Louisville v Virginia Tech: Final Game Predictions
By Caleb Hall
Caleb Hall’s Game Prediction:
Louisville needs to win this game, and with the Hokies coming to town, they can seal themselves off from the rest of the ACC, and put themselves up in a tier with FSU if they win today.
The Cardinals may face some challenges today as they take on Virginia Tech with some possible injuries. Jeff Brohm is known to hold off most injury news till kickoff so the other team has no time to gameplan for it. However, if a key player is out like Jordan or Thrash, I think Brohm will have a gameplan on how to move the ball without them. Of course the explosiveness of those players is unmatched, Brohm can find a way to score points and make plays without them. It just won’t be as easy.
Virginia Tech and Kyron Drones will be a tough matchup for Louisville, but the defense and Ashton Gillotte I think will be able to contain him. Tech is a good team, but they are just now finding their footing with 2nd year head coach Brent Key. I am not sure they are ready for this caliber of a road test, at least not yet.
I expect Jack Plummer to be set up for easy throws and 1st downs early. The Hokies will want to make Plummer throw the ball to win the game, and shut down the run game. If Brohm can get Plummer’s confidence up early with easy short throws, it will bode well for the Louisville offense. And it will still be a very daunting task to shut down Jawhar Jordan in the first place (if he plays).
Louisville, I think, starts hot in the 1st quarter, slows down in the 2nd and 3rd, but pulls away with some big offensive plays, and defensive line play in the 4th. Virginia Tech is good, but I don’t see them pulling this one out.