After nearly a month between a bowl-clinching win over Virginia at Lane Stadium, we are finally in a game week for the Virginia Tech football team's bowl game for this season. Playing a rather late non-playoff bowl game, the Hokies and Minnesota will hook up in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Friday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
As has been the case with nearly every bowl this season, the rosters could look different for the Hokies and Gophers. Between the transfer portal and NFL Draft, it's likely both teams will be missing key pieces from 2024. Virginia Tech will be missing the most as they have lost a ton of talent to the portal and preparation for the Draft in Green Bay in April.
Head coach Brent Pry will have a thin roster, but make no mistake about it, this is a huge week for Virginia Tech, win or lose, against Minnesota with an eye toward 2025.
Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry facing massive week ahead of Duke's Mayo Bowl
Why is this such a big week for Pry and his staff? Bowl practice allows them to get a lot of reps and work for the younger players who are expected to be a big part of the future. For Virginia Tech, the opt-outs are creating a huge opportunity for some younger players ahead of off-season workouts and practices. Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck knows the drill.
“One, it’s a celebration of 2024, so you’re preparing for an elite opponent from the ACC in Virginia Tech,” said Fleck. “Two, you want to continue to get other guys better, so it’s an extension of spring ball — it’s pre-spring ball. You want to be able to bring the floor of your program up, and you want to see who’s really going to help you next year.”
So, the beginning is coach-speak calling Virginia Tech an elite program, but he's not wrong with the rest of the quote. With all the opt-outs, college bowl games are turning into pre-spring ball, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. We saw last season with all the retainment the Hokies had for the Military Bowl win over Tulane and they used it the vault themselves into 2024, which didn't go as planned.
Regardless, this is a big week leading up to the game and then the game itself for the future in Blacksburg. In what feels like a critical off-season coming for Pry, it starts with Minnesota Friday night in Charlotte.