There is no team that built up Thursday Night Football more than Virginia Tech. While the NFL has damaged the significance of Thursday nights in college football, the tradition still lives on Lane Stadium as they host Syracuse on a Thursday night for the first time despite their Big East history.

The Hokies enter this game knowing a win not only puts them in a great spot to reach a bowl, but also sets up an ACC Championship elimination game with Louisville next week. Meanwhile, a loss to a struggling Syracuse team would make a bowl game an uphill climb requiring a 3-1 finish that would have to include at least two road victories.

So with that said, here are our picks for the Hokies vs. the Orange.

Tim Thomas

Virginia Tech has turned things around to open ACC play with a pair of 17-point victories over Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. Meanwhile, Syracuse has come crashing down to earth with three-straight losses to Clemson, North Carolina, and Florida State following a 4-0 start. For the Hokies, the bye gave them a chance to keep building momentum and get healthier. For Syracuse, the bye gave them a chance to hit the reset button after their recent slide.

Can the Hokies keep things going? If they are, they'll have to continue to be effective at using misdirection and perimeter runs to get their playmakers in space. The Syracuse 3-3-5 defense has given opponents fits with the Orange holding teams to 3.4 yards per carry. If Tech wants to win this game, they have to embrace spreading the ball out and getting Bhayshul Tuten, Jaylin Lane, and others in space quickly.

Tech's run defense has shown significant improvement over the past few weeks, but will have to keep that up against Syracuse. The Orange have a solid 1-2 rushing punch of QB Garrett Shrader and RB LeQuint Allen who can both produce big plays on the ground. Shrader isn't a great passer though with five interceptions this season and his top passing weapon out. Given Tech's pass defense strength, the Hokies' run defense can make a big difference if they can force Shrader to have to beat the Hokies with his arm.

After a few one-sided affairs to start ACC play for both teams, expect a close one tonight at Lane Stadium. In the end, Tech will find a way to prevail and get to 3-1 in the ACC.

Pick: Virginia Tech 20, Syracuse 17

Raza Umerani

The Hokies have shown their ability to assert themselves at home thus far this season. Outside of a game that featured injuries to its QB1 and WR1 with the longest weather delay in college football history sandwiched in between, Tech has scored 30 in each game at Lane Stadium, winning those contests by an average of 17.6 points. On a patented Thursday night under the lights, I don’t see why those trends shouldn’t continue. While I don’t think the margin of victory will be that large against the second best ACC team the Hokies have faced thus far, I still like the home team to come out on top in this one.

Syracuse has had arguably the worst month of any team in the ACC, losing three straight after starting the year 4-0 – a stretch that includes blowout losses to Florida State and North Carolina by a combined score of 81-10. Its once-potent, blazing hot offense has gone cold – injuries to star pass-catchers Oronde Gadsden and Isaiah Jones have certainly caught up to them – and their defense has simply fallen apart against stiffer competition.

The Orange do pose a rushing threat, but so did Pitt and Wake Forest. And while everyone believed those teams would “get right” against Tech’s seemingly lackluster rush defense, neither one of them could get anything going on the ground. So, it’s not a given that Syracuse does either. Quarterback Garrett Shrader – who gashed Tech on the ground in 2021 – might be the most unique dual-threat signal-caller that the Hokies face this year, and LeQuint Allen is a very capable back, but with Tech’s defense improving by the week, I don’t see the Orange picking up chunk yardage on the ground like it may seem. As long as they prevent the big plays on offense – which they did against Wake – I think Tech should put up some modest numbers on that side of the ball.

Meanwhile, Tech seems to have found its rhythm on offense, with each Kyron Drones start looking better and better. Tyler Bowen’s gameplans have improved by the week, and weapons like Bhayshul Tuten and Jaylin Lane continue to make plays when their numbers are called. Perhaps the most important part of the equation is the offensive line continuing to improve as well, allowing Drones to stay up and make throws while opening up lanes in the running game. Syracuse’s unorthodox 3-3-5 approach might make things a bit challenging for the offense, but they’ve usually been able to find their groove as the game progresses – something that was apparent in Tech’s last game against Wake, which saw them score 17 second quarter points after putting up a goose egg in the first.

Something important to consider: Tech has struggled mightily off of byes in recent years and lost both Thursday games it played last year. With both of these teams coming off a bye, I think slow, sluggish starts are going to be the theme of the first half. We might not see 20 combined points in the first 30 minutes as both squads struggle to sustain and/or finish drives and the defenses do the heavy lifting. But after the break, when adjustments are made, I think the offense that’s playing better will make the difference. Considering the trends coming into this game with Tech’s offense on the rise and Syracuse’s on a sharp decline, it’s hard to not put your faith in Kyron Drones and the Hokies to get the job done late. All the while, Tech’s defense should do just enough to prevent the Orange from winning this one.