Miami vs Virginia Tech Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday College Football Betting Preview
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images. Pictured: Grant Wells (Virginia Tech)
Miami vs. Virginia Tech Odds
| Miami Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 47.5 -115o / -105u | -315 |
| Virginia Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 47.5 -115o / -105u | +250 |
The ACC has proven to be very strong this season, and with all the parity at the top of the conference, that means there are a few teams that are getting beaten up on a consistent basis.
Two of those teams will meet in this matchup, as the Miami (FL) Hurricanes will go on the road to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The Hurricanes, who were a ranked team entering the season, have now dropped three straight after last week's loss to North Carolina.
They need to pick themselves up off the deck here, but this is far from a get-right spot. So, what version of the Hurricanes will we see in Blacksburg? That remains to be seen.
As for the Hokies, they are also losers of their last three ball games. They have been outscored 119 to 49 over the course of their losing streak.
However, this week, they will return home, which may be just what they need, as Lane Stadium provides one of the best home-field advantages in the nation.
Miami Hurricanes
The upside for Miami entering the season was centered around the progression of sophomore quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. Van Dyke was impressive during his freshman year, as he had a 25:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and averaged nine yards per completion.
Fast forward to this season, and we have not seen the same guy under center. So far, he has a 7:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and is only averaging 7.5 yards per pass.
He was also benched two weeks ago during a bad loss to Middle Tennessee.
However, Miami has opted to stick with him, and his prospects for this week are not great. The Hokies have been excellent against the pass, as they come in ranked 22nd in opponent completion percentage allowed and 23rd in yards per pass allowed.
Those numbers have produced the Hokies' ranking of 13th in Passing Success Rate.
Virginia Tech will also have a significant edge up front, as the Hokies are 12th in pass rush.
However, the edge up front will not only disrupt the passing game, but may also shut down a poor Miami rushing attack. The Hurricanes have averaged just 3.1 yards per carry and now will be outranked 22 to 67 in Line Yards.
Lastly, the Hokies are at home here and should be more inspired by a loud crowd. Expect the Hokies' defense to keep them in this one.
Virginia Tech Hokies
For how well their defense has played, the Hokies' offense has not given them much support this season. The unit is 110th in points per game, 113th in yards per game and 118th in yards per play.
In addition, the Hokies have not gotten much going in any facet offensively, as they have also averaged 3.3 yards per rush and rank 108th in opponent completion percentage.
However, they should be able to have some success through the air here, as the Hurricanes are 130th in yards per pass allowed and 65th in opponent completion percentage allowed.
It will be up to Grant Wells to keep his team in the ball game, as the rushing game will be obsolete in this matchup.
The best-case scenario for the Hokies is to generate explosive pass plays. We already went over that the Hurricanes are near last in the country in yards per pass. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is 125th in Offensive Finishing Drives.
The Hokies have not put together many sustained drives, so look for Wells to take some shots to generate offense.
Miami vs. Virginia Tech Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Miami and Virginia Tech match up statistically:
Miami Offense vs. Virginia Tech Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 55 | 51 |  |
| Line Yards | 67 | 22 | |
| Pass Success | 68 | 13 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 53 | 12 | |
| Havoc | 34 | 31 | |
| Finishing Drives | 76 | 108 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Virginia Tech Offense vs. Miami Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 123 | 15 | |
| Line Yards | 118 | 46 | |
| Pass Success | 90 | 46 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 47 | 7 | |
| Havoc | 48 | 13 | |
| Finishing Drives | 125 | 30 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 122 | 20 |
| PFF Coverage | 33 | 87 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 18 | 30 |
| Seconds per Play | 25.2 (36) | 25.7 (45) |
| Rush Rate | 47.9% (99) | 49.1% (91) |
Data via CollegeFootballData.com (CFBD), FootballOutsiders, SP+, Pro Football Focus, and SportSource Analytics.
Miami vs. Virginia Tech Betting Pick
This is a matchup of the bottom of the barrel in the ACC.
Each of these teams has had significant struggles offensively, but the Hokies have the better matchup on both sides of the ball, and their defense should make this game very tightly contested.
If Wells can hit some downfield passes, they may even be able to pull off the upset. But they are indeed the side to take here as touchdown underdogs.
Pick: Virginia Tech +7 or Better
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