Syracuse v. Virginia Tech (10/23/21) Game Information:
- Teams: Syracuse (3-4, 0-3 ACC) v. Virginia Tech (3-3, 1-1 ACC)
- Date: Saturday, October 23
- Game Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Virginia
- Network: ACC Regional Sports Networks
- Spread: Virginia Tech -3.5
- History: The two teams last met in the 2016 season, with the Orange upsetting the then-No. 17 Hokies 31-17. Eric Dungey threw for 311 yards and rushed for another 109 yards, accounting for two touchdowns in the win.
Brad Bierman
Fearless Prediction: Syracuse 28, Virginia Tech 21
With the great Eastern Independent era (1985-88) and Big East history (1992-2003) of the Syracuse-Virginia Tech rivalry, considering this is the first game against the Hokies since the 2016 Orange upset in the Dome that put Dino Babers program in the national spotlight (specifically the “Who’s House?” postgame locker room speech), and the first trip to Blacksburg since 2003, this is as good a time as any to highlight the need for the ACC to change its division alignment and scheduling format.
The ACC should scrap the two-division format, as occurred in the pandemic season of 2020, and switch the scheduling format to 3-5-5.
Each team would play three teams on a permanent basis each season, for Syracuse that would be Boston College, Louisville, and Pittsburgh. In odd years SU would play five of the other 10 ACC teams, and in even years the other five teams, alternating home and away every four seasons.
In other words, Syracuse fans would see more of Miami, Virginia Tech and the other present Coastal members in the Dome instead of waiting in a 14-year cycle. It would feel much more like conference play.
Last week, Lane Stadium started to resemble a ghost town midway through the fourth quarter of surprising Pittsburgh’s 28-7 domination of the Hokies. Virginia Tech finished with a season-low 225-yards of offense and a lone third quarter touchdown, which bodes well for the Orange defensive front (Cody Roscoe’s 7.5 sacks is tops among all Power 5 teams) getting after Tech quarterback Braxton Burmeister.
» Related: The case for Sean Tucker and the Heisman Trophy
After coming oh-so-close again in ACC play last week, Syracuse is due. Sean Tucker seems to be building momentum running the ball as the season progresses, and the passing offense under Garrett Shrader has no place to go but up.
In our preseason prediction in August, we had it 26-24 Tech. Now as the season has unfolded, we’ll adjust our gaze into the crystal ball and see the first Syracuse ACC road win since 2019 (at Duke 49-6).
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