Virginia Tech Football: Hokies Open As Favorites vs Virginia in Regular Season Finale
After losing yet another close game under head coach Brent Pry, the Hokies are now 5-6 this season and will have to beat rival Virginia to reach bowl eligibility. They have had a lot of success over the years against the Cavaliers, but will that translate to next week's matchup?
The opening line for next Saturday's game was released this morning and the Hokies are actually going to be favored when the host the Cavaliers. According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Virginia Tech is a 7.5 point favorite against Virginia next week and the total has been set at 48.5
For the second straight week, the Hokies are going to be getting a primetime kickoff. Virginia Tech vs Virginia is going to kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be televised on the ACC Network.
This of course is a rivalry that Virginia Tech has dominated. Since 2000, Virginia only has two wins in the series (2003 and 2019) and the Hokies dominated in last year's game 55-17. Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 61-38.
The Hokies have been one of the more disappointing, if not the most disappointing team in the ACC this season and missing a bowl game would be a disaster considering the expectations that this program had at the beginning of the year. Virginia has looked like an improved team at times this year under Tony Elliott, but they also have some lopsided losses. If this game is close at the end, will Hokies head coach Brent Pry find a way to win? Pry has not had a good record when it comes to close games at Virginia Tech and if the opening line is to be believed, this game should be within a touchdown.
Virginia Tech is now 1-12 in one-possession games under Brent Pry, including 0-5 this year.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) November 24, 2024
The .077 win% is the worst in FBS over the past 3 years, though Nebraska, NIU and ODU (14 each) all have more one-possession losses.
Additional Links:
Virginia Tech Football: Hokies DC Mentioned as Potential Candidate for NFL Job
Virginia Tech Women's Basketball: Instant Takeaways From Hokies Win Over Elon
Virginia Tech Football: 5 Biggest Takeaways From The Hokies Loss to Duke
Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell