Old Dominion vs Virginia Tech Picks and Prediction for Saturday September 12 2026

The Old Dominion Monarchs travel to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, to face the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday, September 12. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET. Both teams are 1-0 after impressive openers, with Old Dominion defeating Norfolk State 31-10 and Virginia Tech crushing VMI 73-3 in James Franklin's first game as head coach. The current betting market has Virginia Tech favored by 17.5 points with the total set at 52.5. Before placing your wagers, check out our free college football picks for more predictions throughout the season.

Old Dominion Opens With a Convincing Victory

Old Dominion controlled Norfolk State 31-10 in its opener, holding the Spartans to 220 total yards and turning two of their three turnovers directly into touchdowns. The Monarchs scored on all five of their trips into the red zone.

Quinn Henicle accounted for all four Old Dominion touchdowns. He completed nine of 12 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns while adding 68 rushing yards and two more scores. Devin Roche rushed 13 times for 51 yards, while the defense consistently made Norfolk State pay for its mistakes.

Old Dominion has now won seven consecutive games dating back to last season. The Monarchs face a massive increase in competition at Lane Stadium, but their ability to force turnovers and Henicle's dual-threat production give them a chance to make Virginia Tech work for the victory.

Virginia Tech Explodes in James Franklin's Debut

Virginia Tech couldn't have produced a much better start to the James Franklin era. The Hokies destroyed VMI 73-3, building a 45-0 halftime advantage while dominating offense, defense and special teams.

Ethan Grunkemeyer completed 17 of 20 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Jeffrey Overton Jr. rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, while Marcellous Hawkins added 69 yards and three scores. Virginia Tech finished with 268 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

The Hokies also created game-changing plays on special teams, including two blocked punts. Old Dominion is a much stronger opponent than VMI, but Virginia Tech's offensive balance makes this a difficult matchup for the Monarchs. The Hokies don't have to rely exclusively on Grunkemeyer when their running game is producing at that level.

Old Dominion vs Virginia Tech Picks and Prediction

Pick: Old Dominion +17.5

Virginia Tech is the likely winner, but Old Dominion +17.5 offers enough value to take the underdog. The Hokies were spectacular against VMI, but this is a substantial increase in competition against an Old Dominion team riding a seven-game winning streak. Henicle's ability to create plays with his arm and legs also gives the Monarchs a way to extend possessions. Virginia Tech should control most of the game, but laying nearly three touchdowns against a confident ODU team is too aggressive. Take Old Dominion +17.5.

Pick: Over 52.5

The Over 52.5 is the preferred total. Virginia Tech demonstrated its offensive ceiling by scoring 73 points while getting productive performances from Grunkemeyer, Overton and Hawkins. Old Dominion should provide considerably more resistance than VMI, but Henicle gives the Monarchs enough offensive capability to contribute to the total. A Virginia Tech victory around 38-21 or 41-20 gets this game comfortably above the number. Take Over 52.5.

Final Picks: Old Dominion +17.5 and Over 52.5