Looking to rebound from a loss to Wake Forest last weekend at home, the Virginia Tech football team was looking for an ACC road upset in three weeks after taking down North Carolina State in Raleigh two weeks ago. Not such luck.
A 14.5 underdog, the Hokies fell behind 18-0 in the second quarter and closed the gap to 21-14 early in the second half, but 13th-ranked Georgia Tech responded as good teams down for a 35-20 victory to remain undefeated at 6-0. Here is the latest Virginia Tech report card.
Virginia Tech football report card from loss to Georgia Tech
Offense: B-
It was another slow start for the Virginia Tech offense. Every time they did something positive early, a penalty would put them in a long situation. Kyron Drones threw an interception in the third quarter on a bad throw, and the best plays on the day were a pair of fourth-down touchdown passes to Ja'Ricous Harrison. Drones scored on a 32-yard run, but penalties didn't help. They were able to run the ball for 186 yards. Drones finished with 83 yards rushing, and Marcellous Hawkins had 82. They needed more to keep up with Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets.
Another TD for Ja'Ricous Hairston 💪#ThisIsHome | @JaRicous pic.twitter.com/dnLLGleDJn
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) October 11, 2025
Defense: C+
The defense had one job: to try and contain King. For the most in terms of rushing, they did. However, Georgia Tech still gashed them for 268 yards on the ground, and King was 20-for-24 for 213 and a touchdown through the air. The Yellow Jackets marched down the field on the game's opening possession, and they took advantage of a short field on their second possession for a 14-0 lead.
The biggest disappointing drive was in the third quarter, right after the Hokies made it a seven-point game, Georgia Tech marched too easily down the field to regain a two-touchdown lead.
Special Teams: A+
One area where the Hokies had some success all game long was on special teams. Twice, they pinned the Yellow Jackets inside their 5-yard line on punts by Nick Veltsistas. They also blocked an Aidan Birr field goal attempt. In the end, it wasn't enough.
Coaching: C
The defense's performance left a lot to be desired most of the game as Sam Siefkes had trouble stopping the running game and King's passing the ball. When they needed stops to keep the little momentum they had, they couldn't. Philip Montgomery punting in plus territory when Virginia Tech was down two scores was certainly a decision. Again, he's got nothing to lose as an interim coach.
Overall: C+
There was some undisciplined football early, and the Hokies racked up 42 penalty yards in the first quarter. On the road against a Top 15 team, that's not going to do anything but dig yourself into a deficit. That's what happened. They didn't quit, but once again, they didn't make nearly enough plays on offense to keep up with the Yellow Jackets. Their first bye is coming at a very good time.