NCAA Football
2025-11-22 - Miami Hurricanes at Virgina Tech Hokies
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : College Football Week 13
Saturday 22nd November 2025 - Scheduled 12pm
5pm (British Time)
Preview
If you like looking at permutations around the Championship Game participants and, ultimately, the College Football Playoff, the ACC Conference may sate your appetite.
The highest Ranked team in the last College Football Playoff positions remains the Miami Hurricanes (8-2), but they are 4-2 in the Conference and need a lot of help to make it through to the ACC Championship Game. It feels incredibly unlikely that the Hurricanes will be playing in the twelve team Playoff if they are not able to at least compete in the Championship Game, and it is important to at least make sure they finish out with two wins.
Even that may not be enough with Georgia Tech in a position to secure one of the ACC Championship Game spots with a win this weekend, while the SMU Mustangs have a win over the Hurricanes and one fewer Conference defeats on the record.
All Miami can do is focus on winning out with two tough road games to come, although some politics are at play with some wondering how the Hurricanes are Ranked lower than the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who also have two regular season losses on the record.
The fact is that Miami have beaten the Fighting Irish this season and Notre Dame are not going to have a Conference Championship to win, but those playing politics will be wasting their time if the Hurricanes are to lose in either of the next two games.
First up is a trip to Blacksburg to face the Virginia Tech Hokies (3-7) who are 2-4 in ACC play, but who have announced that James Franklin will be taking over as Head Coach moving into 2026. That is a big time appointment for a school that have been treading water for far too long and underlines the ambitions around Virginia Tech and the players should be motivated to finish up at home on a high.
They would love to play spoiler for Miami, although some fans would be keener to see the Hokies do that next week in a rivalry game at Virginia Cavaliers who are chasing a spot in the ACC Championship Game.
Motivations of players is always going to be different to the fans, but this is a tough game for Virginia Tech who have suffered consecutive double-digit defeats and who are facing a Miami team looking for 'style points' and not just wins.
Kyron Drones is going to have to bring all of his dual-threat ability out of the Quarter Back position to give the Hokies a chance- he is facing a Miami Secondary that is banged up, but finding the time to attack them down the field is the challenge.
That makes the legs important as the Hokies Offensive Line tries to dictate at the Line of Scrimmage, although being able to establish the run against this Miami Defensive Line is going to be a huge test. Even with a Quarter Back capable of moving, the Miami pass rush is likely going to be able to shut off the ends and Virginia Tech will have to convert some third and long situations to sustain drives.
Unfortunately for the home team, the passing game has been erratic at best and it is likely going to be a tough day in the office for the entire Offensive unit.
Running the ball should be less of an issue for the Miami Hurricanes when they have the ball and that is where they should be able to push on and score the points needed to put togehter another impressive win.
Carson Beck has had a solid year at Quarter Back, but he will be well aware that he was brought in to take the Hurricanes into the Playoff- Beck should be able to make plenty of big plays from being put in third and manageable spots on the field and the road team look capable of winning and winning well.
Nothing is ever easy when playing on the road, as Miami know all too well with their 1-1 record on the road, but there is still a real potential for them to make the post-season if they can keep impressing the Playoff Committee.
We should see a top effort from Miami, and there is a real potential for this to be the 'easiest' win at Virginia Tech since 2018, a victory that sparked a three game road winning run against the Hokies.
Prediction
Lay the points with the road favourite.
The Pick :
Virginia Tech Hokies 13-34 Miami Hurricanes
