First Look: Virginia Tech
Here’s an early look at Purdue’s second opponent of the 2023 season, the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Time: Saturday, September 9, Noon E.T.
Location: Lane Stadium
Surface: Bermuda Grass
Capacity: 65,632
2023 schedules/records: Purdue 0-1; Virginia Tech 1-0
Series notes: Purdue and Virginia Tech will meet for the second time on the gridiron, returning the trip in a home-and-home series. The first matchup between the Boilermakers and Hokies came in 2015 when Frank Beamer’s squad left West Lafayette with a 51-24 win over Darrell Hazell and Purdue. This marks the second straight year that Purdue travels to an ACC opponent, having played at Syracuse in 2022. Saturday will mark the first game in the state of Virginia in the 136-year history of Purdue football.
TV: ESPN 2
Early line: Virginia Tech -1, O/U 47.5
STORYLINES TO WATCH
Avoiding 0-2
After falling to Fresno State in the season opener, Purdue will look to win its first game under Ryan Walters and avoid an 0-2 start. While starting 0-1 isn’t new for Purdue, who has lost the opener in five of the past seven seasons, 0-2 starts in West Lafayette have been few and far between.
The Boilermakers last started 0-2 in 2018, when Purdue lost its first three games, all at Ross-Ade Stadium, before going on to finish the regular season 6-6. Before that? Purdue hadn’t started 0-2 since 1996 in Jim Colletto’s final campaign.
Third Down D
In Purdue’s season-opening loss, third-down defense played a key role in allowing Fresno State to pull off the upset. The Bulldogs converted 11 of 17 third downs, including three where they needed ten or more yards. Purdue generated pressure on the quarterback, but it often failed to get home for sacks, allowing Fresno State receivers to come open and move the chains. Undoubtedly, getting off the field on third down will be a crucial point of emphasis for Purdue moving forward.
Hokies heading in the right direction?
Things look quite different in Blacksburg than they did in 2015 when these two teams last met. Justin Fuente came and went after Beamer’s retirement as the program stagnated and lost its epic bowl streak. Now, Brent Pry is in his second year trying to restore the glory in Blacksburg. While year one ended in a disappointing 3-8 record, the 2023 season started strong with a comfortable win over Old Dominion.
Pro Football Focus on the Hokies
- Quarterback Grant Wells is in his fourth season as a starting quarterback in college, having started two seasons at Marshall and now in his second season as the Hokies’ trigger man. He’s been up-and-down throughout his career, though he threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opening win.
- The Hokies’ offensive line put together an excellent pass-blocking game against Old Dominion, but it turned in pedestrian run-blocking grades.
- Like Purdue, the Hokies will hope to clean up from their 12 missed tackles in the opener.
Walters on the Hokies
“We expect it to be an electric atmosphere and we look forward to traveling as a team for the first time. They are very balanced and they are big and talented up front. Our work is cut out for us and we have to pay attention to detail and get better. We will work this week to come up with a better plan and (obviously) we need to get better on third down.”
