No. 19 Clemson (6-2, 5-1; No. 23 CFP) will face off against Virginia Tech (5-4, 3-2) this Saturday at 3:30 PM ET, broadcasted on ESPN. The betting odds from BetMGM favor Clemson by 6.5 points, while the historical rivalry shows that Clemson leads the series with a record of 23 wins, 12 losses, and 1 tie.
Both teams are entering this game off disappointing losses, which has taken away some of the enthusiasm that previously surrounded this matchup—once thought to have potential implications for the ACC championship. Clemson suffered a 33-21 defeat against Louisville, a surprising outcome considering they outgained their opponents 450-366 and did not turn the ball over. Despite the setback, the Tigers remain in contention for the ACC title, though they must win their remaining games and secure some external support. The Hokies, on the other hand, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in a heartbreaking 38-31 overtime defeat against Syracuse, where they squandered an 18-point lead in the second half. This continues a disturbing trend for Virginia Tech, as all of their losses this season have been decided by a touchdown or less.
A critical matchup to watch is Clemson’s rushing offense against Virginia Tech’s struggling defense. Clemson boasts the top rushing offense in the ACC, averaging 202.6 yards per game. Behind the physical running style of Phil Mafah, the Tigers record an impressive 5.7 yards per carry. Mafah is among four tailbacks in the conference averaging over 100 rushing yards per game, currently sitting at 106.6 yards per contest. This contrasts sharply with Virginia Tech’s defense, which ranks 16th out of 17 ACC teams in rush defense, allowing 157.6 yards per game and permitting five opposing players to surpass 150 rushing yards in a game this season.
Key players to keep an eye on include Clemson’s RB Phil Mafah, who performed admirably in the loss to Louisville, rushing for 171 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Mafah is closing in on a notable milestone, needing just 147 more yards to reach 1,000 rushing yards for the season. His ability to reach at least 100 rushing yards has been a common theme this season, with five such performances and three consecutive games with two or more touchdowns. For Virginia Tech, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland is another player to watch, having recorded a sack against Syracuse, bringing his total this season to 12—tops in the nation. Powell-Ryland also has an impressive career total of 21.5 sacks and leads the team in several categories, including tackles for loss and quarterback hurries.
As game day approaches, there are injury concerns for Virginia Tech, with starting quarterback Kyron Drones, leading tailback Bhayshul Tuten, and cornerback Mansoor Delano all listed as questionable due to undisclosed injuries. Notably, Drones and Tuten were absent for last week’s game against Syracuse. Clemson has dominated this series recently, winning six straight games against the Hokies, including victories in two ACC Championship Games. Under coach Dabo Swinney, Clemson has a solid record of 35-9 following a loss, and they currently rank fifth in the nation for total offense and ninth in scoring. On the flip side, under head coach Brent Pry, Virginia Tech has struggled significantly in close games, holding a dismal record of 1-11 in one-score contests while leading with under two minutes remaining in all four of their losses this season.