WHAT WE ARE HEARING: PREVIEW & PREDICTION FOR NO.19 CLEMSON AT VA TECH

Welcome to another edition of What We Are Hearing!

It’s been a long week for the Tigers after laying an egg against Louisville last week, coming off a bye. It was the Tigers’ first home loss since the Gamecocks in 2022, and despite dominating just about every statistical category, they found a way to lose. The Tigers had played lights out for six straight games before the bye, and you have to wonder what might have been if the bye hadn’t disrupted their momentum. They no longer control their own fate, but hope is not completely gone. They obviously need to win their final two ACC games at VA Tech and at Pitt—which is easier said than done—and need Miami or SMU to stumble. Much crazier things have happened, though, especially this season! If Vandy can beat Bama and win at Auburn in the same season, it is certainly possible for SMU to lose at UVA. The Tigers can’t worry about that, though, they just need to take care of their business, and it starts in Blacksburg on Saturday! On to the matchup…

VT Synopsis

It is anyone’s guess which Hokie team will show up on Saturday. They have been erratic all season, playing well enough to win at Miami if not for a controversial Hail Mary call, but blowing a 21-3 second-half lead at Cues last week. The big question is whether the Hokies’ dynamic, dual-threat quarterback, Kyron Drones, will be able to play on Saturday after missing last week’s game. They were also without their talented running back, Tuten, last week, and cornerback Mansoor Delane, who is tied for third-most interceptions in the ACC, is also questionable. All three players reportedly practiced in full pads on Wednesday, however.

If Drones does play, the Tigers will have their hands full. He can beat you with his arm or his legs. He has completed 62.3 percent of his passes this season for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. He has also rushed for 323 yards and 6 scores. His backup, Collin Schlee, played respectably well last week on the road and has a lot of experience. The transfer is in his fifth season after spending three years at Kent State and last season at UCLA, where he started a couple of games. He had only thrown one pass this season prior to last week but went 16-25 for 206 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions at Cuse. He also ran for 54 yards and a TD, but he was sacked 5 times.

5’11, 209-pound senior Bhayshul Tuten (#33) is the Hokies’ top running back and also questionable for Saturday. He needs just 49 yards to hit the 1,000 mark this season and averages 6.7 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns. He is averaging 7.5 yards per carry in conference play. He only has 56 yards in the passing game but has a pair of TD catches. Tuten has not fumbled in his entire career, so he is very sure-handed. If Tuten cannot play, the Hokies will rely on 6’0, 215-pound junior Malachi Thomas (#24) from Hartwell, GA. He is reliable but not nearly as prolific as Tuten. Thomas is averaging 3.8 yards per carry this season for 160 yards with just one score. Like Tuten, he has not fumbled once in his four-year career. If Tuten doesn’t play, we will likely see 6’0, 200-pound redshirt freshman Jeremiah Coney (#21) get some opportunities. He has just 18 carries this season but averages 7.7 yards per rush.

The Hokies’ passing attack is led by 6’2, 198-pound senior North Carolina native Stephen Gosnell (#12).  He only has 24 catches and one touchdown but averages a whopping 19.3 yards per reception, which is 18^th nationally. The Hokies don’t have a receiver with more than two scores, so their running back, Tuten, is tied for the team lead in TD catches. 6’5, 240-pound sophomore TE Benji Gosnell (#82), brother of WR Stephen, is just 2 behind the team lead in catches and tied for the team lead with a pair of scores.

On the defensive side, look out for 6’3, 252-pound senior DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland (#52), who leads the nation with 12 sacks. He also has a pair of forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. The Tigers’ offensive line will need to do a much better job in pass protection than they did last week! As a unit, the Hokies average 3 sacks per game, which is tied for 12^th nationally with Pitt.

Sophomore place kicker John Love is a native of Spartanburg, so you know he is excited for this game. He is 10-12 on field goals this season and has a big leg. He is 2-3 from over 50 yards with a long of 57! The Hokies also have an excellent punter in Peter Moore. He averages 45.5 yards per punt with 9 over 50 yards and just one touchback this season. WR Jaylin Lane wears the coveted #25, which was Frank Beamer’s number, and a 58-yard punt return touchdown this season. He averages 11.6 yards per return, which is 15^th nationally. It would appear that “Beamer Ball” is still alive and well in Blacksburg!

