Tag: virginia tech

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California vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date & Time: Friday, October 24, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Teams & Records:
Virginia Tech (2-5 overall, 1-2 in the ACC)
California (5-2 overall, 2-1 in the ACC)
Broadcast: ESPN

Virginia Tech has been beaten up on the injury front so far this year. They’ve had to play seven weeks straight and you could see that starting to take a toll in the last two games. Luckily, the bye week comes at the right time and it’s an opportunity to get healthy and regroup before a tough stretch to end the season.

Virginia Tech needs to ride their running backs in this game. They need Terion Stewart and Marcellous Hawkins to come up big after a bye week. Kyron Drones doesn’t need to be throwing the ball all over the field this week. Line up and run the ball as many ways as Phillip Montgomery can come up with. This needs to be a run-heavy game for the Hokies.

The Hokies defense needs to be good on third down and in the red zone. Two areas they have struggled with this year. Cal is a team that is good at slowly and methodically working the ball down the field. The Hokies need to keep those drives short or hold them to field goals in the red zone.

A fast start would be huge. Cal has never been to Lane Stadium. Enter Sandman and the early energy will be a new experience for them. The Hokies need to use that early momentum to set the tone. Racing out to an early lead would be huge for their chances this week.

Sometimes I need to look at games like I’m not a Virginia Tech fan. This week it’d be easy to say well, Cal has the better team and better record, so they’re going to win. As Lee Corso would say, not so fast my friend. I like that Virginia Tech is coming off a bye and that Cal has a short week and has to travel cross-country. That’s not easy for any team. This is what I’d call a scheduled win for Virginia Tech. Bye week and at home vs short week and cross-country travel. The talent level is close so I’ll give the nod to the rested home team.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, California 24

📈 Betting Line & Market

Spread: VT -4.5

Total: 49.5–50 (slight upward creep from open)

Moneyline: VT ~-185 to -205 / Cal +160 to +170

Implied win prob: VT 65–67%; Cal ~37%

SP+ (Bill Connelly, ESPN)
Ratings put Cal ~No. 75 and VT ~No. 91
Projected score: Cal 26–25 (Cal ~52% win prob). Market lists VT as the favorite, so SP+ is +5.5 points off the spread (Cal +1 vs. market VT -4.5).

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Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date/Location: Saturday, October 11th 3:30pm ET
Channel: ACC Network
Venue: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Virginia Tech played a very sloppy game against Wake Forest. That was a winnable game that the Hokies let slip away. The margin of error is slim this year. Mental mistakes are amplified when you don’t have the offense to come back and make up for those mistakes. If the Hokies want to win games down the stretch, they need to play smart football.

Georgia Tech is 5-0 but it’s a pretty shaky 5-0. They love to play to the level of their opponents. Which is a good sign for the Hokies. This is an immensely talented offense with Haynes King at quarterback and Jamal Haynes at running back. If I was Sam Siefkis, I’d be losing sleep over finding ways to stop Haynes King running the ball. He’s a very effective runner and the Hokies have had trouble with running QBs this year.

Georgia Tech has a good but not great defense. They’ve been bend but don’t break. The Hokies should be able to move the ball in this game but they need to cash in with touchdowns in the red zone. Field goals aren’t going to cut it. The Hokies need to get Kyron Drones on the run and out of the pocket to give him the chance to make plays downfield. He can’t sit back in the pocket this week. He needs to stretch the defense with his running ability.

The Hokies need to control the line of scrimmage. They need to get after Haynes King when Georgia Tech has the ball, and they need to give Kyron Drones time to the throw when the Hokies are on offense. The Hokies did a good job of that against NC State and took a step back last week. They need to get back to owning the line of scrimmage this week. Drones is at his best when he has time to throw.

