What is Up with the Virginia Tech vs Miami Line?

The line for this game seems like it comes from an alternate universe. Somehow, the #9 ranked (6-1) Miami Hurricanes are underdogs against the unranked 4-3 Virginia Tech Hokies. A Virginia Tech team mind you that just lost at home to the Liberty Flames.

I am not knocking Liberty U. They have built a solid program with great transfers, recruiting, and bringing players up through their very own high school feeder program (Liberty Christian Academy/10 players on roster). But everyone knows that Virginia Tech gets the choice recruits in Virginia. And Virginia Tech should have been able to win that game. They were favored by 17 points! The truth is that they are just really not that good.

Yes, VT beat several decent teams, Boston College, NC State, Wake Forest and Louisville, but they lost their only matchup against a “good” team (UNC 56-45).  They have a high octane offense which averages 37 PPG. But they also have a horrible defense which gives up 31 PPG, 256 yards passing per game and 202 yards rushing per game. Miami QB D’Eriq King should truly have a field day against this defense. Miami, on the other hand, allows 24 PPG, 245 passing YPG and 148 rushing YPG.

So, why when looking at all this information is Virginia Tech -2 points at sportsbooks? I honestly have no idea. There is nothing in the stats, numbers or trends which says that VT should be favored. One of the only trends I can find to support VT being favored is that Miami-FL is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Virginia Tech. But of course this is a different team. They didn’t have D’Eriq King.

Miami did just barely squeak out a win against NC State last week. The same NC State team that VT dismantled earlier this year. But NC State is no pushover. NC State is 4-3 with wins over Pitt, Virginia and Wake. But Virginia Tech lost to Liberty. I just want to reiterate that.

A popular online sports pick monitoring website currently has 71% of their pickers backing Miami. That means the other 29% must live in Blacksburg or be smoking crack (or both).  I cannot for the life of me see Virginia Tech winning this game but you know what they say “That’s why they play the game” and “stranger things have happened”.

We are always on the look out for so-called “trap games” and although this totally has the feel of one, I just cannot see that trap door closing. There are no hidden angles. I am taking Miami, BIG.