Hokies head to Steel City for Thursday night game with PittsburghHokies head to Steel City for Thursday night game with Pittsburgh
Football

Hokies head to Steel City for Thursday night game with Pittsburgh

Virginia Tech football – back in the top 25 after a dominant performance against Miami last Thursday – travels to the Steel City this Thursday night for a game at Pittsburgh in Heinz Field. The nationally televised game is set for a 7 p.m. kick and will be the Hokies 32nd appearance on the Thursday night ESPN package.

  • Multimedia page - includes links to Tech's game notes, this week's opponent's game notes, ACC weekly notes and head coach Justin Fuente's quotes from Monday's press conference.

TECH PRIMED FOR THURSDAY 2.0

  • No. 25 VT plays for a second consecutive Thursday as the Hokies travel to Heinz Field to face Pitt, while the Panthers are coming off a bye week.
  • This ACC Coastal clash will feature two division squads with a lone conference loss.
  • Pitt’s only ACC loss was a 37-36 setback at UNC (9/24).
  • The Hokies are 22-9 (.710) on Thursday night, including last week’s 37-16 win vs. Miami (10/20).
  • This week’s game will mark VT’s 32nd appearance on ESPN’s Thursday night package. Since it’s inception 1991, only GT (32) as many appearances.
  • Tech owns an 137-50 scoring edge in four ACC games.

VT SEEKS TO EXORCISE PITT DEMONS

  • Tech has lost three of its last four games vs. Pitt with the Panthers owning back-to-back wins vs. VT.
  • The Hokies are 0-4 at Heinz Field with Tech’s last win at Pitt coming by a 30-17 margin at Pitt Stadium (10/30/99) as QB Michael Vick led VT to an 11-0 regular season mark en route.
  • VT’s last two losses against the Panthers have been decided by a combined nine points (38-29).
  • Pitt is 8-14 (.364) against ranked foes at Heinz Field - last win 28-21 vs. No. 24 Notre Dame (11/9/13).
  • Pitt is 8-3 in ACC play under Pat Narduzzi.

SHOWDOWN OF TWO TOP RUSH DEFENSES

  • Pitt leads the ACC and ranks fourth among Power Five squads, while VT is fourth among P5 squads.
  • VT has held four of its last five foes to less than 100 net rush yards, allowing 79.2 ypg over that span.
  • Pitt allowed a season-high 241 net rushing yards vs. GT (10/8), but has permitted 72.5 ypg against its other five opponents.
  • VT racked up a season-high 251 rushing yards and 5.7 ypc vs. Miami (10/20), as RB Travon McMillian registered a season-best 131 yards (7.3 avg).
  • Pitt ranks second in the ACC and 11th in the P5, averaging 239.1 rushing ypg.

KEY SCORING STATS ON HOKIES, PANTHERS

  • The Hokies are 38-3 (.927) in ACC play when scoring 30+ points, including a 19-1 (.950) mark on the road.
  • VT has averaged 42.0 ppg in its five wins in 2016, putting up 37 points last week on a Miami defense that hadn’t allowed more than 20 points prior to playing the Hokies.
  • Pitt has permitted 30+ points in five of its six games against P5 foes, but ranks second in the ACC in scoring (38.4 ppg).
  • VT is outscoring opponents 61-16 in the first quarter while Pitt owns a 70-14 scoring edge in the opening quarter.
  • VT is outscoring opponents 122-59 in the second half, while Pitt has been outscored 111-101 in the second half.
  • Pitt owns a +18 edge in points off turnovers (48 scored/20 allowed), while VT is -3 (34 scored/37 allowed) meaning 29.6% of points allowed by VT have come off turnovers.
  • VT has held all of its opponents to 17 points or fewer in all five of its wins, permitting 9.8 ppg in those games.
  • In 20 games under Pat Narduzzi, the only team that has held Pitt to 17 points was Virginia Tech last season.