The game that has been circled since the schedule was released is now upon us as Virginia Tech looks for the biggest win of the Brent Pry era against a No. 23 Clemson team desperate to keep their ACC Championship Game and CFB Playoff hopes alive. This game lost a lot of its luster after both the Hokies and Tigers suffered upset losses last week, but Virginia Tech still has a chance to pick up its biggest win victory of the Brent Pry era and quell the growing frustration and questions about Pry's gameday coaching.
So with that in mind, let's dive into our preview and staff predictions.
Keys to the Game: Miles Jordan dives into the keys to the game for the matchup, which you can read here. The Hokies have to protect the football in this game. We’ve seen how the Hokies have spiraled surrounding turnovers against Vanderbilt, Boston College, and Syracuse this season, and have to minimize those mistakes.
Hokies to Watch: I dove into my look at four Hokies to watch, which you can read here. Clemson’s pass blocking has been quite good this season, only allowing eight sacks on the year. However, Louisville was able to get some pressure on Cade Klubnik last week which proved crucial in slowing down the Tigers’ offense. This week, the Hokies send the nation’s sack leader at Klubnik in Antwaun Powell-Ryland. If APR can have a big game, it would boost his NFL Draft stock, grow his chances of earning some national awards at the end of the season, and could prove crucial to a Hokies’ victory
Virginia Tech X-Factor: Caleb Woodson has developed into a defensive playmaker for the Hokies after shifting to an inside linebacker role with 49 tackles including 6.5 for loss. However, the Hokies including Woodson had their struggles last week as LeQuint Allen drove the Syracuse offense to their second half comeback and overtime victory. Today, Clemson will certainly look to lean on Phil Mafah, who is averaging over six yards per carry. The question is can Woodson and the Hokies’ linebackers
Clemson X-Factor: In our Inside the Enemy piece with The Post and Courier’s Jon Blau, he mentioned Clemson’s three leading wide receivers as his x-factor. Freshman Bryant Wesco Jr looks particularly like an x-factor as one of the best true freshman wide receivers that you don’t know about (since you probably know a lot about Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams). Wesco has only 18 catches, but he’s turned those catches into 315 yards and two touchdowns and has played an important role in turning around the Clemson offense. Keep an eye on Wesco as a guy who could change this game for the Tigers.
Key Stat: Clemson has had their issues defending the run, allowing 4.6 yards per carry this season. Add in the fact that Clemson has a banged up defensive line and the Hokies have to be licking their chops at the opportunity that awaits them in this game. Now having Bhayshul Tuten available would help them take advantage of the Clemson run defense concerns, but Malachi Thomas and Jeremiah Coney also showed they are more than capable to get yards against a weaker run defense, as they did at Syracuse last week, with both of them averaging over five yards per carry individually.
Injury Watch: Brent Pry said earlier this week that Kyron Drones, Bhayshul Tuten, and Mansoor Delane were all questionable. Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247 Sports reported this morning that all three will be gametime decisions. There is reason for optimism as all three were practicing in their normal jerseys during the open portion of practice earlier this week. Meanwhile, Clemson may be without star defensive lineman Peter Woods, while starting DT DeMonte Capehart remains out. Clemson is known for their defensive fronts but this banged up group may not be what we’re used to seeing from the Tigers, which could be a gift for the Hokies’ rushing attack.
ACC Championship Game Race Update: Miami and SMU are in the driver’s seats only needing to win out while Clemson and Pittsburgh each have a loss and need some help. Both the Hurricanes and Mustangs likely will be rooting for the upset in Blacksburg this week followed by a Clemson victory at Pitt next week, which would just about guarantee a Miami-SMU ACC Championship Game.
Tim Thomas
This should be a fun game as both teams will likely come into this game angry with something to prove after their upset losses last week. Now a lot of this will come down to the health of Bhayshul Tuten and Kyron Drones (along with Mansoor Delane). If Tuten and Drones are both out, then I'd be surprised if Clemson didn't win this game.
However, I think Tuten and Drones will both be good to and am assuming that in my prediction.
Clemson has an issue defending the run, allowing 4.6 yards per carry. They also will be without starting DT DeMonte Capehart and may also be without star defensive lineman Peter Woods. That should have the Hokies licking their chops at what they can do on the ground with Tuten to open up the rest of the offense including the passing attack against a very good Tigers secondary.
Meanwhile, Cade Klubnik will get lots of the attention, but this Tigers' team start with their ground attack and Phil Mafah who is averaging over six yards per carry. We've seen Tech be a little up and down against talented running backs, but they've been quite good at home shutting down both Kyle Monangai and Jamal Haynes who are on Mafah's level. However, Klubnik does add a significant passing threat that Rutgers and Georgia Tech didn't offer entering those matchups.
This seems poised to be a close game and that should have me not trusting the Hokies. However, I think the Hokies can get back to bending but not breaking on defense while leaning on their rushing attack to finish off drives and find a way to pick up the biggest victory of the Brent Pry era.
Do I feel confident in this pick? Not at all, but I wouldn't feel confident about picking Clemson either. That's exactly the game I look forward to watching.
Pick: Virginia Tech 31, No. 23 Clemson 27
Ryan Duvall
Entering the 2024 season, many thought that a week 11 Virginia Tech-Clemson clash could have ACC Championship and College Football Playoff implications. However, that will not be the case when the two teams kickoff in Lane Stadium at 3:30 on Saturday.
The No. 23 Tigers (6-2, 5-1 ACC) are certainly still alive in both races, while the Hokies (5-4, 3-2 ACC), a preseason dark horse, have failed to meet expectations in 2024.
Both squads are reeling off bad losses from the previous week, as Clemson dropped its first conference loss at home to now No. 22 Louisville. Virginia Tech, on the other hand was banged up (and still is), playing at Syracuse last Saturday without starting quarterback Kyron Drones as well as stud running back Bhayshul Tuten.
The Hokies came up short in overtime 38-31, off of a few questionable calls that included not trying to push the ball upfield for a field goal in a dome with three timeouts and 29 seconds left in a tied regulation game - in addition to calling designed runs for backup Colin Schlee following a fourth quarter injury.
Getting back to this weekend’s showdown, third year Tech head coach Brent Pry is optimistic that all three of Drones, Tuten, and corner Mansoor Delane (first round pick in the latest Bleacher Report mock draft) will play on Saturday - but will it make a difference?
I don’t really think so. I believe the Tigers come into a sold-out Lane stadium on Saturday, playing angry, as if their season is on the line.
Sure, having three of the stars back would be huge for the Hokies, but Cade Klubnik - who has been one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country in 2024 (2,064 yards, 21 passing touchdowns, three interceptions), will light up the Virginia Tech secondary, throwing for all five of Clemson’s touchdowns on Saturday.
The Hokies will start slow this weekend, be down by double-digits at halftime, make it interesting in the third quarter, before a late game mistake ultimately ends this game. It has been the story of the season for Tech.
