The Virginia Tech football team looks to bounce back from last week’s loss to West Virginia when the Hokies welcome Richmond to Lane Stadium on Saturday. VT (2-1) is hoping to hand back-to-back losses to the Spiders (2-1) after their narrow loss to Villanova last weekend. It’s a big game for the Hokies as they look to regain momentum ahead of their Oct. 9 showdown with Notre Dame. A win here would put the Hokies at 3-1 a third of the way through the season with a lot of pressure on coach Justin Fuente to get them to a 10-win season.
Here’s everything to know:
Where to watch?
Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET from Blacksburg, and the game will air on the ACC Network.
What to know about VT
It was too little too late in Morgantown. The Hokies were unprepared and punched in the mouth early. Now, that No. 15 rating was obviously way too high for anybody with a set of eyeballs, and it’s time to recharge and get this thing going again. The offense was simply too predictable against WVU, but that falls squarely on the coaching and the horrendous play-calling that doomed the team. Whether it be running it up the middle far too many times or not trying to stretch the field enough despite having the weapons, this is a chance for the offensive coaching staff to mix it up, push the envelope and prepare for a big game against the Irish next month.
What to know about Richmond
They, like VT, have to finish games better. They led Nova 24-13 last weekend before allowing 21 points in the fourth quarter en route to the painful defeat. Two interceptions from QB Joe Mancuso put them in a tough spot, and the running game also struggled, producing just 80 yards. Because VT is hard to run against, they will need to stay disciplined and try to chip away. Resorting to throwing would play right into the hands of the Hokies, who will likely look to apply pressure early via corner blitzes or sending linebackers. Richmond must play quickly and get the ball out of Mancuso’s hands in a timely manner via short-range throws.
Prediction
The Hokies bounce back, get more production from the offense early, and the defense avoids giving up the big play in a comfortable victory.
VT 31, Richmond 13
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