For third-year head coach Brent Pry, the upcoming 2024-2025 season will be one filled with the highest expectations since Justin Fuente announced 2017 Michigan Player of the Year finalist Josh Jackson as the Hokies’ new quarterback. Since then, records and confidence have plummeted. But expectations and hopes are finally becoming much more real after Virginia Tech finished last year strong, posting a 6-3 record in its final nine games and reinvigorating the Hokies’ local recruiting pipeline.
But Virginia Tech can only temper its expectations and shelve its dreams of a College Football Playoff appearance. For now, Pry and his team are faced with what’s in front of them, so let’s rank the Hokies’ opponents and see where they stand in the race for a possible comeback.
No.12 – Old Dominion
Coach Ricky Rahne’s Monarchs have continued to rise, posting a 15-23 record since Coach Rahne took over in 2021. The former Penn State offensive coordinator and QB coach knows all too well what Coach Brent Pry is capable of, as ODU shocked the Hokies by beating them 20-17 in Pry’s first game as Tech head coach.
A key part of the Monarchs’ success has been Jason Henderson. The linebacker was recently named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-American First Team. Henderson has been the nation’s leading tackler with 256 tackles over the past two seasons.
Henderson will be a cog that will limit Tyler Bowen’s scheme to some extent, but the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. Virginia Tech has a plethora of offensive weapons that will give Henderson and the rest of the Old Dominion defense plenty of problems, from All-ACC first-team candidate Kyron Draughns to mobile running back Beischul Teuthen to former Monarch and one of the top-rated transfers in the country, Ali Jennings.
No. 11 – Marshall
Teams ranked 11th through 8th could move up or down several spots in the rankings with a coin toss.
The reason Marshall is ranked 11th has a lot to do with when and where this game will be played. Marshall has the unfortunate task of rolling out the “red carpet” for the Hokies’ tune-up home game leading up to the Sept. 7 opener at Lane Stadium.
Just a few years ago, Hurd’s head coach, Charles Huff, was being touted as a possible candidate to head the Hokies. Obviously the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, leaving Huff to continue the rebuild with Marshall. Huff has had moderate success and never seemed to be in a bind, compiling a 23-17 record in three seasons. What’s perhaps troubling for Marshall is the fact that Coach Huff and staff have gone through a bit of a makeover. Recent player and coaching changes.
The biggest problem the Hurd will face is the aforementioned crowd that Tech students will bring to the lane. Virginia Tech has long been synonymous with rowdy crowds that intimidate any team in the country, and having to deal with that in their home opener is something that Marshall will inevitably struggle with.
#10 Stanford
Stanford is scheduled to host the Hokies in the middle of the season, giving them time to establish their footing as a new member of the ACC. Stanford’s most recent addition is former third-team All-American Clay Patterson, a Yale graduate with five years of experience as a Bulldog. Patterson will likely play strong against an oft-weak Tech offensive line. But it’s hard to see any significant improvement from a Stanford team that will have to adjust to a tough schedule in a new home after a tough first year under head coach Troy Taylor.
#9 Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has been at the bottom of the SEC for a long time, and that might be a bit harsh considering how far up the rest of the conference ranks compared to the Commodores. If you ignore that, the Hokies will be ecstatic to boast an SEC win on the road to close out Week 1, and Vanderbilt might just be the team they want to face.
Vanderbilt struggled with a below-average offense last season, but now they’ll have to contend with a high-flying Tech defense.That, combined with the overall drama between the two teams, should make this a relatively easy road game for the Hokies, but there’s also the worry that a new season with endless opportunities could motivate Vandy even more.
#8 Virginia
Virginia is currently in the midst of a rebuild that’s likely taken a little longer than many Cavaliers would have liked, with head coach Tony Elliott coming off a second straight three-win season this year after a 55-17 loss to the Hokies last year at Scott Stadium.
Elliott was able to add former Notre Dame wide receiver Chris Tyree and three transfer students, but Virginia doesn’t have the power to pose a big threat to the Hokies yet. The only problem the Hokies may face is that this is a Commonwealth clash, and despite the Hokies’ overall dominance, the rivalry implications mean that an upset is possible from time to time.
No. 7 Rutgers
Last season, the Hokies were in the midst of early season struggles and traveling to Piscataway to try and get to a 2-2 record, but Pry and his team were systematically outplayed by Rutgers, 35-16, and rumors of Pry’s firing began to circulate.
Rutgers has been an upset opponent in past years, but it could still be a tough opponent for many opponents, and with this year’s game being played at Lane Stadium, the pressure will surely be on to tilt the scale in Tech’s favor.
