Vegas Play of the Day: Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia

By Jesse Granger

Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017 | 12:10 p.m.

We’ve entered the fourth season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won back-to-back titles in the 2015-2016 and 2016-17 seasons, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015.

Virginia Tech minus-5 vs. West Virginia: $550 to win $500

We’re one week away from the first NFL Sunday, but college football gives us an appetizer tonight with a solid top-25 matchup with No. 21 Virginia Tech taking on No. 22 West Virginia.

The neutral-site game will be played at FedEx Field (home of the Washington Redskins), which is about halfway between the two schools’ campuses, so home field shouldn’t be a factor.

What will be a factor is Virginia Tech’s defense, which gave up only 22 points and 340 yards per game last season and returns almost everyone. The Hokies strong defense, led by coordinator Bud Foster, is anchored by linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Andrew Motuapuaka. The two combined for more than 200 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions in 2016.

Meanwhile, West Virginia lost a lot of its offensive production from last season and will be trying to fill those holes tonight. The Mountaineers lost quarterback Skyler Howard (3,328 yards and 26 touchdowns) and top receivers Shelton Gibson (951 yards and eight touchdowns) and Daikiel Shorts (894 yards and five touchdowns).

The Hokies’ offense was unspectacular in 2016, but I expect improvements with redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Jackson taking over for Jerod Evans.

I’ll take the Hokies and lay the five points tonight.

Current Standings: Keefer (7-4-1, $11,185), Granger (5-6, $11,095), Grimala (2-1, $10,595), Brewer (6-6, $9,160)