The Virginia Tech Hokies host the Pittsburgh Panthers at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field this week. The game starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 3 and will air on ESP3 and CHSS.
Virginia Tech was defeated by East Carolina 35-28 last week. Isaiah Ford had a good game in the loss, registering eight receptions for 95 yards. Bucky Hodges added 73 receiving yards on five receptions. Pittsburgh came up short as well, losing in a close one against Iowa 27-24 in its matchup. Tyler Boyd had an outstanding performance for the Panthers, totaling 10 receptions for 131 yards and one TD.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable.
The Hokies enter the game with a record of 2-2 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS) this season. The Hokies are known to have an efficient rushing attack. Their 45.8 rushing attempts per game are the 24th-most in the nation. Transitioning to the Virginia Tech defense, there are a few things to keep in mind when it is on the field. Pittsburgh might not have much success throwing the ball against the Hokies. The Panthers average 180 yards per game through the air, 104th in the nation. One of the keys to the game will be whether the Panthers can protect the ball against the ambitious defense of the Hokies, who rank sixth in the nation with 2.8 turnovers per game.
On the other side, the Panthers have a record of 2-1 both ATS and SU. The Hokies need to protect their quarterback against the sack-happy Panthers. The defense ranks eighth in the country in sacks with 3.7 per game. Don’t be surprised to hear lots of calls against the Hokies when they take the field. Virginia Tech is among the most penalized teams in the country, receiving an average of 9.5 penalties per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pittsburgh, ATS Winner – Pittsburgh
Notes
Virginia Tech is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Virginia Tech’s last 6 games.
Virginia Tech is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Virginia Tech’s last 6 games at home.
Virginia Tech is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh.
Virginia Tech is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is 2-0 SU when leading at the half this season. Virginia Tech is 2-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
The Virginia Tech offensive passing attack is ranked only 51st nationally, while the Pittsburgh pass defense is ranked 50th. The Panthers passing game is ranked just 104th, compared to the 26th-ranked pass defense of the Hokies.
