Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest preview
Truist Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 15, 2011 ) Virginia Tech 38, Wake Forest 17
Virginia Tech needs two win one of its two remaining games to avoid missing out on a bowl trip for the first time since 1992, and Saturday's trip to Wake Forest might be the Hokies' best chance at bowl eligibility. The Demon Deacons have lost six straight games, including a 42-13 thrashing last week at North Carolina State. Virginia Tech has won five straight meetings dating to 1984 - the last three by more than 20 points - and hasn't lost in Winston-Salem since 1970.
The Hokies' streak of 21 straight bowl games seemed to be in jeopardy during a three-game losing streak, but they rebounded for a 17-16 win at then-No. 19 Duke last week. "I think everyone knows how many games you have to win to be eligible for a bowl, but the only thing you can control is how you played last week," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer told reporters. "And the only thing we can control is how we play this week." Wake Forest has little remaining to play for as it winds down coach Dave Clawson's first season, but the Demon Deacons will have some motivation Saturday as 16 seniors play their final home game.
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Virginia Tech -15.
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (5-5, 2-4 ACC): The Hokies' offense will take on a little different look the rest of the season after losing freshman Marshawn Williams, the team's leading rusher with 475 yards and four TDs, to a torn ACL. The next man up is J.C. Coleman, who has just 160 yards on 46 carries, so the pressure will be on quarterback Michael Brewer to fuel the offense. The Hokies might not need to score much if the defense duplicates last week's effort, when it held a powerful Duke team to 326 total yards.
ABOUT WAKE FOREST (2-8, 0-6): Although this season has been bleak, the Demon Deacons have hope for the future in that 103 of their 133 offensive points have come from freshmen. Among them is quarterback John Wolford, who has thrown for 1,626 yards and nine TDs but has gotten very little support from the running game. The Demon Deacons have had trouble stopping the run as well, giving up a whopping 193.5 yards per game on the ground and surrendering 17 rushing touchdowns.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Virginia Tech WR Isaiah Ford (570) needs 71 receiving yards to break Joshua Stanford's freshman school record set last season.
2. Wake Forest allowed more rushing yards (362) in last week's loss than the Demon Deacons' offense has compiled all season (341).
3. Virginia Tech has scored in 253 consecutive games dating to 1995, the fifth-longest active streak in the FBS.
PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 30, Wake Forest 13