense will be able to stop Phil Mafah. I think he will have 100+ yards on the ground this week. That should make life easier on QB Cade Klubnick. The Hokies will hang around in this game and it’ll be close. But ultimately I think Phil Mafah and the Clemson running game will be able to wear out the Hokies defense late in the game. I also have ZERO faith in this coaching staff to win a one-score game.

Prediction: Clemson 31, Virginia Tech 24

Posted on

Syracuse vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Virginia Tech proved on Saturday they can win a game even when the offense isn’t producing. Georgia Tech did a nice job of stopping the run but the Hokies need to prove they can move the ball with the passing game. This week’s game against Syracuse is a good opportunity to show that the passing game can make plays.

SP+ Rankings

Virginia Tech

Overall: 24th
Offense: 34th
Defense: 29th
Special Teams: 21st

Syracuse

Overall: 61st
Offense: 47th
Defense: 63rd
Special Teams: 106th

Syracuse’s offense was BAD last time out. QB Kyle McCord threw five interceptions against Pitt. I wouldn’t call that a normal performance for this offense. They got down 31-0 in the first half and McCord had to throw the ball 64 times! Syracuse usually likes to throw the ball a lot and they have a very good passing offense. This is a game where Tech’s secondary will need to be able to make plays against Syracuse’s receivers. They like to spread the ball to a lot of receivers including tight ends and running backs. Tech has to be ready for an air raid offense that they haven’t seen thus far this year. The good news is that McCord is not a running QB. So Tech will face a more traditional pro style offense this week in what feels like the first time this year.

Syracuse has a solid defense. Good against the run. Not great against the pass. Tech should not abandon the running game — especially not with Bhayshul Tuten available. But this is a game where Kyron Drones is going to have to hit some passes downfield. The running game alone will not win this game. Tech needs to be able to find balance offensively. A stout running game is a great thing to have but they cannot be one-dimensional. Tech needs to bring Jaylin Lane, Da’Quan Felton and Ali Jennings out of the witness protection program. Tech has weapons and they need to use them in this game.

The Carrier Dome gives me nightmares. There are always weird vibes up there. Last time out in 2016, Virginia Tech took a ranked team there and lost by 14. It’s a strange environment to play in but the players need to be focused on football and nothing else. No cockiness. Just show up ready to play from the opening whistle. A workman-like effort like they had against Stanford. Tech is the better team. I actually think the matchup works in Tech’s favor. The biggest thing is not to let the ghosts of the Carrier Dome take them down. Avoid a turnover fest or a major special teams meltdown and this should be a win.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Syracuse 24