After a much-needed second bye week, the Virginia Tech football team will be back on the field this weekend for a game at Duke looking to become bowl-eligible. Injuries are still an issue for the Hokies with them mounting. As Virginia Tech gets ready to head to Durham, N.C., here are three bold predictions for Saturday night’s primetime tilt.
1. Collin Schlee steps in and plays well
Judging by the reports this week, Kyron Drones is questionable. However, Brent Pry’s update Wednesday night that the Baylor transfer has been bouncing back and forth from the trainer’s room and practice, it doesn’t sound promising that he’ll be available.
If he can’t go, Collin Schlee, who was injured against Syracuse on Nov. 2, has looked better in practice this week and was taking QB1 snaps on Wednesday with Pop Watson taking QB2 snaps. He played more than well enough to beat the Orange earlier this month and is more than capable of leading the offense on the road. If he plays, expect him to have a big game.
2. Virginia Tech records 4-plus sacks
The Hokies defense has had two weeks off and expect them to have a big game. Duke transfer Aeneas Peebles returns to face his old team and should be very motivated and Antwaun Powell-Ryland was snubbed as a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which should motivate him more.
Maalik Murphy, a Texas transfer, will not be easy to contain, but the Hokies defense has been good at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Like the offense, the defense had some players limited in practice this week, Jaden Keller and Jaylen Jones, but after two weeks off and coming off a second half against Clemson where they allowed 24 points, they should be a very motivated group.
3. The final score ends up being a one-score game
This is just a foregone conclusion this game is going down to the final possession. Now the question is, will the Hokies be able to pull it out or not? Duke has played many close games this season and come out on top more than they have lost. You can’t say the same for Virginia Tech, but sooner or later, they will win a one-score game, right? We will make our final prediction on Saturday morning.