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The Black Diamond Trophy will be up for grabs when the West Virginia Mountaineers visit the Virginia Tech Hokies on Thursday. Introduced in 1997, the trophy has gone to Virginia Tech on seven of the 11 occasions it has been awarded, including three of four times at home. The Mountaineers enter with bragging rights, however, as they posted a 27-21 victory at home last season. West Virginia (1-2) demolished Towson 65-7 last Saturday for its first win of 2022, while Virginia Tech (2-1) is coming off its second straight victory, a 27-7 triumph over Wofford.
Kickoff at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Mountaineers are 1.5-point favorites in the latest West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 50.5. Before making any Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of more than $3,300 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It enters Week 4 of the 2022 college football season on a 51-43 run on all top-rated college football spread and money-line picks that dates back to 2021. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Virginia Tech vs. WVU:
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech spread: Mountaineers -2.5
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech over/under: 50.5 points
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech money line: Mountaineers -125, Hokies +105
- WVU: The Mountaineers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five non-conference games
- VT: The Hokies are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 contests following a straight-up win
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech picks: See picks here
Why West Virginia can cover
Virginia Tech has allowed a total of 17 points over its last two games, but it now faces an offense that is firing on all cylinders. The Mountaineers have recorded four plays from scrimmage that have gained 50 or more yards, tying them for most among Power 5 teams. They also possess two of the top scorers in the country as freshman CJ Donaldson is third with six rushing touchdowns and junior Bryce Ford-Wheaton is ninth with four receiving TDs.
Donaldson recorded half of his scores in the rout of Towson, all before halftime, and has rushed for more than 100 yards in two of his first three collegiate games. Ford-Wheaton did not find the end zone against the Tigers after scoring twice in each of his first two contests but leads the Mountaineers with 24 catches and 296 receiving yards. Sophomore running back Tony Mathis Jr. also had a big game against Towson, rushing for 104 yards and a pair of scores, while four different quarterbacks led touchdown drives, with three throwing for a TD and another running for one.
Why Virginia Tech can cover
Grant Wells is coming off his best performance of the season as he threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns against the Terriers. It was the ninth career 300-yard performance and first with the Hokies by the redshirt junior quarterback, who played three seasons at Marshall before transferring in January. Wells threw passes to nine different receivers on Saturday and set the school record with 12 completions in the first quarter.
The Hokies have gone 349 consecutive games without being shut out, the fifth-longest streak in FBS history, and also have been doing a fine job on the other side of the ball. Virginia Tech has not allowed more than three third-down conversions in a game this season, with opponents going 8-for-42 overall. The Hokies have allowed an average of 201 yards to rank fifth in the nation in total defense and are third against the run, yielding 42 yards per contest.
How to make West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over the total, projecting the teams combine for 55 points. It also has generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 50% of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia? And which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech spread to back, all from the advanced model that is up more than $3,300 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
