After a big 38-21 victory over Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech heads on the road for their toughest test of the season against ACC favorite and national title contender Florida State. There's no doubt that the Seminoles should comfortably win this game, but there's still plenty that can be learned from this game about the Hokies even if the odds of a very competitive game are low.
So with that said, here are my five things to watch for the Hokies against Florida State.
1. Building on Last Week
Last week was a massive step in the right direction for Virginia Tech with an offensive approach that made sense for what Tech has, and a defense that shut down Pitt outside of two long passing touchdowns (one of which was off a screen). The question is now whether the Hokies can build off that in terms of their identity.
The reality is that Florida State should win this game by a rather large margin of victory given the talent discrepancy especially at places like offensive line for example. However, that doesn't mean that Tech can't build on the identity they showed as a football team from last week.
Offensively, this needs to continue being the Kyron Drones with an offense that prioritizes misdirection and getting your playmakers in space. Drones is a pretty solid passer, but he's more effective when allowed to use his legs to compliment and accentuate the passing attack.
Tech also needs to continue emphasizing getting the ball to their playmakers in space especially with Tuten while Jaylin Lane should be able to take on a greater role as he gets healthier. Utilizing the tight ends on underneath passes and some easier throws that they can take for big gains should also be part of the plan.
Meanwhile, this defense has to build on what they did containing the run last week regardless of the issues that Pittsburgh has. Additionally, I'd love to see Mansoor Delane continue to primarily work at safety alongside Jalen Stroman if Nasir Peoples is out again this week, though a return for the veteran safety seems close if it's not this week.
Yes, the result almost certainly won't be the same this week but if Virginia Tech can continue to embrace the approach that played to their strengths last week while continuing to look sharp in areas where they needed to improve, there will be plenty to be pleased with in this game.