The Hokies are ranked No.46 in scoring offense (30.8 points per game), No.27 in rushing offense (201.44 yards/game), No.113 in passing offense (184.2 yards/game) and No.73 in total offense (385.7 yards/game). They are No.49 in scoring defense (22.3 points per game), No.83 in rush defense (157.56 yards/game), No.46 in pass defense (205.6 yards/game) and No.60 in total defense (363.1 yards/game). The Hokies are No.74 in third down offense (39.67 percent) and No.84 in third down defense (40.30 percent). They are No.65 in red zone offense, No.5 in red zone defense and No.32 in turnover margin (plus 0.56 per game).

CLEMSON STATUS

The Tigers lost DE Peter Woods early in the game last week, and that seemed to be very detrimental to the Tigers’ ability to get the Cards off the field. Dabo told us that he is day to day, so it remains uncertain whether he will play on Saturday. DT Demonte Capehart also went down last week and will not play on Saturday, and fellow starting DT Tre Williams, who has battled injuries his whole career, is questionable for Saturday. To make matters worse, starting CB Shelton Lewis was injured in the game last week and will not make the trip. The good news is that they should all be available soon. WR Tyler Brown has missed the last several games and will still be out, but the Tigers got freshman WR Bryant Wesco back last week, so they are in good shape offensively.

The biggest positive from last week’s loss is that the Tigers continued to take care of the football. They did not create a turnover for the first time since the opener, but they did not turn it over either except for one turnover on downs in six fourth down attempts. The two blocked field goals last week were just as bad as turnovers, however, and cost the Tigers the game. They’ve had five kicks blocked this season, including a PAT.

Clemson is ranked No.9 in scoring offense (39.4 points per game), No.23 in rushing offense (202.63 yards/game), No.20 in passing offense (282.8 yards/game) and No.5 in total offense (485.4 yards/game). If they had an offense like this in any of the last three seasons, they would have easily made the playoff for 9 straight years and had a great shot at another national championship or two! This season, it’s the defense that has uncharacteristically let the Tigers down. They are No.67 in scoring defense (24.3 points per game), No.59 in rush defense (140 yards/game), No.54 in pass defense (210.3 yards/game) and No.52 in total defense (350.3 yards/game). They did not have a single sack last week and average just 2.13 per game, ranking No.55. This is a defense that had the most sacks since 2018 coming into the season and has ranked in the top 5 for over a decade! They aren’t getting as many tackles-for-loss as we’re accustomed to either, although they average 6.5 per game, which is tied for No.32 nationally with Georgia. The Tigers are No.24 in third down offense (45.95 percent) and No.21 in third down defense (32.04 percent). They are No.38 in red zone offense, No.69 in red zone defense (also highly uncharacteristic) and No.8 in turnover margin (plus 1.13 per game). They have had far too many penalties this season, averaging 52.3 yards per game, which is No.63 nationally.

PREDICTION

I have to believe that last week was a fluke and that the Tigers simply did not show up after their week off. If so, that is an unacceptable failure given the stakes and equally shocking. We’ll find out whether it was a fluke on Saturday because VA Tech has proven that it is capable of beating anyone in the conference. Hopefully, Peter Woods will be able to play and the Tigers will bring their A game in all three phases instead of their D game like last week. As badly as they played last week, the Tigers still would have had the ball at the Cards’ 20 yard line down 5 with a chance to win if not for the two blocked field goals OR the late 50-yard TD run they allowed after the onside kick, which was recovered by the Tigers but inexplicably given to the Cards. If the Tigers had brought their A game like they had in any of their prior six games, they would have won by at least a couple touchdowns. Call me a cock-eyed optimist, but I think we will see the Tigers bounce back with at least a B plus game on Saturday. If Drones and/or Tuten are unable to play or less than 100 percent, it will only help the Tigers’ cause.

CLEMSON    38        Virginia Tech    23