Hokie ClubLooking to win its fourth consecutive contest, Virginia Tech heads to Syracuse to take on the Orange when they meet inside the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for noon ET, with the game airing on CW Sports.
Prolific Passing Attack
It’s no secret that winning on the road is never an easy task. But combine that with Syracuse’s ability to challenge its opposition through the air, it makes Saturday afternoon an even tougher test.
Led by Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord, the Orange finds itself ranked third nationally in passing offense, averaging nearly 360 yards a game and averaging over seven yards a catch.
Luckily for the Hokies, they’re in a position to contain Syracuse’s passing attack. Tech is averaging under 200 yards allowed per contest, ranking second in the ACC in passing yards allowed. That’s also without mentioning the Hokies have limited the opposition to completing just 54% of their pass attempts, and they’ve picked off their opponents seven times this year.
It sets up a fascinating matchup on Saturday to watch, with Tech needing to limit the passing game in order to leave New York with a victory.
Fourth Down Clash
In last week’s 21-6 victory over Georgia Tech, it’s not hard to pinpoint the ability to get off the field as a key reason why the Hokies were able to secure a third consecutive win.
In fourth-down situations, Tech limited the Yellow Jackets to a measly 1-for-4 over the course of the day, with two of those situations with less than five yards to go. It’s the second straight weekend the Hokies also swallowed up a fourth-and-one, with both Jaden Keller and Keonta Jenkins each making a stop.
As a whole, Tech has held opposing offenses to 7-for-17 (41.2%) in fourth-down tries. That’s good for second in the ACC, just a smidge behind SMU’s 9-for-22 (40.9%). The Hokies have generated plenty of stops on defense with a 72.4% stop rate, which ranks 17th in the nation.
On the flip side of things, Syracuse ranks as one of the best nationally in converting fourth downs. The Orange move the chains on 72.2% (13-for-18) of fourth-down opportunities, a mark that’s 17th in the country and third in the ACC (Pitt and Miami).
Special Teams Success
There continues to be an overwhelming amount of emphasis placed on the success of special teams at Virginia Tech year in and year out – and so far this season, that’s been no exception.
Tech’s returned a punt for a touchdown, hasn’t missed a field goal that hasn’t been blocked and continues to trot out All-ACC punter Peter Moore. That’s slated the Hokies as the fifth-most efficient special team units in the ACC, with the maroon and orange earning a 75.2 efficiency rating.
To compare, Syracuse is slotted last in the ACC with an efficiency rate of 51 – having had two punts blocked and a whopping four field goals deflected this season. That’s a matchup Tech should expose, with the Hokies having a major advantage over the Orange when it comes to the special teams side of the ball.
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