3 Virginia Tech Hokies Who Must Deliver vs. Virginia to Reach Bowl Eligibility

It's hard to believe we are here, the Virginia Tech football team's final regular season game week in 2024. Even harder to believe is that we are here and the Hokies must beat Virginia on Saturday night at Lane Stadium just to become bowl-eligible. That's right, a team with high expectations going into the seaosn must beat the Cavaliers to extend their season for one more game.

There have been several reasons for why Virginia Tech is in the position they're in going into the final game of the season at Lane Stadium. To compound matters, Virginia enters the game 5-6 also and needs a win to also extend their season. This was not on a lot of people's bingo cards back in August when the season began.

Well, here we are, winner-take-all and bowl eligibility. Last season the Hokies rolled to a 55-17 win in Charlottesville to become bowl-eligible, but this season won't even come close to being that easy with injuries and other factors facing Brent Pry's team. If Virginia Tech is going to get to bowl eligibility, then these three Hokies will need to step up over 60 minutes on Saturday night.

3. Pop Watson, Kyron Drones or Collin Schlee

Who will be under center for Virginia Tech? We don't know and we won't know until game time. Kyron Drones has been battling an injury in November which had him dress for only one game this month and UCLA transfer Collin Schlee was injured on the final play of the first quarter at Duke last Saturday night and earlier this week, Pry said both are questionable.

All signs point toward Pop Watson playing and if so, the Springfield, Mass. native will get a full week of practice as QB1. He showed flashes against the Blue Devils of being able to get it done. Mistakes were made and you should expect them as part of the learning curve, but there more positives than negatives. Again, we don't know who will play, but the decision should come down to who gives the Hokies the best chance to win.

2. Tyler Bowen

There have been too many times this season where the play-calling has been suspect at best. It seems like the offense finally gets some rhythm, a negative play squashes it. There are also times when offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen is just not aggressive enough. Go with what is working.

Last season as the season went along, Bowen was very good and against Virginia, he emptied the playbook to the tune of 55 points. Get the ball in your best player's hands and put them in situations to succeed. When things are going forward, don't get cute and go backward like they did against Clemson. Be aggressive from the first snap.

1. Brent Pry

With all the hype beginning the season from the strong finish to the 2023 season, and all the retainment and transfer portal additions, this season has been a major disappointment. There is a lot of blame to go around and a lot of it will fall on Pry as the head coach. He has one more chance to salvage the season with a win over Virginia.

There are going to be a lot of eyes on Virginia Tech and how they start the game. Slow starts have been a major problem this year and with all the injuries they have, they are not built to rally from a big deficit. No one can fathom the Hokies missing out completely on a bowl game, but unless things change, it's a very real possibility.

Of course, a win over the Cavaliers would be something to salvage from this season and the Hokies are a big favorite to win, but they have been a big favorite this year and a favorite in general and we know what has happened. A number of people need to step up, but whoever is under center, Bowen and Pry must have their best day of the 2024 season or it's going to be a very long and dark off-season in Blacksburg.