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Notre Dame No.14 suffered a setback last weekend with their home loss to No.5 Cincinnati, but on Saturday the Fighting Irish have the opportunity to get back on track when they travel to Blacksburg, in Virginia, to face Virginia Tech. The prime-time Lane Stadium environment promises to be vibrant as the Fighting Irish prepare to take on the Hokies for the fourth time under coach Brian Kelly, who is 2-1 against Justin Fuente.
Notre Dame also features a 20-game winning streak against ACC regular season opponents, a series that includes his only season as a full member of the conference in 2020.
Virginia Tech’s 3-1 record is fueled by a huge season opener over North Carolina that placed them at # 1 in the ACC Coastal Division standings. However, the rest of the non-conference roster left something to be desired with a loss to West Virginia, as well as wins over Middle Tennessee and Richmond. Virginia Tech had last week to prepare for this game, which kicks off a huge month for the schedule that will determine whether the Hokies are an ACC Championship contender heading into the final weeks of the season.
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech: what you need to know
Notre Dame unstable at the quarterback position: Jack Coan started all five of the Fighting Irish games, but he did not complete the victory over Wisconsin due to injury or the loss to Cincinnati due to performance. Kelly actually played three quarters against the Bearcats, with freshman Tyler Buchner taking over before halftime and Drew Pyne playing in the second half. Pyne had the most success of the line, leading a late push that was 17-0 at halftime to 17-13 in the fourth quarter, but Kelly chose not to name a starter during his availability for the match week. He said the decision had been made but he was not ready to share it with the media.
Kelly, for her part, doesn’t seem overly concerned about using mystery as an advantage in the game.
“I’m more interested in what we’re doing than trying to hide something from Virginia Tech,” Kelly said earlier this week. “They saw the three play. They’re pretty smart. They can understand.”
The Lane Stadium environment will play a role: One of the many takeaways from Virginia Tech’s season opener over North Carolina was a reminder of how Lane Stadium can rock with a high-profile opponent in town. Tar Heels quarterback Sam Howell didn’t play well and the offensive line struggled too often hampering their own efforts with procedural penalties in big moments. That noise and energy should be rekindled again with Notre Dame in town, with fans knowing a win is just around the corner with another opponent ranked in town as a short favorite.
Key section for Virginia Tech: The Hokies didn’t have the kind of performance you might expect against an FCS opponent in their win over Richmond, but the week off allowed for a reset of a rambling season that saw incredible highs and streaks. disappointing football. If this reset returns with the best version of Virginia Tech, then Justin Fuente is in for a special season.
Virginia Tech will have Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse at home for the next three weeks. All of these games are potential wins for the Hokies, and if they can chain all three together, they become an ACC Championship contender.
How to watch Notre Dame at Virginia Tech live
Dated: Saturday October 9 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Site: Lane Stadium – Blacksburg, Virginia
TV: ACC Network | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Team vs team prediction, choice
Featured Game | Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
I don’t like the odds of betting on a volatile Notre Dame quarterback situation at Blacksburg with “Enter Sandman” and Hokie Nation all loaded. Virginia Tech may have a hard time scoring touchdowns against a good Notre Dame defense, but the way the Fighting Irish have struggled on offense, I don’t expect everything to click here in this place. Prediction: Virginia Tech (+1)
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