The sky isn't falling on Virginia Tech, but the margin for error has drastically shrunk for 2024

All offseason we were told about the culture surrounding the Virginia Tech football program. It played a big role in the retainment of several key players for the 2024 season which was supposed to be the one where fans could say, "We're Back.''

In a result nobody saw coming, Virginia Tech opened the season with a stunning 34-27 overtime loss on the road in Nashville. What was concerning is that the Hokies were outplayed and outcoached by a team that was picked to finish last in the SEC. Now going forward, Tech will turn its attention to its home opener Saturday at Lane Stadium against Marshall, but if there is one big takeaway from this past weekend's loss is a big one for the future of the program.

Virginia Tech margin for error shrinks after Vanderbilt loss

At the beginning of the season, Virginia Tech was the darling to be a dark horse in the ACC, and why not? They returned a lot of production on both sides of the ball from last season and added some key players in the transfer portal. All of that optimism was gone after just four quarters and the national media and social media noticed.

It's Year 3 of Brent Pry in Blacksburg and now the Hokies head coach has a big job in front of him. Virginia Tech was supposed to take a bigger step forward in 2024 and they very well still do that, but their margin for error has shrunk drastically following the loss to the Commodores.

One quick look at the schedule and you have to think they have to be no worse than 4-2 after playing at Stanford on Oct. 5. That would mean wins over Marshall, Old Dominion, Rutgers, and Stanford, while dropping their first ACC contest at Miami a week before playing the Cardinal. If they are 3-3 or dare I say 2-4 when they fly back East from California, then it's hard seeing them taking a step forward like they had hoped this fall.

After a bye week, the schedule now has a lot of question marks on it with Boston College, Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Virginia coming to Blacksburg and road games at Syracuse and Duke. Nothing in 2024 is a given now for the Hokies.

Look, there is still time for them to turn it around and if they are 4-2 after Stanford, then the outlook going forward is different, and taking that next step is very possible, but right now, the margin for error is thin going forward and if they can't take that next step, things could get interesting.