On3 ranks two Virginia Tech football games as Top 10 ACC Games for 2024 season

We are just 51 days away from the Virginia Tech football team opening the 2024 season on Aug. 31 in Nashville, Tenn. against SEC opponent Vanderbilt. The Hokies will play their first four non-conference games for the second straight season before ACC play begins.

After playing the Commodores, Virginia Tech will return to Blacksburg to play Marshall, then travel to play at Old Dominion before closing the non-conference portion of their schedule with Rutgers at home. After that, then things get serious with their eight ACC games.

This season's conference schedule offers some tough and interesting challenges, but there is no North Carolina State, Louisville, or Florida State on the schedule, the three teams that beat the Hokies in conference play last season. Finishing 5-3 in the ACC was big for Brent Pry and his team as after a tough 1-3 start, that finish allowed them to become bowl-eligible and get an extra month of practice and a Military Bowl victory over Tulane.

This season Virginia Tech is seen by some national college football writers and analysts as a dark horse in the ACC and a big reason for that is because of the retainment they got from last season's roster and a doable conference schedule. Two of the Hokies' eight conference games were named a Top 10 ACC game for the 2024 season by Jesse Simonton of On3 Sports.

Two Virginia Tech 2024 football games named Top 10 ACC games this season

Once conference play begins, Virginia Tech has a very tough opener on Sept. 27, a Friday night, at Miami against a Hurricanes team with a lot of pressure on them this season. It is the seventh biggest ACC game according to Simonton. Washington State QB transfer Cam Ward and Oregon State running back transfer Damien Martinez headline a talented transfer portal group for coach Mario Cristobal in what is turning into a big Year 3 in South Florida.

The fourth biggest game according to Simonton is a Nov. 9 game in Blacksburg when Clemson visits Lane Stadium. Depending on what happens through their first eight games, this game could have a ton on the line in terms of the conference race and a potential spot in Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game in December. There are a few obstacles on Virginia Tech's schedule between their trip to Miami and Clemson coming town. A cross-country trip to Stanford the week after Miami and a trip to Syracuse the week before Clemson visits are some potential trap games, but if the Hokies take care of business, imagine the atmosphere surrounding this game in November.

This could be a big jump for Virginia Tech in Year 3 of Brent Pry in Blacksburg and these two games will go a very long way toward determining how successful of a season the Hokies will have.