2. Liberty at Virginia Tech
LINE: Virginia Tech -17
ATS PICK: Virginia Tech
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Two warnings before diving in here.
First, this was originally at Virginia Tech -14.5 when this was first put together. I’m an Always Go With Your First Answer guy, so the call stays.
Second, there’s a snob aspect in play here, and it proved costly a few weeks ago when the pick was Syracuse against the spread before a big-time butt-kicking by Liberty.
When there’s a shot at taking a Power Five program – especially one as good as Virginia Tech – against a Group of Fiver, take your chances.
Liberty has been terrific. Its running game is dominant, Malik Willis is a dangerous quarterback, and the last four games have all been blowouts.
Yeah, the team is 6-0, but out of those six, there’s a win over North Alabama from the FCS ranked, and the five FBS teams are a combined 4-26 and one of those wins came against an FCS team.
New year, new team, new talent, but in the previous two seasons up in the big leagues against FBS programs, Liberty is 0-5 with all five defeats in ugly blowouts. That includes getting 44 hung on the board by last year’s Miserable Rutgers offense.
The two programs aren’t all that far apart, the Hokies should care about putting this away after two straight rough games – a loss to Wake Forest and a fight of a win over Louisville – and as long as it’s not looking ahead to the Miami game, it should be fine.
But that’s not enough? Okay. The Hokie running game should push for close to 300 rushing yards against a D that’s been great all year – including against Syracuse – but just allowed 215 against Southern Miss.