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Virginia Tech football – back in the top 25 after a dominant performance against Miami last Thursday – travels to the Steel City this Thursday night for a game at Pittsburgh in Heinz Field. The nationally televised game is set for a 7 p.m. kick and will be the Hokies 32nd appearance on the Thursday night ESPN package.

• Multimedia page - includes links to Tech's game notes, this week's opponent's game notes, ACC weekly notes and head coach Justin Fuente's quotes from Monday's press conference.

TECH PRIMED FOR THURSDAY 2.0

• No. 25 VT plays for a second consecutive Thursday as the Hokies travel to Heinz Field to face Pitt, while the Panthers are coming off a bye week.
• This ACC Coastal clash will feature two division squads with a lone conference loss.
• Pitt’s only ACC loss was a 37-36 setback at UNC (9/24).
• The Hokies are 22-9 (.710) on Thursday night, including last week’s 37-16 win vs. Miami (10/20).
• This week’s game will mark VT’s 32nd appearance on ESPN’s Thursday night package. Since it’s inception 1991, only GT (32) as many appearances.
• Tech owns an 137-50 scoring edge in four ACC games.

VT SEEKS TO EXORCISE PITT DEMONS

• Tech has lost three of its last four games vs. Pitt with the Panthers owning back-to-back wins vs. VT.
• The Hokies are 0-4 at Heinz Field with Tech’s last win at Pitt coming by a 30-17 margin at Pitt Stadium (10/30/99) as QB Michael Vick led VT to an 11-0 regular season mark en route.
• VT’s last two losses against the Panthers have been decided by a combined nine points (38-29).
• Pitt is 8-14 (.364) against ranked foes at Heinz Field - last win 28-21 vs. No. 24 Notre Dame (11/9/13).
• Pitt is 8-3 in ACC play under Pat Narduzzi.

SHOWDOWN OF TWO TOP RUSH DEFENSES

• Pitt leads the ACC and ranks fourth among Power Five squads, while VT is fourth among P5 squads.
• VT has held four of its last five foes to less than 100 net rush yards, allowing 79.2 ypg over that span.
• Pitt allowed a season-high 241 net rushing yards vs. GT (10/8), but has permitted 72.5 ypg against its other five opponents.
• VT racked up a season-high 251 rushing yards and 5.7 ypc vs. Miami (10/20), as RB Travon McMillian registered a season-best 131 yards (7.3 avg).
• Pitt ranks second in the ACC and 11th in the P5, averaging 239.1 rushing ypg.

KEY SCORING STATS ON HOKIES, PANTHERS

• The Hokies are 38-3 (.927) in ACC play when scoring 30+ points, including a 19-1 (.950) mark on the road.
• VT has averaged 42.0 ppg in its five wins in 2016, putting up 37 points last week on a Miami defense that hadn’t allowed more than 20 points prior to playing the Hokies.
• Pitt has permitted 30+ points in five of its six games against P5 foes, but ranks second in the ACC in scoring (38.4 ppg).
• VT is outscoring opponents 61-16 in the first quarter while Pitt owns a 70-14 scoring edge in the opening quarter.
• VT is outscoring opponents 122-59 in the second half, while Pitt has been outscored 111-101 in the second half.
• Pitt owns a +18 edge in points off turnovers (48 scored/20 allowed), while VT is -3 (34 scored/37 allowed) meaning 29.6% of points allowed by VT have come off turnovers.
• VT has held all of its opponents to 17 points or fewer in all five of its wins, permitting 9.8 ppg in those games.
• In 20 games under Pat Narduzzi, the only team that has held Pitt to 17 points was Virginia Tech last season.

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