Virginia Tech is hosting Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon of Week 6. The game will take place at 1:00 p.m. ET in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Hokies are 6-point home favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 51.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech ACC conference matchup.
Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech prediction, preview
Wake Forest Preview
The Demon Deacons are one of the best-coached teams in football. Frankly, their roster is not up to par, even in a weak ACC outside the top couple of teams. However, Dave Clawson has gotten them to perform at a solid level this season. After going 2-0 in non-conference play, they hung tight against NC State, then went to overtime against a ranked Georgia Tech squad. They always seem to rise to the occasion against big ACC opponents, and they should do so in this game against Virginia Tech. Wake’s starting quarterback, Robby Ashford, has high-level experience from his time at Auburn and South Carolina, but he is a run-first quarterback. He has just one passing touchdown with three interceptions but does have four scores on the ground. Wake Forest will look to control this game on the ground to get its first ACC win of the season.
Virginia Tech Preview
The Hokies had a disastrous start to their season. After back-to-back bowl seasons, it looked like Brent Pry was moving things in the right direction in Blacksburg. However, this season started with two losses to SEC teams in non-conference play, then an embarrassing blowout loss against Old Dominion. That was the last straw, causing Brent Pry to lose his job. Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery took the interim job, and his team has seemingly responded well. The Hokies won an easy non-conference game against Wofford and then got their first ACC win on the road against NC State. Virginia Tech moved the ball well at times, but the defense really rose to the occasion to get some key stops, including one in the final minutes to clinch the win. The Hokies will try to build on that momentum in a winnable home game against Wake Forest.
Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is the under 51.5 points. These are two mobile quarterbacks who are comfortable using their legs whenever possible. In ACC play, Robby Ashford is 34/63 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He is incapable of competent quarterback play against ACC defenses, so Wake Forest should keep the ball on the ground and try to use up the clock. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones was 20/34 for 177 yards against NC State. Virginia Tech can’t get anything explosive going offensively either, and it should also try to utilize the ground game to control the time of possession. Wake Forest ranks 107th in the nation in offensive EPA/drive, but 24th in defensive EPA/drive. The Demon Deacons should contain the Hokies’ offense, but not get much going themselves.
