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Virginia Tech expects Cunningham and Meadows back on the line for Friday's trip to SMU
James Franklin expects Montavious Cunningham and Brody Meadows to return for Virginia Tech at SMU, but left tackle Justin Terry is still out.
Virginia Tech comes out of its bye week with a deeper offensive line. Head coach James Franklin said Monday he expects Montavious Cunningham and Brody Meadows back for Friday night's game at SMU. Left tackle Justin Terry is not ready yet, according to Virginia Tech Hokies On SI.
The Hokies have been missing linemen for weeks. Cunningham left the Oct. 3 loss at Cal in the second quarter, and the line had already been playing without Terry and Meadows. Cunningham has been working at both tackle and guard, and Franklin said the staff will decide during the week where he fits best. SB Nation also reported both returns and Terry's continued absence.
The timing matters because SMU's front likes to pressure the quarterback. Franklin pointed to the Mustangs' twists and stunts out of the Bear front, along with cover-zero looks and six-man pressures. He said the answer is to run the ball well enough to avoid long third downs. Players such as Logan Howland, Benjamin Eziuka, Michael Troutman III and Tommy Ricard have taken on more snaps during the injuries. Getting two veterans back gives Virginia Tech more options against those blitzes.
Franklin also credited the defense with better pre-snap communication, helped in part by a smaller playbook. That unit held Clemson to 16 points in a 20-16 win, the program's first victory at Memorial Stadium since 2007. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will be a harder test. Franklin said Jennings has "a strong arm and a great decision-maker and accurate," according to Hokies On SI. Jennings has completed 73.7% of his passes for 2,414 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Franklin has faced him before: Jennings threw three interceptions against Franklin's Penn State team in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff. Franklin also pointed to running back Kendrick Raphael, who he said leads SMU in all-purpose yards.
What it means for Friday in Dallas
Both Virginia Tech and SMU are 6-2, but they arrive in different form. The Hokies have won two straight since a pair of close losses to Pittsburgh and Cal, and they had an extra week to rest. The Mustangs lost 30-27 at Syracuse last time out. Before that they had won four straight, including a 59-20 win over a Cal team that beat Virginia Tech. Both teams beat Boston College by single digits.
SMU is favored. On Novig's moneyline, SMU is -203 and Virginia Tech is +194. The best Hokies price on this site's board is +195 at BetRivers. Novig has SMU at -6.5 on the spread, priced at +108. theScore Bet has the shortest line at SMU -5.5 for -115, and Hard Rock Bet offers Virginia Tech +6.5 at -110. Novig's total is 55.5, half a point above Pinnacle's 55. The 12 venues are close on this game: sportsbook hold ranges from 3.7% to 6.5% on the moneyline and up to 6.7% on the spread and total.
The line suggests a game that could be decided late, and Virginia Tech has played several of those this season. With Cunningham and Meadows back, the Hokies should be better equipped to run the ball and keep Jennings on the sideline.