Virginia Tech Football: Ranking the 2021 Road Opponents for the Hokies
The Virginia Tech Hokies are looking to get themselves back in the main competitors of the ACC Conference this 2021 College Football. The way for the Hokies to do that is to win big games and be consistent, especially on the road.
Of the 12 games for the Hokies this season, five of them will be on the road. To make things more complicated, four of the last five games for Virginia Tech will be on the road. There is no doubt that this season’s success will be determined in big games. Their grit, however, will be determined in the second half of the season.
According to CBS Sports, the Hokies have the seventh-ranked best strength of schedule. This is due to the tough Coastal Division that includes the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Miami Hurricanes. They also have tough non-conference opponents in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the West Virginia Mountaineers. They did luck out by not facing the Clemson Tigers, NC State Wolfpack, or Louisville Cardinals.
The Hokies’ will have a tough road schedule, but it is something that isn’t impossible to overcome if they want to win the Coastal Division. Here are the most difficult road games for the Hokies in the 2021 College Football season.
1. Miami Hurricanes – November 20th
Most media perspectives believe The Hurricanes to be the strongest competitors to the Tar Heels for the Coastal Division in 2021. Last season, the Hurricanes finished with an 8-3 overall record (7-2 in ACC play). They had a young offense that is just starting to become a high-caliber group that is efficient in the running and passing game. Senior quarterback D’Eriq King is collecting serious preseason Heisman votes. King is looking to become one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the entire country. Outside of North Carolina’s Sam Howell, King will be the best quarterback the Hokies will face this season.
2. Boston College Eagles – November 11th
Last season, the Hokies defeated the Eagles at home with a 40-14 score. Athlon Sports projects the Eagles to be better than last year’s 6-5 (5-5 in ACC play) squad. Boston College returns key talent on both sides of the ball, including all their offensive linemen. The Eagles played solid in Jeff Hafley’s first season as head coach as they lost at Clemson by six points and North Carolina by four points. This is a more focused and more determined Eagles team than in the past couple of seasons. Virginia Tech will face the Eagles in their second road game in the tough four road game streak from October 30th to November 27th.
3. West Virginia Mountaineers – September 18th
The rivalry between the Hokies and the Mountaineers will be renewed, once again, when the teams play in Morgantown in week three. The Hokies and the Mountaineers faced each other on the field every year from 1973 to 2005. The last time both teams met was in 2017 when the Hokies defeated the Mountaineers 31-24. This game will be the first road game of the season for the Hokies. West Virginia returns some key talent on both sides on the ball but lost some key defensive players ranked first in the Big 12 in points allowed per game, passing yards allowed per game, and total yards allowed per game. The Mountaineers are looking to leap from the middle of the pack in the Big 12 to conference title contenders in the third season of Neal Brown as head coach.
4. Virginia Cavaliers – November 27th
One of the most intense rivalries in the ACC will be a final testament to the 2021 season for the Hokies and the Cavaliers. The Hokies will be looking for revenge in Scott Stadium since losing to the Cavaliers in 2019 with a 39-30 score. Virginia Tech has won 20 of the last 22 matchups versus their long-time rival. The Cavaliers will look to make a statement in this 2021 season with an upset win over the Hokies. Virginia will return seven starters on offense and seven players on defense in units that are particularly average in play efficiency. This game could come down to the job security for both Hokies head coach Justin Fuente and Cavaliers head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
5. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – October 30th
It has been tough for the Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins to completely create a new football culture in the program. 2021 is the season where Georgia Tech looks for potential results on the field. Athlon Sports projects Georgia Tech to finish sixth out of seventh in the Coastal Division, just before the Duke Blue Devils. Athlon Sports predicts Georgia Tech to accumulate an overall record of 5-7 (3-5 in ACC play) in 2021. The Yellow Jackets will face the Hokies after their road trip against the Cavaliers and right before their tough road trip to the Miami Hurricanes. The Hokies will start their four road trip series in five games against the Yellow Jackets. As long as the Hokies are efficient and remain healthy, they should get an easy win.