Going into the 2025 season this fall, there is no question that it's a big one for Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry and his team. After a very disappointing season and losing a ton of talent to the transfer portal and NFL Draft, the Hokies will face a more difficult schedule this fall with a lot of questions surrounding their roster.
Things get tough right out of the gate with Virginia Tech traveling to Atlanta Labor Day Weekend to face a tough South Carolina team out of the SEC, before they come home and host Vanderbilt the following weekend, and just six days later. This season, the Hokies will get two byes, but their first one isn't until mid-October, with their second a few weeks later. Before they get their first break, they have what we call at least three guaranteed wins that could give Virginia Tech three extra bye weeks. Let's get into them below:
Old Dominion
This is a series that there is really nothing for the Hokies to gain, but really everything to lose when they play Old Dominion. The last two seasons Virginia Tech has won convincingly and the Monarchs provide Pry's team a break in Week 3 after playing the Gamecocks and Commodores the first tow weeks.
The game this season will be in Blacksburg should be a Hokies win. This is a game where things that don't work well in the opening two weeks can work on against ODU. This is a must-win if Virginia Tech wants to go to a bowl game in December.
Wofford
Out of the "bye week" games on Virginia Tech's schedule this season, the Terriers offer the second-straight bye week foe seven days after Old Dominion comes to town. The Hokies get three of their four non-conference games at Lane Stadium, and Wofford is coming off a 5-7 FCS season. And this is a game where some backups should get a look in.
Wake Forest
A new era is beginning for the Demon Deacons as Jake Dickert comes over from Washington State, replacing Dave Clawson. Wake Forest went 4-8 last season overall and won just two out of their eight ACC games. They lost a good amount of talent like the Hokies, but they haven't brought in as much as they have lost. The Demon Deacons visit Blacksburg on Oct. 4, one week after opening conference play at North Carolina State the weekend before.
Yes, you can make the case that Virginia Tech could be considered a "bye week" for other teams on their schedules, but truth be told, these should be three wins. We recently gave our game-by-game predictions and have Tech winning six games, including all three of these.