If the Hokies want to have a chance this week, they need to stop explosive passing plays downfield. The Hokies could also use a big special teams play or turnover to flip the field. Ultimately, this looks a like tough game to me. The Hokies will do a good job of stopping Jamal Haynes but I think Haynes King will run wild on the ground. The Hokies will be able to score some points but unfortunately, I think they’ll be chasing the game most of the afternoon.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 21

📈 Betting Line & Market

  • Georgia Tech holds a 79.8 % win projection via ESPN’s FPI model.
  • However, SP+ (Connelly) projects a more lopsided margin in Georgia Tech’s favor: Virginia Tech is given just a 15% chance to win, with a model margin ~16.3 points in favor of Georgia Tech.
  • For totals, SP+ sets the over/under at 55.5, and its pick leans under.

    Summary of implied lines (based on models & past trends):
  • Spread / margin pick: Georgia Tech by ~14–17 points
  • Total (over/under): ~55.5, lean Under
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2025 Virginia Tech Midseason Review

If I told you before the season that the Hokies would be 2-4 after week 6, you would have thought the wheels had completely come off the wagon, and they have. Brent Pry was fired after Week 3. I don’t think even the biggest Pry haters would have predicted that. While the team looks more competitive under Phillip Montgomery, they look like they have a significant talent, experience and depth gap. I’m not sure that Virginia Tech will be favored in a single game the rest of the season.

Being realistic, I don’t think that the Hokies will go 0-6. More likely, they will win 1-2 games somewhere along the line. They don’t have the talent to beat Miami or Florida State on the road. But the other games should be winnable if they play their A or B+ game. We saw against NC State what it looks like when this team plays clean football. They look competitive. If they can play like that, they’ve got a chance in most of their remaining games. It’s a matter of the team and players staying locked in and wanting to compete.

Offensive MVP: Terion Stewart

301 rushing yards with a 8.6 yards per carry average. Give this guy the rock.

Defensive MVP: Kaleb Spencer

Leads the team in tackles and is always flying to the football. Also keep an eye on Noah Chambers who has only played in two games but has made a big impact in a small sample size.

Special Teams MVP: John Love

He is 12-of-14 on his field goals this year with a long of 56. This guy will be an NFL kicker next year.

The key for the next 6 games is to stay locked in and try to compete. Even though this is a lost season, players still want to put good film out there. You have seen in the past two weeks that there are young guys who are getting opportunities and taking advantage of them. Fans might think there is nothing to play for but for these players and coaches there is still a lot on the line. Players can get transfer opportunities or opportunities under a new coaching staff. Coaches are showing what they can put out on the field for their next gig. So while it feels bad for the fans, these guys are still out there trying. I don’t see a bowl game in their future, but I also don’t see an 0-6 finish. Somehow, they will find two wins along the way and finish 4-8. After the season, the reset button gets hit on every aspect of Virginia Tech football.

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Wake Forest vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

When: Saturday, October 4, 2025, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech looked good against NC State. They looked well-coached and motivated. They played a full 60-minutes that we haven’t seen against FBS competition so far this year. Everyone looked bought-in and playing hard. That’s a good sign for the rest of the season under Phillip Montgomery. It seems like he has the players locked-in again after the early season coaching change.

Will QB Robby Ashford play for Wake? He was injured late in the Georgia Tech game. His health is unknown for the game this week. Ashford’s running ability would give the Hokies trouble. Virginia Tech has had trouble stopping mobile QBs this season.

Wake likes to run the ball. Either with Ashford or RB Demond Claiborne. Both players have gobbled up a lot of yards on the ground. Virginia Tech’s ability to stop Hollywood Smothers last week may be a good indicator they are starting to improve in that area. This would be a good week to keep stuffing the run.

Donovan Greene will be playing his former team. Players facing their former teams always makes for an interesting storyline. It is worth watching to see how he gets involved in the offense this week.

Like last week, Virginia Tech needs to lean on the run game to win. Terion Stewart provided a major boost against NC State. He will need to be featured once again this week to try and take pressure off Kyron Drones and the passing game. Having a steady and reliable run game helps to open up other parts of the offense.

