Getty Virginia Tech's Ryan Willis
There are not many FBS vs. FCS matchups that are intriguing, but Virginia Tech and Furman is one of those rare meetings.
Furman is one of the better FCS schools in the country. They are coming off a 48-42 loss to Georgia State in their previous game. Furman was able to cover the spread in that game. Virginia Tech beat Old Dominion in unimpressive fashion in their Week 2 game.
Furman vs. Virginia Tech Preview
Virginia Tech desperately needs to get their run game going. They had just 131 yards on the ground against Old Dominion and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. This is the main focus for the Hokies heading into this game against Furman.
Ryan Willis finished with 272 yards and two touchdowns for Virginia Tech. Deshawn McClease finished with 20 carries for 64 yards. He was the team’s leading receiver. This is a good game for Virginia Tech to work on their run game before ACC play begins.
“Everywhere. We’ve got to do a better job coaching, a better job blocking, a better job running. Everywhere,” Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente said on what needs to improve. “So we’ve got to do a good job of putting them into good situations, not asking them to do too much, then letting them cut it loose.”
Furman battled in their Week 2 game. Georgia State was coming off a big win against Tennessee and Furman was able to hang around. Darren Grainger was on fire for the Paladins in this one. He finished 16-25 for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Furman had a three point lead at halftime but they fell behind in the third quarter and could not climb back in.
The Paladins are playing their third straight game against an FBS team. The first two were low level but this is a chance for Furman to show the country that they are no pushover.
Furman vs. Virginia Tech Pick & Prediction
There is no line at the moment for this game. If you can find a line and it is high in favor of Virginia Tech, this is a good opportunity to take a chance on Furman.
The Hokies have not been able to run the ball. This is not a one week fix. They have compiled their least amount of rushing yards through the first two games of a season since joining the ACC. Against Georgia State, Furman did not allow a 100 yard rusher.
On the defensive end, the Paladins will look to throw the football. They have a quarterback who is smart and can make throws downfield. Virginia Tech has suffered their hiccups in previous seasons. In Week 2 against Old Dominion, they did not look like the Hokies of old.
At the moment, there is no line. One will be added if a line is made. With Virginia Tech playing the way they are, Furman might be the play in this one on the road. If the Paladins can halt the rushing attack of the Hokies for one more week, they might have a chance to pull off an upset. This is a sure fire way to cover the spread.
PICK: Furman
SCORE PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 35, Furman 27