Virginia Tech Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2020
By James Bowers
Week 1: Virginia Tech football vs. Liberty (Sept. 5)
In 2019, the Liberty Flames enjoyed one of the most successful transitions from FCS to FBS in college football history. Head coach Hugh Freeze was able to put both his stormy exit from Ole Miss and early season medical issues behind him as he led his team to an 8-5 record and a 23-16 victory over Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl.
The Flames were the winningest team among FBS Independents last year.
Quarterback Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert, running back Frankie Hickson and wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden will be badly missed in Lynchburg next year. A look at Liberty’s 2019 cumulative statistics illustrate the serious impact that the trio of leaders had on the Flames’ season.
It will be interesting to see whether or not Freeze can keep the momentum swinging upward in Lynchburg. Current Flame quarterbacks have little experience, and the offense will definitely have to start from scratch around a new leader.
Conversely, the Virginia Tech Hokies boast a veteran defense and bring back a quarterback that is looking to build on last year. The odds lie very much in the Hokies’ favor. It’s highly unlikely that Liberty will make a game out of this contest.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 56, Liberty 7 (1-0)