Wake Forest hasn’t won in Blacksburg since 1983. Virginia Tech seems to have Wake’s number at home. Virginia Tech also seems to have momentum after a two-game winning streak and winning their first road game of the season. Wake Forest is coming off a difficult overtime loss against Georgia Tech where they probably should’ve won, if not for bad ACC officiating. Virginia Tech has good mojo under Coach Monty and this short two-game winning streak has certainly helped. I feel like they are coming home for a winnable game at the right time. This team is starting to build some confidence.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Wake Forest 17

📈 Betting Line & Market

  • Point spread / odds: Virginia Tech is opening as a 6.0-point favorite over Wake Forest.
  • Total / over-under: The over/under is currently pegged around 50.5
  • According to FPI, Virginia Tech has a 76.8% projected win probability.
  • Some models (e.g. SP+ / Connelly) are more conservative: SP+ gives Virginia Tech a narrow edge (26–25), with the pick leaning “over.”
  • So the market generally sees VT as a solid favorite, with a moderately high-scoring game possible.

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NC State vs Virginia Tech Preview and Prediction

Date & Time: Saturday, September 27, 2025 — 7:00 PM ET
Location: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
TV / Streaming: The CW (Thom Brennaman, Will Blackmon, Wes Bryant)
Odds / Line: NC State is favored by ~10.5 points
Series History: Virginia Tech holds the all-time series lead, 28–20–4, although NC State has won the last two matchups

The Hokies looked competent against Wofford. I’d maybe even go so far as to say well-coached. It’s easy to look good against an overmatched opponent. The real test is this week to see if the Hokies can look better than their first three games against a Power 4 team. It’s not easy to circle the wagons after a coaching change, especially with some players jumping ship but I want to see a strong level of effort from this team regardless of the outcome.

First, Virginia Tech will have to be able to slow down NC State’s run game. If they get dominated at the line of scrimmage like they did in the first three games, this one will be over quickly. RB Hollywood Smothers has been able to put up 500+ yards through the first four games of the season. He is a player that will be tough for the Hokies to stop unless they have done a lot of work on their run fits in the last two weeks.

On offense, the Hokies have to be able to protect Kyron Drones. As we saw on Saturday, when he has time to throw, he looks like a pretty darn good QB. He makes decisions quickly and accurately. BUT, when he’s pressured, he turns into the bad version of himself that becomes more indecisive and inaccurate. We’re at a place where our talent on the OL is what it is but hopefully Coach Monty and Matt Moore can figure out something that works to slow down NC State’s pass rush.

NC State has had trouble with turnovers and special teams lapses in the first four games. If the Hokies can capitalize on mistakes, that could help the Hokies stay in the game. The Hokies will need a couple of big plays to keep this game competitive.

Virginia Tech has looked really bad so far this year but this game is likely closer than the experts think. The Hokies have not looked good so far but they are capable of playing with most ACC teams aside from the top teams in the league. This is one where if the Wolfpark are overlooking the Hokies, it could come back to bite them. All things being equal, I like the Pack to win by around 10. This will be an entertaining game but I don’t expect the Pack to deliver a blowout like the Vandy and ODU games. Hopefully, we see a bit of a turnaround under Coach Monty.

Prediction: NC State 31, Virginia Tech 21

Betting Line & Movement

  • The current spread has NC State listed as ~-10.5 favorites.
  • The over/under (total) is sitting around 56.5 points.
  • The moneyline has NC State strongly favored (around –410) with Virginia Tech an underdog at about +320.
  • The line has moved upward from an earlier NC State spread of ~7.5 points.

So, the market is signaling confidence in a clear Wolfpack victory, and bettors have pushed the line further in NC State’s direction.

Against the Spread (ATS)

  • NC State is 2–2 ATS this season, and 2–1 as a favorite so far.
  • Virginia Tech is 0–4 ATS this year; they have not covered in any game to date.
  • NC State historically struggles ATS at home: they are 2–7 ATS in their last 9 home games.
  • Virginia Tech, conversely, has had some success against the spread historically vs NC State: they are 6–1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

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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)

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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

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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%

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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).

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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.