Virginia Tech Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2020
By James Bowers
Week 2: Virginia Tech football vs. Penn State (Sept. 12)
James Franklin has brought Penn State back to just outside national contender status. The arrival of new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca from Minnesota has fans in Happy Valley envisioning the College Football Playoff this year.
It’s the hope that Ciarrocca can do for Sean Clifford what he did for the Gophers’ Tanner Morgan last season; turn him into one of the nation’s most effective quarterbacks. This job will be made much easier by the return of four of five starting offensive linemen and running back Journey Brown. The task is complicated by the fact that tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receiver Jahan Dotson mark the only returning skill position starters.
Defensively, it doesn’t hurt to have Shaka Toney and Micah Parsons back, but they don’t return a lot on that side of the ball. Virginia Tech could exploit this early season inexperience.
Neither one of these teams brings a lot back in 2020.
Brown will be a difference-maker for the Nittany Lions. Penn State will want to develop some strong receiving targets because Virginia Tech doesn’t bring a lot back in the secondary. Those four returning offensive lineman Hendon Hooker and company will have a handful from the likes of Parsons, Toney and Antonio Shelton, so he will want to find someone who can replace DeShawn McClease as his chief handoff recipient.
Tre Turner will need to get himself open against the Penn State secondary.
James Franklin and his staff have proven time and time again their ability to make any one of their players a winner. It is for this reason that I give Penn State the advantage. We call these things projections for a reason though.
Prediction: Penn State 24, Virginia Tech 13 (1-1)