After a year off due to a bizarre scheduling decision by the ACC, the Virginia Tech-Miami rivalry is back and in primetime on a Friday night in South Florida. This remains a highly-anticipated game but maybe not as much as it was preseason as though the seventh-ranked Hurricanes have had a dominant 4-0 start this season, the Hokies have had a disappointing 2-2 start to this season.
While Tech's season has not gone as hoped, tonight's showdown presents an opportunity for Tech to start resetting the narrative about what they can be this season. Meanwhile, Miami has a clear national spotlight tonight to send a message to the nation that they aren't just the ACC favorite but should be taken seriously as a national title contender.
This is also a rivalry game with a tremendously rich history especially from the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s with plenty of iconic moments including J.C. Price's four sack performance and DeAngelo Hall taking the football out of Roscoe Parrish's hands and returning it for a touchdown.
So with that in mind, here are our predictions for the Hokies against the Hurricanes along with all our pregame coverage.
- Keys to the Game for Virginia Tech against No. 7 Miami
- Five Hokies to Watch against No. 7 Miami
- Inside the Enemy: No. 7 Miami
- Evaluating Kyron Drones' Passing Struggles
- Mansoor Delane's Turnaround Since Rough Opener at Vanderbilt
Tim Thomas
For the first time this season, Virginia Tech plays a team that is more talented than them. Some may be shaking their heads at that comment but gameplans, execution, and strategy played big roles in Rutgers and especially Vanderbilt overcoming being the less talented team to take down the Hokies.
This will be the toughest test for the Hokies of the 2024 season most likely as Miami looks like a clear national title contender. Given what we've seen from the Hokies this season, it seems fair that Tech opened as a a 17-point underdog in this matchup.
Part of the struggles for the Hokies have been around the passing game from Kyron Drones having his fair share of struggles with accuracy and progressing through reads, to a pass blocking unit that's a mess and causing Drones to be uncomfortable, to offensive playcalling that isn't helping the Hokies a lot.
Tech has struggled to get off to good starts this season, but will need to if they want to have a chance given how the Hokies have been at their best when they can lean on Bhayshul Tuten and their rushing attack. The gameplan also has to be about feeding Tuten early to set up play action and RPOs, plays that the Hokies haven't run as much as they probably should despite the fact that Drones is completing 69.4% of his passes off play action per PFF.
Meanwhile, Tech's defense has been fairly good this season, but Miami's offense is the best they will face all season led by a top Heisman contender in Cam Ward at QB, one of the best running backs in the ACC in Damien Martinez, and one of the best WR corps in the country with Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, Sam Brown, and Isaiah Horton, all of whom are All-ACC level talents. If the Hokies want to win this game, they're going to need their pass rush to get home on Cam Ward and not just generated pressure along with finding a way to force a couple turnovers.
Tech has to maximize what they have in this game if they want a reasonable chance to win and even that may not be enough. Vegas has the line right in this game as I expect Miami to take care of business even though the Hokies should hang around a little bit.
Pick: No. 7 Miami 42, Virginia Tech 24
Miles Jordan
The Virginia Tech Hokies are looking to capture their third win on the season and a much-needed win against the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes. Tech travels to South Florida to play under the Friday night lights. Top-ten opponents have always given Tech a run for their money in previous years. However, since the Hokies are opening up their conference play, this game needs more.
If the Hokies are going to pull out a victory, they need to get out to a hot start out of the gate, going toe-to-toe with Miami’s offense and not getting behind by more than two scores. Tech has shown the ability to make significant comebacks late in games, but a late comeback will not be enough to knock off Cam Ward and the Hurricanes. With that being said, I believe the Hokies will get off to another slow start against the Hurricanes powerful defense, who allow an average of 10.25 points per game scored against them.
Unless the Hokies can score first, and continue to keep a lead, I'm skeptical that Tech will pull out a victory over the No. 7 Hurricanes. Anything is possible, but my prediction is that Miami will start strong, and the Hokies wont be able to recover. I do believe that Tech will make this game interesting in the second half, once their offense settles down and gets used to the Hurricanes defense, but it will once again be too little too late for the maroon and orange, as they will fall to a 2-3 record, and shink their chances of an ACC Championship appearance.
I have Miami by two touchdowns, winning by a score of 35-21.
