Virginia Tech football: Hokies open as slight underdogs at Clemson

The Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2, 2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak on Saturday, defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 34-24. Technically, the Hokies are only two plays away from being 7-0. That may sound hopeful, optimistic, or something else, but it’s also true. Next up for the Hokies is a trip to Clemson. And while these Tigers aren’t the same Clemson teams from 2012-2022, they’re still the team most ACC programs measure themselves against. A win in Death Valley would be a huge statement win for James Franklin in his first year as Virginia Tech’s head coach. Clemson enters next week’s game with a 4-2 record, including a 2-1 mark in ACC play. Here are the teams that Clemson has beaten: Georgia Southern, North Carolina, California and Charleston Southern. Clemson lost to LSU (51-13) and Miami (41-13). So, when facing ranked teams, the Tigers struggled. On Saturday, despite being the home team, Clemson opens as slight favorites over the Hokies via FanDuel . Here’s the early point spread for next Saturday: Point spread: Virginia Tech +2.5 (+100), Clemson -2.5 (-122) Moneyline: Virginia Tech (+125), Clemson (-150) Over/Under: 49.5 Clemson’s advantage likely comes from being the home team; otherwise, this feels like a fairly even matchup. We’ll have more on this game throughout the week.