After two frustrating losses to Pittsburgh and California, the Virginia Tech football team returned to Lane Stadium on Saturday looking to get back on the winning track against Georgia Tech, with a daunting final five-game stretch coming up for James Franklin's team.
The Hokies picked up a 34-24 victory to improve to 5-2 and are now just one win away from becoming bowl-eligible. Seven wins is a goal well within reach for Virginia Tech, and the quest for the sixth win begins on Saturday night down in South Carolina. On Sunday morning, the ACC officially released the start time and TV destination at Clemson. DraftKings also released their odds for this upcoming week, and the Hokies open as a small favorite.
Virginia Tech opens as a small favorite at Clemson
Virginia Tech and Clemson will meet at 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. Accoridng to DraftKings, the Hokies are a 1.5-point favorite over the Tigers in the ACC's version of Death Valley against Dabo Swinney's club.
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It's not surprising that ESPN picked up the game and dropped it into the primetime slot. It is a matchup between James Franklin and Dabo Swinney, and two teams with just two losses overall. Clemson is coming into the game off a 37-0 rout of Charleston Southern on Saturday at home.
Both teams still have an outside shot at reaching the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte in December. Virginia Tech's two losses, however, are in ACC play against the Panthers and Golden Bears. Truth be told, if John Love makes a couple of field goals, Virginia Tech is 7-0 heading to Clemson. The Tigers two losses are in the non-conference to LSU and at home to Miami earlier this month.
Swinney is quietly sitting on the hot seat within the Clemson fanbase, and while there are other conference coaches on the hot seat, like Mike Norvell at Florida State, Dave Doeren at North Carolina State, and Bill O'Brien at Boston College. However, a win over Franklin and Virginia Tech would cool the seat for him.
However, that's going to be easier said than done. Virginia Tech's defense has been giving up a lot of big plays and has been called for too many pass interference penalties. Going into Death Valley and playing that way would be a recipe for disaster. What will be interesting is how Clemson defends Virginia Tech's offense, mainly tight end Luke Reynolds.
ACC Championship Game aspirations are in Virginia Tech's hands, with other road games remaining at SMU and Miami next month, along with home games against Stanford and Virginia. The bye week is coming on Halloween weekend, and it will either be an enjoyable bye or a long one for the Hokies, depending on the result on Saturday night at Clemson.
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