Virginia Tech bounced back from its two-game losing streak with a comfortable 34-24 victory over Georgia Tech that all but ensured they will be bowl eligible given Clemson’s presence later on in the season.
Now, the 5-2 Hokies have a chance to make a national statement about how positive the trajectory of VT Football is in year 1 under James Franklin as they face a 4-2 Clemson team that will see this as a chance to show they are still very much in the hunt to reach the ACC Championship. Add in this being a night game in Death Valley being two strong football brands and it should be a great spectacle Saturday night.
So with that in mind, let’s dive into our TLP gameday preview.
Keys to the Game: You can check out Josh Poslusny’s keys to the game and preview here. Virginia Tech’s passing attack and Clemson’s passing offense have both been struggles this season. The Hokies and Tigers have some strengths with Clemson’s WR corps being very good and Tech’s pass rush being one of the best in the ACC. Tait Reynolds has looked like a freshman at quarterback being a struggling offensive line while Tech’s cornerback play has been a major weakness. The question is whether Reynolds can find some form against an exploitable matchup or can Aycen Stevens and company get after Reynolds and make his life problematic? If VT can do what others have done against Clemson’s passing attack, it could prove to be a recipe for success.
Hokie to Watch: It was a quiet game last week for Luke Reynolds, but the Hokies’ standout tight end is a matchup nightmare for opponents and should certainly be a prominent part of a Tech offense that is facing a stout Clemson pass defense. Clemson has a strong group of defensive backs but there’s not a clear go-to option for the Tigers in coverage against Reynolds. If VT wins this game, don’t be surprised if Reynolds has a huge game to strengthen his case to win the John Mackey Award this year.
Virginia Tech X-Factor: John Love got out of his funk last week with a pair of field goals against Georgia Tech, but could be heavily relied on given the stout test that Clemson’s defense will provide the Hokies’ offense. This is a game where every detail will likely have an impact and if Love is in form, he provides a major boost for the Hokies..
Injury Update: CB Thomas Williams and starting OG Montavious Cunningham are both out for Saturday’s game. CB Cam Chadwick was on the initial injury report as probable, but was not on subsequent ones. Chadwick and Joshua Clarke are expected to split time as CB2 opposite Jaquez White as those two had been doing with Williams in recent weeks.
OG Brody Meadows has been cleared and it’ll be interesting to see if he jumps into the starting lineup or if freshman Benjamin Eziuka gets his first start at guard after playing significant snaps last week. You can read more on Eziuka and all of the Hokies’ talented freshmen who are making an impact here.
Press Conference Notebooks: Check out Josh Poslusny’s Monday James Franklin and Virginia Tech press conference notebook here.
Tim Thomas
Ultimately, I think VT’s pass defense is an issue and while Tech will get some pressure to Reynolds, the Clemson passing attack will show some life while Gideon Davidson will make some plays against a solid VT run defense that has been inconsistent at times. Meanwhile, Tech’s passing attack will be solid but slowed enough in a hostile environment for the Tigers to beat the Hokies.
