VIRGINIA TECH (-15/53) at DUKE - Special to Who2beton.com Wise Guys
Virginia Tech's depth on defense has somehow passed the conference test this season coming into the road tilt against Duke with a 3-1 league record. They are now on top of the Coastal Division by winning three straight with their most recent victory being a 16 point win over BC. Tech held the Eagles to 272 yards of total offense, its lowest total in four games, and a mere 91 on the ground. The Hokies rank 13th in the nation in total defense and square off against a Duke team that is not only struggling offensively, but completely decimated by injuries. Duke’s struggles and ailments will assist VT because they, too, will be without their leading tackler, Bruce Taylor (foot-out), the third Hokies defensive starter to be lost for the season. The positives heading into Saturday early kick in Carolina is that linebacker Alonzo Tweedy, All-American cornerback Jayron Hosley and defensive end James Gayle are probable to return to action.
The Hokies' 10 consecutive victories over the Blue Devils have come by an average of 23.1 points.
Duke is a miserable 102nd in the FBS at 264.0 yards allowed per game and VT signal caller Logan Thomas is in line to throw for more than 250 yards for his third straight game. He has six passing touchdowns and no interceptions the last three games while completing 66.7 percent of his passes.
While VT is going to have to be very good the rest of the way to reach a 10-win season, QB Thomas, RB David Wilson and receivers Danny Coale and Marcus Davis -- behind a dominating offensive line -- will be enough to score a big win over a Duke team that's so banged up they can barely practice.
VT is 13-4 ATS when they out-gain their opponents by 1 to 1.5 yards per play and a perfect 6-0 ATS in road games against conference opponents over the last two seasons winning in both situations by an average of 21 points.
Take the Hokies and lay the two touchdowns on Saturday.
Virginia Tech's depth on defense has somehow passed the conference test this season coming into the road tilt against Duke with a 3-1 league record. They are now on top of the Coastal Division by winning three straight with their most recent victory being a 16 point win over BC. Tech held the Eagles to 272 yards of total offense, its lowest total in four games, and a mere 91 on the ground. The Hokies rank 13th in the nation in total defense and square off against a Duke team that is not only struggling offensively, but completely decimated by injuries. Duke’s struggles and ailments will assist VT because they, too, will be without their leading tackler, Bruce Taylor (foot-out), the third Hokies defensive starter to be lost for the season. The positives heading into Saturday early kick in Carolina is that linebacker Alonzo Tweedy, All-American cornerback Jayron Hosley and defensive end James Gayle are probable to return to action.
The Hokies' 10 consecutive victories over the Blue Devils have come by an average of 23.1 points.
Duke is a miserable 102nd in the FBS at 264.0 yards allowed per game and VT signal caller Logan Thomas is in line to throw for more than 250 yards for his third straight game. He has six passing touchdowns and no interceptions the last three games while completing 66.7 percent of his passes.
While VT is going to have to be very good the rest of the way to reach a 10-win season, QB Thomas, RB David Wilson and receivers Danny Coale and Marcus Davis -- behind a dominating offensive line -- will be enough to score a big win over a Duke team that's so banged up they can barely practice.
VT is 13-4 ATS when they out-gain their opponents by 1 to 1.5 yards per play and a perfect 6-0 ATS in road games against conference opponents over the last two seasons winning in both situations by an average of 21 points.
Take the Hokies and lay the two touchdowns on Saturday.
