Virginia Tech Football: What This Rivalry Week Means for Brent Pry

After a 31-28 loss at Duke on Saturday night, the Virginia Tech football team is 5-6 and needs to beat Virginia Saturday night at Lane Stadium to become bowl-eligible. It has been a long and frustrating season for the Hokies who had bigger expectations than just becoming bowl-eligible.

Virginia Tech was in the same situation last season as they are now, needing a win over the Cavaliers to extend their season another couple of weeks and play in a bowl game. The Hokies went into Charlottesville and won going away 55-17, scoring early and often to take a commanding lead. For the second straight season, Brent Pry is tasked with keeping things together in a must-win game, but this season, injuries are piling up.

What this week means for Brent Pry

This is Pry’s third year in Blacksburg and he is facing one of his biggest weeks as head coach. A loss and a 5-7 season would be devastating for what has been built over the last 12 months since beating the Cavaliers. With all the expectations and high hopes going into the season, not making a bowl game would be a major disappointment.

The feelings around the program and fanbase are a lot different than they are this season. Last season a win over Virginia would be a big step in the right direction for the rebuild and all the retainment they got. This season there were thoughts of being a dark horse for the 12-team College Football Playoff, but it hasn’t worked out that way.

This is a huge week for Pry as he is tasked with keeping his team together despite all the injuries to win a sixth game. We won’t know who will be playing and who won’t be on Saturday likely until kick-off. The coaching staff knows and will build a game plan for it. Pry’s record is what it is both overall and in one-score games, but he is facing his biggest game, albeit a rivalry one, for several reasons. Last season they had the perfect game plan and they will need another one again a year later.

Win or lose, Pry isn’t going anywhere, nor should he. There is no doubt he can recruit in the transfer portal and he has made major strides in recruiting in Virginia which is massive. Pry knows what this game means to the fans and what it means for him. Expect a team prepared and ready to go Saturday night like they were last season.