The 2024 Virginia Tech football season has been a disappointment. Even if the Hokies find a way to win their fial two games against Duke and Virginia and then win a bowl, 8-5 will be a disappointment with so much potential coming into the season.
Sitting at 5-5 during their second bye week of the season this week, Virginia Tech has more questions than answers facing them as they look to become bowl-eligible against the Blue Devils or Cavaliers. Speaking of the Cavaliers, they are also one win away from becoming bowl-eligible at 5-4 with games against Notre Dame and SMU before coming to Lane Stadium on Nov. 30.
It has the feeling that the two programs are heading in different directions as the season comes to a close. Virginia was not expected to be in the position they're in trying to get bowl eligible, while Virginia Tech is supposed to be in the conversation at this time of year for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. They're not and the question must be asked, is Virginia's rebuild moving along faster than Virginia Tech's?
Is Virginia football's rebuild coming along quicker than Virginia Tech's?
From the eye test, the safe answer is probably no, but a deeper dive into the numbers and results, well, maybe, just maybe the argument could be made this it is.
The Cavaliers are coming off a 24-19 win at then No. 23 Pittsburgh Saturday night on the road. That is a Top 25 win for Tony Elliott as a head coach in charge of Virginia. Brent Pry is 0-4 the last two seasons against ACC foes in the Top 25 and he has yet to win a game. The case could be made, aside from Miami on Sept. 27, his teams have not been competitive in those games. Yes, that includes Florida State and Louisville last season, along with Clemson this past Saturday afternoon.
Elliott has accomplished more this season with a win over a Top 25 team, on the road no less, than Pry has in three years at Tech. Virginia has also owned a one-possession win this season, 31-30, over Wake Forest in Week 2. The Hokies don't have any, Pry is 1-11 in one score in three years and four of the five losses have been by one score. In each instance, they either held the lead or were tied at the two-minute timeout of the fourth quarter.
Look, Virginia Tech has underachieved this season, there is no doubt about it. Pry has done a lot of good things in his time in Blacksburg, mending broken recruiting trust within the state of Virginia, he has had a ton of success in adding through the transfer portal and even he's hit it big in recruiting. However, all of that has not led to taking the next step in the rebuild.
Is Virginia's rebuild ahead of Virginia Tech's? The case can be made that it is and the case can be made that it isn't, but one thing is clear, Elliott and the Cavaliers are closing the gap quicker than Hokies' fans would like.