Virginia Tech football
takes on SMU
in Dallas, Texas, today, striving to improve to 7-2 (4-2 ACC) in its first year under head coach James Franklin. Ahead of the clash, here's our staff's predictions as to what will unfold tonight in the Lone Star State.
JACKSON CAUDELL:While it will still be a long shot even if they find a way to win, the Hokies' ACC hopes are on the line tomorrow night at SMU. The Mustangs are also battling for their ACC title hopes, and that makes this a fascinating matchup. This is a chance for James Franklin to land another win against one of the better programs in the conference, and I think they have the offense to take advantage of a suspect SMU defense. If the Hokies can get after Kevin Jennings and force a few turnovers, I think they are able to do that and score a big win.
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Final score prediction: Virginia Tech 31, SMU 27
JAMES DUNCAN:Syracuse left a blueprint last Saturday, beating SMU 30-27 on a touchdown with 17 seconds left. Virginia Tech is built to follow it. Nobody has beaten the Hokies by more than five points this season, and they come in with 13 days of rest to SMU's six.
Ethan Grunkemeyer has thrown 17 touchdowns and two interceptions, and both picks came in one night against Pitt. He won't hand Kevin Jennings free possessions, which puts the game on Brent Pry's defense. That group made 13 tackles for loss at Clemson, and it won't need half that many Friday if it gets off the field on third down. Friday won't be a rout, but I think the Hokies give the Mustangs their first home loss in the ACC.
Final score prediction: Virginia Tech 30, SMU 28
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THOMAS HUGHES:Let's get this out of the way: SMU has never lost an ACC game at home. Its strongest wins at Gerald J. Ford Stadium this season, however, came against Virginia and California - two squads with a combined 7-11 (4-8 ACC) record. The Hokies should be well-equipped to contend with the Mustangs, though SMU signal-caller Kevin Jennings may present Tech with its toughest test of the season yet. Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has been stellar this campaign, throwing 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions, and while I expect another strong performance from him, I think SMU narrowly edges Virginia Tech in Dallas tonight.
Final score prediction: SMU 31, Virginia Tech 28
KADEN REINHARD:I think this game will be defined by one word over the 60 minutes of action: Intensity. Several factors will fuel that fire: Friday night lights, the Mustangs coming off the Syracuse loss and Tech finding itself back in the receiving-votes category of the AP Top 25. But most importantly, I see both offenses locking into a close-knit battle, as both sides can mend their attacks with a healthy mix of the ground and air attack. Ultimately, I think the Hokies' defense can handle the contest by not allowing SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings to extend many plays outside the pocket, which has been a struggle for the Hokies in recent years.
Final score prediction: Virginia Tech 34, SMU 30
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/virginiatech as Staff Predictions for Virginia Tech-SMU: Can The Hokies Triumph In Dallas?
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