The 2024 season began with many high hopes and expectations for the Virginia Tech football team. However, from Week 1's overtime loss at Vanderbilt through Week 14's bowl-eligible win over Virginia Thanksgiving Weekend, the Hokies certainly had their ups and downs.
There was talk about Virginia Tech as a dark horse for the new 12-team College Football Playoff, but those hopes were dashed quickly as well. Then there was talk about the ACC Championship Game, but again, those hopes were dashed midway through their conference schedule.
Virginia Tech football gets fitting 2024 season grade from college writer
This season feels like it was a swing and miss for the Hokies between all the retainment they had to the key transfer portal additions to five one-score losses, it seemed like just about anything that could go wrong, went wrong at some point. Chip Patterson of CBS Sports recently graded each ACC team's season and he gave the Hokies a fitting grade.
"While SMU delivered on preseason ACC dark horse buzz, Virginia Tech fell way short of the conference title contention some considered given the talent returning from a team that finished strong in 2023. Brent Pry retained a ton of difference-makers yet the team never took that next step that was expected, especially against the best teams on its schedule. The 6-6 finish fell more than a game short of the preseason win total, and while five of those defeats were one-score losses, there's still some disappointment with the blame points inward rather than out when considering what could have been in 2024. Grade: C-"
The only way things could have gone worse in 2024 for Pry and his staff was if they went 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game. This is a very fair grade for what happened this season in Blacksburg. There is some effect of the season Tech had as several starters entered the transfer portal, but Friday the Hokies got a huge lift with quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson both coming back for 2025.