Greg McElroy predicts winner of Miami-Virginia Tech game

Greg McElroy breaks down Miami’s matchup at Virginia Tech, focusing on defensive dominance and playoff implications.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy believes the Miami Hurricanes should be able to handle the Virginia Tech Hokies on the road in Week 13. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes are heading north to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in a pivotal ACC matchup that could impact their College Football Playoff hopes. As the Hurricanes look to strengthen their resume, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy shared his thoughts on Always College Football, predicting Miami would win convincingly in Blacksburg.

McElroy said Miami must not only win but also impress the selection committee with its performance. Sitting around No. 15 in the rankings, he emphasized that style points matter as the Hurricanes chase an outside path to the ACC title game.

To get there, McElroy said, Miami must “be dominant at Virginia Tech” and handle its remaining games with control and discipline.

He pointed to Miami’s rebound from a disappointing loss to SMU as proof of their capability. The Hurricanes dominated North Carolina State last week, outgaining the Wolfpack by more than 400 yards. For McElroy, that complete performance is the standard Miami must maintain to stay relevant in the playoff picture.

Greg McElroy Breaks Down Why Miami Holds The Edge Over Virginia Tech

During his analysis, McElroy laid out the factors favoring Miami. He said Virginia Tech’s reliance on the run makes its offense predictable and vulnerable against Miami’s defensive strength. “The Hokies’ offense is all about their run game,” McElroy said, noting the production of quarterback Kyron Drones and running back Marcellous Hawkins. But he also pointed out that the Hurricanes are elite at stopping the run, giving up just six rushing touchdowns in their first nine games.

McElroy highlighted the impact of Miami’s defensive front, anchored by Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr., which has held opponents to only 81.8 rushing yards per game, third-best in the nation.

Despite Miami’s banged-up secondary missing key pieces like Keonte Scott and potentially O.J. Frederique, McElroy said Virginia Tech’s limited passing attack likely won’t exploit those weaknesses. The Hokies average just 175 yards through the air per game, one of the lowest marks in the FBS.

Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) has 636 yards and nine touchdowns on 125 carries this season. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Offensively, McElroy focused on quarterback Carson Beck’s consistency. He praised Beck’s efficiency in recent wins but cautioned that turnovers have cost Miami before. “There have been two versions of Carson Beck this year,” McElroy said. “If he’s dialed in and making good decisions, Virginia Tech won’t be able to stop them.”

Finally, McElroy made his pick clear: “Now, if Virginia Tech had any passing attack, I could kind of get behind them playing the spoiler here, but I don’t trust their offense and I think Miami can make them one-dimensional. Miami just can’t make mistakes, and they should be just fine, beating Virginia Tech by a convincing margin.”

The Hurricanes will face the Hokies at Lane Stadium on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.