Clemson football returns to ACC play in Week 8 in another primetime showdown at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers (4-2, 2-1 ACC) face Virginia Tech (5-2, 2-2) on Oct. 24 (7 p.m., ESPN).
This will be the first time Clemson coach Dabo Swinney goes up against new Hokies coach James Franklin.
It will also be a matchup between quarterbacks on opposite ends of the passing statistics. Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer leads the ACC with 1,984 passing yards, while Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds ranks last among qualified ACC passers with 943 passing yards.
Clemson believes it can still reach the ACC Championship Game, and the Tigers still have everything in front of them to do that. A win over the Hokies would go a long way toward achieving those ambitions.
Here's our prediction and scouting report for the game.
Clemson vs Virginia Tech prediction
This game is full of strength vs. strength and weakness vs. weakness. Clemson's strength on offense is leaning on Gideon Davidson to make plays on the ground. Virginia Tech's strength on defense is stopping the run. The Tigers' weakness on offense is generating explosive plays through the air, or really any kind of passing game. The Hokies' weakness on defense is their pass defense.
It's the same thing on the other side. Nobody in the ACC has more passing yards than Grunkemeyer. Clemson ranks fourth in the ACC for passing yards allowed per game at 189.3, and Tigers cornerback Ashton Hampton leads the conference with nine pass breakups.
The Hokies have had games where the pass defense worked. They held Boston College to 111 passing yards, and Pittsburgh only managed 191 passing yards against them. Clemson's passing offense doesn't have a game like that. The Tigers' best passing day was 295 yards against Miami. Even against Georgia Southern and Charleston Southern, Clemson struggled to pass.
This feels like a game where Virginia Tech can really focus on stopping the run and be content to let the Tigers throw. Clemson ranks last nationally with two touchdown passes, and Reynolds is a freshman who's dealt with offensive line issues, drops and underwhelming play-calling.
Virginia Tech has options on offense. If Clemson shuts Grunkemeyer down, the Hokies can turn to running back and All-ACC candidate Jeffrey Overton Jr. Virginia Tech's offense has proven to be two-dimensional, unlike Clemson's. The Hokies also have wide receiver Que'Sean Brown, who gave the Tigers nightmares last season at Duke with 80 receiving yards and two touchdowns at Memorial Stadium.
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Clemson vs Virginia Tech scouting report
Where Clemson has an advantage: This might sound a little silly, but the Tigers' biggest advantage might be kicker Nolan Hauser. In a game where Virginia Tech matches up well with Clemson's biggest strengths, Hauser could prove to be vital.
Hauser has missed only one of his 16 field goal attempts this season and made a career-long 59-yard field goal against Charleston Southern, the second-longest field goal in Tigers history. Clemson's defense is good enough to hold the Hokies at bay long enough for its offense to sort things out.
Kicking field goals repeatedly isn't a reliable strategy, but this could be a close game, and having a kicker with the long-range ability like Hauser could prove to be extremely useful in crunch time.
Where Virginia Tech has an advantage: Overton feels like an X-factor here. Clemson can't really turn to its passing offense when its primary strength, the rushing offense, hits a wall. But Virginia Tech can lean on Overton if its main offensive strength, the passing offense, falters.
Overton ranks second in the ACC with 613 rushing yards and has been one of the conference's most explosive running backs. Grunkemeyer and options like Brown and tight end Luke Reynolds will be the Hokies' go-to players. But if Virginia Tech needs him, Overton can deliver.
Clemson vs Virginia Tech score prediction
Virginia Tech 27, Clemson 17: Virginia Tech's offensive versatility presents one challenge for Clemson. Another is that the Hokies are among the ACC's better teams at defending the run, which has been the foundation of the Tigers' offense. Virginia Tech is more balanced on offense than Clemson, and it has the quarterback advantage. The Tigers' offense won't be able to keep up. Clemson will have its chances, but Virginia Tech has looked stronger.
Nick Coppola covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA Today Network. Email him at ncoppola@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @Nick_Coppola__ and like his Facebook page at Nick Coppola, Clemson Sports.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football vs Virginia Tech prediction. Can Dabo Swinney top James Franklin?