Game Preview: Virginia Football vs. Virginia Tech

Game Details

Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) at Virginia Cavaliers (6-5, 4-3 ACC)

When: Saturday, November 27th at 3:45pm

Where: Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia

How to watch: ACC Network

SI Sportsbook Odds: Virginia -7

All-time series: Virginia Tech leads 58-35-5

Last meeting: Virginia Tech defeated Virginia 33-15 on December 12th, 2020 in Blacksburg

Virginia Tech this Season

Virginia Tech began the season with a 17-10 victory against North Carolina. At the time, the win seemed to indicate that the Hokies were destined for a great season, especially defensively, after shutting down Sam Howell and the 10th-ranked Tar Heels. Virginia Tech turned that win into a strong 3-1 start, with the only defeat being a 27-21 loss at West Virginia. However, the Hokies then lost three straight games, all of which came at home in Blacksburg. Since then, Virginia Tech has gone 2-2 and the program parted ways with head coach Justin Fuente. In J.C. Price’s first game as interim head coach, the Hokies lost at Miami 38-26 last week. The Hokies enter Saturday’s regular season finale with a 5-6 record and needing a win to become bowl eligible.

Virginia Tech is fourth in the ACC in scoring defense at 22.8 points per game allowed and sixth in the conference in total defense, allowing 376.6 yards per game. The Hokie offense has been hit-or-miss this season, looking rather ineffective in a 28-7 loss to Pittsburgh and a 17-3 loss to Boston College. However, Virginia Tech also put up 29 points on Notre Dame and scored 48 points a couple of weeks ago against Duke. The Hokies have the 13th-ranked scoring offense in the ACC at 24.5 points per game and they are last in the conference in total offense at 360.9 yards per game.

The Hokies are at their best when they pound the ball on the ground. Virginia Tech has six players with at least 100 rushing yards this season, including quarterbacks Braxton Burmeister and Connor Blumrick. Raheem Blackshear is the team’s leading rusher with 545 yards and five touchdowns. Virginia Tech does not utilize its passing game very often, but UVA must be aware of receivers Tre Turner and Tayvion Robinson, who both can be dangerous.