After a solid season-opening win over Old Dominion, Virginia Tech is back in action in Lane Stadium looking to get off to a 2-0 start and beat a non-conference Power 5 opponent for the first time since West Virginia in 2017. Meanwhile, Purdue is eager to bounce back from a surprising opening weekend home loss to Fresno State in their first game under new head coach Ryan Walters.

Before our picks, here's a rundown on some of our other pregame coverage that you can check out.

So who do we think will win between the Hokies and Purdue? Here are our picks.

Tim Thomas

There's plenty to talk about here with this matchup including the weather which looks less than ideal to say the least. Now some may immediately think that will make this a pure rushing game which I don't believe is true at all. Wind is the bigger factors that affects the passing attack and while the rain will have an effect, the wind is supposed to be minimal. That's big for a Tech team that will need their passing game firing on all cylinders. Still, Purdue having the better rushing attack is a definite plus for them in these conditions.

If the conditions do allow for the passing game to drive an offense which I think they will, that'll be a big help for the Hokies especially against a Purdue secondary that struggled mightily in week 1 vs Fresno State. The Boilermakers had particular issues against the Fresno slot receiver as mentioned by Tech Sideline's Chris Coleman on TSL's podcast. Now put Jaylin Lane out there for the Hokies and thats a matchup that I think Grant Wells can absolutely take advantage of.

There's also a risk of weather delays due to lightning given that thunderstorms are in the forecast all day. Being in the comforts of home should be a big plus for Tech if we do see delays especially since they could easily use the indoor facility to stay warm during it.

Purdue's offense was okay last week, but big special teams plays really boosted them. Hudson Card is a talented QB but doesn't have a lot of great weapons around him. Advantage Tech's pass defense given the cornerback talent VT has, but the Hokies will need their rush defense to step up.

Special teams will be important in this game as all the Hokies need to do is make sure it isn't a decisive factor in the outcome unlike last week where it almost cost Fresno State against Purdue. In the end, I think the Hokies win a low-scoring game over the Boilermakers led by good games from Grant Wells, Jaylin Lane, and Ali Jennings even in the rain with fortunately little wind currently expected.

Pick: Virginia Tech 20, Purdue 17

Will Locklin

Both Virginia Tech and Purdue are coming off strong offensive performances against weaker opponents nationally. The Hokies poured on nearly 40 points in their 36-17 win over Old Dominion. The Boilermakers scored one-point shy of Tech's total but struggled mightily on the defensive end, allowing 39 points to Fresno State and losing their opener by four points.

The Hokies seem like the morre well balanced football team one week into the young 2023 season, and for that reason, Tech will advance to 2-0. However, given Purdue's offensive showing last week, they more than have the capabilities to challenge the Hokies in Lane Stadium.

Pick: Virginia Tech 23, Purdue 17

Raza Umerani

Despite the fact that each of these teams put up 35+ points last week, I think we’ll see a little more of a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon. My main rationale for that is that the Hokies have the talent in the secondary to keep the Boilermakers’ so-called air raid offense – which only totaled 254 passing yards in Week 1 – in check. They’ll need to be on top of their game against some great players like Deion Burks and Tyrone Tracy Jr. and get after the ball like they did last week when they forced three turnovers.

On the other side of the ball, Purdue has the big bodies on the defensive line to give Virginia Tech’s young offensive line fits. If Old Dominion was able to consistently get a push up front, I think the Boilermakers' unit with better players across the board would do so even more. With the current state of the Hokies' front five and tight end room, I think we’re in for another largely ineffective game from their rushing attack.

However, Tech’s passing game should have another nice performance against a secondary that just got torched for nearly 400 yards and 4 touchdowns against Fresno State. If Grant Wells can play a sharper game than he did last week by cutting down on the errant missed throws, and both effectively execute the short passing game to get the running backs involved and hit his downfield shots to the wide receivers, the Hokies could win comfortably. I’d look out for Da’Quan Felton to get more involved on Saturday after only catching one pass in the season opener, and keep an eye on tight ends Benji Gosnell and Dae’Quan Wright, who will need to step up in the absence of Nick Gallo.

If Virginia Tech can keep Purdue from making splash plays on special teams like they did in Week 1, I think the Hokies’ defense and passing attack can do the rest to carry the team to victory. But the slightest cracks in Tech’s secondary or any mistakes or turnovers from Wells can lead to a collapse and allow the Boilermakers to have enough opportunities to come away with a win.

Pick: Virginia Tech 24, Purdue 20

Ryan Duvall

Following a week one performance in which Virginia Tech exceeded the 30 point threshold for the first time in the Brent Pry era, the Hokies started their 2023 campaign with a 36-17 victory over the Old Dominion Monarchs - the team that shocked Tech in the season opener of 2022 with an upset win in Norfolk.

Come week 2, the Hokies welcome the Purdue Boilermakers to town, who dropped its opener to Fresno State in a 39-35 affair. Tech has not beaten an out of conference Power 5 team since 2017 (West Virginia), and has the chance to do so Saturday, but I believe things won’t go swimmingly for the Hokies.

If the first half of week one showed us anything, it’s that Tech has a weak run defense, and is unsure how much, and in what way it wants to utilize transfer quarterback Kyron Drones. While the second half was much stronger, Pry and the Hokies still have a long way to go as a team.

The problem against a team like Purdue is the air raid offense, and how quickly things could get out of hand if the game turns into a shootout given Tech’s conservative play calling at times.

Led by former Texas quarterback Hudson Card, I think the Boilermakers come on the road, and upset the Hokies for the first win of the Ryan Walters era. This game will ultimately come down to Tyler Bowen’s ability as offensive coordinator to alter from the game plan, and draw up plays that can get the ball in the hands of the dynamic receiving core Tech brought in this offseason.

Pick: Purdue 42, Virginia Tech 27

Peyton Seay

This game has the potential to be a high scoring affair. Both defenses enter this matchup suspect in different areas. The Hokies' strength appears to be in their secondary and pass defense, while the Boilermakers have a better linebacker core and run defense.

However, in the Boilermakers first game of the season, a shocking defeat to Fresno State, their defense got torched on the ground and in the air. The Hokies can take advantage of this matchup with their passing game and newly acquired talent at the receiving position.

Grant Wells should perform well enough to get it to Ali Jennings, Jaylin Lane, and company. This game being played at home in front of a sold out Lane Stadium gives Tech an even greater advantage.