Hokie ClubHeading into their annual meeting, the Hokies and Panthers each eye their first conference victory when they meet inside Lane Stadium on Saturday evening. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, with the game set to air on the ACC Network.
Saturday's contest will be Tech's White Effect theme game and fans are encouraged to wear their white team gear. Get your hands on the official White Effect hat and White Effect shirt before kickoff. If you're still looking to attend the White Effect game, tickets can be purchased on SeatGeek, the official secondary marketplace of Tech Athletics.
Starting Strong
With a longstanding history of success since becoming a member of the ACC, it's certainly no surprise to see how Tech has fared in its conference openings since joining the league prior to the 2004 campaign.
Since becoming a full-fledged member, the Hokies are 14-5 when opening up league play — tied for the best record with Clemson over that period of time, and have won four of their last five conference openers since 2018.
To dive even deeper, Tech has won each of its last three contests that have started off conference play, with the Hokies taking down NC State in 2020, North Carolina in 2021 and Boston College in 2022 to help set the tone of what hopefully is to come the rest of the way in the ACC slate.
Time For Payne
It's no secret that Nebraska transfer Pheldarius Payne has been quite the addition to Tech's defensive front four games into the 2023 campaign.
After being sidelined for the entirety of 2022 due to injury, Payne has fit in nicely up front for the Hokies in the midst of an experienced group, showcasing his talents in this past weekend's 24-17 setback to Marshall back on Saturday afternoon.
The Suffolk, Virginia native totaled four total tackles, with one solo stop, in the loss to the Thundering Herd, racking up two additional tackles for loss that registered as his first two secured since putting on a Tech uniform over a season ago.
Payne also had quite the day overall in his most recent appearance on the gridiron. The 6-foot-3, 276-pounder recorded an 86.1 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus, additionally finishing the afternoon with an 82.8 pass-rush grade to help solidify himself as one of the stronger performers on the day for those suited up in the maroon and orange.
Wheels Keep Churning
With Tech quarterback Kyron Drones continuing to utilize his skill set on the ground, the Hokies were able to encouragingly move the ball in the run game this past weekend.
Drones rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns in the one-score defeat, while Bhayshul Tuten found success in the ground game by averaging a whopping 9.8 yards per carry over the course of the contest.
Not only that, Tech produced three plays on the ground that resulted in 20 yards or more for the first time this season, with Drones' 31-yard touchdown serving as one, and Tuten breaking loose for both a 49-yard run and a 27-yard burst in a much-improved showing for Hokies running the ball.
With Pitt allowing just 2.93 yards per carry, it's the perfect time for Tech to get the run game going. And after seeing the potential from this past weekend, the Hokies look locked in and ready to go as conference play draws near.