Two of the nation’s biggest sleepers face off in a late-Week 1 matchup to start the year. Who wins this weekend’s West Virginia vs Virginia Tech game?
West Virginia and Virginia Tech is one of the best rivalries that nobody really talks about when it comes to the great non-conference rivalries. The two longtime foes will meet for the first time since 2005 at FedEx Field on Sunday night. As both teams currently sit near the back half of the preseason polls, this is the perfect game for either one of these teams to make their mark to start the 2017 season.
While this game may not have the buzz of some of the other games around this opening weekend, it will be interesting to see how each team plays under the spotlight of Sunday night. Virginia Tech comes off of an ACC title game appearance and West Virginia is consistently reaching bowl games but with the chance to play in a conference title game for the first time as members of the Big 12, the sense of urgency for Dana Holgersen’s program has been raised.
Here’s how to watch Sunday’s West Virginia vs Virginia Tech game:
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Date: Sunday, Sept. 3
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Landover, Md.
Venue: FedEx Field
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Most important player: West Virginia’s Will Grier
Out of nowhere, Will Grier appeared to have awaken the ghosts of Florida quarterbacks past but all of that was halted due to a failed drug test in fall of 2015. After transferring to West Virginia and sitting out last season, the early promise that Grier showed at Florida is something that all Mountaineer fans hope for.
Matchup to watch: RB Justin Crawford vs. LB Andrew Motuapuaka
Two teams that like to throw the football around will have this game decided in the trenches. In a classic battle of defender vs. running back we’ll see two of the nations best at what they do. The Hokies’ leading linebacker, Andrew Motuapuaka, passed up the NFL draft a year ago and returns as a sure-fire first-round product.
The man he will try to stop could help decide the Big 12 and willl most assuredly decide the Mountaineers’ fate in this game. If Crawford can use his game breaking speed and use his running to open up the passing game, look out.
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Prediction
Both teams need this, that’s pretty standard for an opening game of the season but with each team sitting in the bottom half of the polls — a win easily propels you into the top 15 and gives you a great start right out of the gate. I like the offensive prowess of West Virginia to get the job done in Landover on Sunday night. Don’t be shocked if we see a high-scoring affair, either.
Final Score: West Virginia 35, Virginia Tech 27