3 bold Virginia Tech predictions against Old Dominion

Seven days after picking up their first win of the 2024 season over Marshall at home from the Sun Belt Conference, the Virginia Tech football team will be looking for win No. 2 against another Sun Belt foe. This time, however, it’ll be on the road.

The Hokies will make the short trip to Norfolk to play Old Dominion who is 0-2 after losses to South Carolina and East Carolina. This will not be an easy trip for Virginia Tech if history tells us anything. Here are three bold predictions for the game that will begin at 6 p.m. and be broadcast on ESPN+.

Virginia Tech’s offense scores 17-plus first half points

Sooner or later the Hokies offense has to show up and put up some points in the first half, right? There is just too much talent for them to score just three points in the opening 30 minutes a week. The only touchdown in the first two weeks that Tech has scored was on a Jaylin Lane punt return on the final play of the first quarter against Marshall.

Earlier this week, head coach Brent Pry said that Kyron Drones is the key to the Virginia Tech offense, and getting him going is key. Whether it’s with the running game, throwing the ball to the wide receivers, or just better blocking from the offensive line, they are due for a breakout.

Ali Jennings has over 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns

Last season, ODU transfer Ali Jennings had a good opener against his former team catching two touchdown passes in the season-opening win. He wasn't targeted much last week against Marshall and expect that to change this week.

Jennings is a playmaker who needs to be targeted more as good things generally happen as we saw in the opener last season and this season in the opener at Vanderbilt. The Hokies have a talented wide receiver room and throwing the ball downfield is a must early on. Getting protection for Drones to be able to go through his reads and get the ball out is another story.

Virginia Tech doesn’t cover the spread

Given the struggles the Hokies' offense has had through the first two weeks and the troubles that the Monarchs could create for them, it’s going to be hard to see Virginia Tech covering the current point spread, which is 15 points according to DraftKings at the time this article is being written. This line is just too high given the first two weeks of results. ODU was close to pulling a big upset in Week 1 at South Carolina.

In the end, who knows what to expect this weekend? Honestly, whatever happens, should not come as a surprise to anyone from a Hokies win to a loss.