West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Betting Preview
Where: FedExField, Landover
When: Sunday, September 3, 7:30 PM ET
Line: West Virginia Mountaineers (+4.5) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (-4.5); total: 51.5 – view all NCAA Football lines
College Football News and Previews
Betting on the West Virginia Mountaineers
Point Spread: +4.5
Although the Mountaineers had a dud to end the 2016 season, losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the Russell Athletic Bowl, the campaign could still be deemed successful with West Virginia ending up with a 10-3 overall record and second-place finish in the ever-competitive Big 12 conference.
The pressure to build on that success is palpable heading into the new 2017 season, and head coach Dan Holgorsen will have to lead his boys with an almost new-look roster that returns just seven starters on both offense and defense. The Mountaineers will break in a new quarterback in Will Grier to replace last season’s starter Skyler Howard.
Grier may be newcomer to the team, but not to the bright lights of college football as he’s played one season with the Florida Gators in 2015, when he passed for 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns against three interceptions and went 6-0 as a starter. His experience should help him acclimate well with his new surroundings. There’ll be new go-to wide receivers for the Mountaineers, who were 51st last season in passing yards per game, but the backfield looks fine with last year’s top rusher Justin Crawford (1,184 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2016) back for his senior year.
The Hokies will have a redshirt freshman and less experienced quarterback, so West Virginia’s defense should be able to find opportunities to rattle Virginia Tech’s offense. Last year, the Mountaineers were solid on defense, allowing just 24.2 points
West Virginia is 4-1 SU and 2-3 ATS in its last five games when it was a favorite by six points or fewer.
Betting on the Virginia Tech Hokies
Point Spread: -4.5
Josh Jackson was the freshman quarterback for the Hokies we were referring to earlier, and he’ll be thrown into the line of fire right away, as he tries to lead his team past the Mountaineers this coming Sunday.
Jackson will be looking to fill in the void left by dual-threat quarterback Jerod Evans, who went undrafted in the last NFL Draft. With Evans in 2015, the Hokies were able to win the ACC Coastal division title, something that Jackson and the present set of Hokies are looking to duplicate. It should help Jackson that wide receiver Cam Philips, who enters his senior season with a career total of 2,063 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions, is back for another year. Also returning is running back Travon McMillian, who was second to Evans for most rushing yards on the team last year.
While Jackson is in the process of getting his feet wet, the Hokies are counting on their defense to make a difference against West Virginia. The Hokies boast of a deep set of cornerbacks and safeties — some already being eyed by NFL scouts – that should trouble Grier and West Virginia’s passing attack. Virginia Tech was third in the conference last season in passing defense with just 200.2 passing yards allowed per contest.
Virginia Tech is 4-0 ATS in its last four games.
Writer’s Prediction
West Virginia (+4.5) takes down the Hokies, 31-28.
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