After four weeks, we finally saw the Virginia Tech football team we expected in Week 1 against Vanderbilt.
After four weeks, we finally saw the Virginia Tech football team we expected in Week 1 against Vanderbilt. The Hokies came out strong, scored early, overcame a deficit, and led for most of the second half. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a victory against No. 8 Miami, but it was still an encouraging performance from Brent Pry’s squad.
Now sitting at 2-3 overall, the Hokies must regroup as they prepare for a cross-country trip to face first-year ACC member Stanford on Saturday afternoon. This matchup presents several challenges, especially following the tough loss to the Hurricanes.
Virginia Tech has two potential paths moving forward: they can let the Miami loss affect their morale and spiral downward, or they can use it as motivation for the remaining seven games. The team we saw for 60 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium was the one we had hoped for from the start.
Throughout the first four weeks, many of the Hokies’ mistakes were self-inflicted. While they did have some errors against Miami, they managed to contain the damage. The decision to attempt a fake field goal could be seen as a mistake; had it succeeded, Coach Pry would have been praised, but it failed, costing them three valuable points. Those three points might have changed the game’s momentum, as Miami capitalized on the stop and scored a touchdown.
Nevertheless, the Hokies responded like a seasoned team, quickly answering with a touchdown—something strong teams do.
Kyron Drones made plays, and offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen effectively utilized his playmakers, notably Bhayshul Tuten and Jaylin Lane. Drones, even when pressured, delivered an impressive throw on the run to Ayden Greene for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. This is the kind of football we expected to see.
The memory of Friday night’s game will linger until they kick off against Stanford, but if the Hokies continue to play like they did in their last outing, they will likely win many of their remaining games. After facing Stanford and enjoying a bye week, Pry’s team will have four of their last six games at home. A win against the Cardinal would have Blacksburg eagerly anticipating the Hokies’ return to Lane Stadium for the game against BC. There are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the rest of the season.
