If you ask most ACC opponents, coming to Blacksburg at Lane Stadium is no walk in the park. Whether it's under the lights or during the day, it's not easy. However, you get the feeling that with the recent struggles with the program, the venue isn't getting the respect it deserves.
College football analyst continues Lane Stadium disrespect
Last season, there were some college football analysts across the country on board with the Hokies being back with all the preseason hype they got. One of them was Josh Pate, and the outspoken analyst posted on his X account the 12 toughest places to play. You won't find Virginia Tech on there.
As future CFB Commissioner it is imperative I release these facts annually pic.twitter.com/2ILHeRvFOK
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) June 27, 2025
Again, Pate being on the Hokies hype train has nothing to do with his stadium rankings, but this isn't the first time that Lane Stadium has been disrespected. Last week, College Football 26 released their Top 25 toughest place to play, and after making the Top 20 last summer in College Football 25, they were nowhere to be found this year.
The list that Pate released, it's hard to argue against some of the teams on there, but you can't admit that Lane Stadium shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as some of them. Tennessee is a tough place to play, and LSU is well. Penn State gets loud at night, and Oregon has a great atmosphere, but Florida? Virginia Tech is just as tough, if not tougher place to play than the swamp.
Remember the entrance back in 2021 when Lane Stadium was full post-COVID when they hosted North Carolina? The Hokies upset the Tar Heels, but it was a game since the COVID restrictions eased, which meant the stadium was full, and the entrance was electric in Tech's 17-10 upset of Mack Brown's team. Still, I wouldn't want to come as an opponent and think that I'll have an easy time, ever, at Lane Stadium.