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Sons of Saturday Game Picks: The Hokies Head on The Road in Must-Win Versus Louisville

By Mike McDaniel | October 31
Khalil Herbert 247 sports
Courtesy: 247Sports

After an inexplicable loss at the hands of Wake Forest last week, Virginia Tech goes back on road to battle the up-and-coming Louisville Cardinals. This is a must-win for the Hokies, no question about it. Nobody knows how this game is going to go. You want proof? Check out these picks.

Billy Ray Mitchell

Virginia Tech 31 Louisville 24

Respond. Make it happen. Both defenses have gotten better significantly the last few weeks. Control the pace and TOP, you win. Must find a way to win outside through the air. GO HOKIES.

Mike McDaniel

Virginia Tech 34 Louisville 28

If this game was two weeks ago and Virginia Tech took care of business against Wake Forest, we'd be looking at this game much differently. However, the Hokies laid an egg and now appear as inconsistent as their opponent this Saturday in Louisville. The Hokies win close, because they absolutely need this one. If Tech falls again, there will be plenty of questions about this coaching staff moving forward, and I believe those questions will be justified. Tech needs to beat 2-4 Louisville in year five under Coach Fuente.

Adam Rothe

Louisville 38 Virginia Tech 20

The Tech run defense being awful + Louisville's explosive run game = another Hokie loss. I predict Louisville's Javian Hawkins to rush for over 150 yards. I consider this score a close game. If the Cardinals get off to a hot start and the Hokies fail to score points early yet again, this game could become a blowout. Hopefully the Hokies can get the run game going because it is quite obvious after last week that if the Hokies are forced to pass the ball, they will fail. Hoping for the best here, but expecting the worst.

Ryan Hartman

Virginia Tech 38 Louisville 21

This team needs to play mad this week and all things coming out of practice point towards that. Hooker knows he has to be better and Fuente has been good in these spots. This is tough matchup for the Hokies with the powerful offense of the cards. I still like our offense to control the game in the ground and produce a few turnovers on D.

Justin Cates

Virginia Tech 31 Louisville 28

Much has been made of last week being the sixth time under Justin Fuente that Tech has lost to an unranked opponent while they themselves have been ranked. Less publicized is Tech's 4-1 record following those losses. I think the Hokies rally and steal one on the road against an inconsistent Louisville squad.

Robert Irby

Louisville 24 Virginia Tech 21

I was worried about this matchup before given Louisville's speed on offense, and after last week, I have almost no confidence. If Louisville doesn't turn the ball over, this could be a bad matchup for Hokie defense. Speed kills, especially when you have a front seven as slow as the Hokies'. On defense, Louisville is going to try their hardest to do what Wake Forest did and force Hendon Hooker to beat them with his arm. I think Hooker plays better, but the offense is simply not equipped to function that way. I think this is another ugly game for the Hokies, and I would strongly recommend deleting the Twitter app from your phone once it's over.

Sam Jessee

Virginia Tech 42 Louisville 31

I think last week was more of an anomaly for this team than many fans think. The guys just weren't up for that game, both mentally and physically. I think you see a more motivated Hokies team, especially offensively. Hokies take the W in a spooky shootout.

Chris Himes

Virginia Tech 34 Louisville 31

The Hokies rank in the top 10 in explosive plays which matches up well against a porous UL run defense. Conversely, the Cardinals offer a more efficient offensive attack than Wake Forest with faster and better athletes, which does not bode well for Tech's front seven. Expect a back and forth game but in the end, VT should win a close bounce back game coming off last week's disappointment.

Ed Williams

Virginia Tech 38 Louisville 35

A bounce back performance from the offense combined with a Tre Turner breakout game will be enough for the Hokies to edge this one out.

Preston Huennekens

Louisville 28 Virginia Tech 17

I can feel it: this is going to be a hangover game for the Hokies. Louisville's offense is explosive. Their defense has had a week to review how Wake Forest completely stymied Virginia Tech's 1-dimensional offense. Before the season, I had circled this game as a trap, and I haven't seen enough from the Hokies to change my mind.

Colin Gilley

Virginia Tech 41 Louisville 34

For the past five years, the Hokies have dropped a game which they arguably should have won - 2016: Syracuse, 2017: Georgia Tech, 2018: any game really, 2019: Duke and 2020: Wake Forrest. After these disappointing losses, head coach Justin Fuente has found a way to motivate the team for a bounce-back win the following week. I predict the same to happen this year. Look for quarterback Hendon Hooker and running back Khalil Herbert to have an explosive game following their disappointing performances against Wake.

Pat Rouleau

Virginia Tech 31 Louisville 27 (OT)

I am not confident in this pick at all. Both sides of my brain are telling me two different things and this truly feels like a toss-up. This game is also on Halloween, weird things happen on Halloween, weird things are happening ALL over the place in 2020 and some weird things may happen In Louisville at Cardinal Stadium. This should be a very entertaining game but Raheem Blackshear scores LATE (or in overtime) to give Tech the W.

Grant Mitchell

Louisville 31 Virginia Tech 30

This should be a close game. An overall better but reeling Virginia Tech team is going up against a high-scoring Louisville squad that exploits weak run defenses, something that Tech fans have been feeling the effects of all season. I predict that this will be a very close game, and after Hooker's failure to lead a comeback against Wake Forest I'm not sure that he pulls it out this weekend either.

Konnor Kilgore

Virginia Tech 45 Louisville 42

The offense produced a clunker against Wake Forest, but Louisville's subpar D presents an excellent bounce back opportunity. Tech has responded well after a loss during the Fuente era, and I think they come ready to play. That being said, I don't think they have an answer for Louisville's explosive offense, and the three headed monster of Cunningham, Hawkins, and Atwell will all probably have big days. Tech forces a late turnover and escapes with a narrow win in a shootout.

Joey Robertson

Virginia Tech 34 Louisville 21

We make a statement after laying an egg last week at Wake.

Mike Mcd

Mike McDaniel

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As a first generation Hokie, I can't say that Virginia Tech has always been in my blood, but I can say unequivocally that I bleed maroon and orange now. I graduated from the Pamplin College of Business in 2015 with a double major in accounting and finance, and have parlayed that into a five-year career in government compliance consulting in the Washington D.C. metro area where I grew up. At Tech, I enjoyed going to as many sporting events as I could, playing four years for the Club Golf team, and realizing my passion for writing and creating content.


I have previously written for Gobbler Country on the SB Nation network, Fighting Gobbler for Fansided, InsideTheACC.com, The Tech Lunch Pail, and most recently for Sports Illustrated's All Hokies, where I was the lead publisher.


In addition to writing, I am also co-host of Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast and the Hokie Hangover Podcast covering Virginia Tech athletics.


I'm passionate about Virginia Tech, but also hope to bring an objective and journalistic background to enhance the already fantastic athletic coverage here at Sons of Saturday.

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