Virginia Tech (2-8) at Liberty (8-2), Saturday, 12 p.m. EST (ESPN+)
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK COLLEGE LINE: Liberty by 9 1/2.
Series record: Tied 1-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Hokies are trying to make something positive happen before the season ends, and snapping a seven-game losing streak might do the trick. Liberty was ranked the past two weeks before losing on the road at UConn last week. They are 4-0 at home this season and 19-3 in Williams Stadium in their four seasons with Hugh Freeze as coach.
KEY MATCHUP
Liberty WR Demario Douglas against the Hokies defense. Douglas is a dual-threat, having more than 2,000 career receiving yards and, last week, 105 rushing yards. His total included a 75-yard scoring run, the longest by a wide receiver in Flames history.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Virginia Tech: LB Dax Hollifield. He leads the Hokies with 76 tackles and has climbed to fourth on the career list with 349. The Flames had two 100-yard rushers last weekend at UConn and Virginia Tech will count on Hollifield to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
Liberty: QB Johnathan Bennett. He’s one of three quarterbacks to start for the Flames this season and has a 5-1 record, including a 41-14 victory against BYU and a 21-19 victory at Arkansas. For the season, he has 12 TD passes and nine interceptions.
FACTS & FIGURES
Virginia Tech’s offensive line starters — Silas Dzansi, Kaden Moore, Johnny Jordan, Jesse Hanson and Parker Clements — have combined to make 107 career starts. They’ll be key to protecting QB Grant Wells against the team that ranks fifth nationally in sacks. … Hokies coach Brent Pry has faced Liberty once before, as the defensive backs coach at Western Carolina in 2001. The Catamounts won that game 63-0. … The Flames have never beaten a Power Five program at home. They are 1-1 against Power Fives teams this year, a 37-36 loss at Wake Forest and the victory at Arkansas. … DE Durrell Johnson has 18.5 tackles for a loss this season, second nationally. His total includes seven sacks.
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