One month has passed in the 2026 college football season, and through their first four games, both the Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh football teams are 4-0. They have mostly taken the same path to get there through the non-conference schedule.
However, the Hokies already have their first ACC game under their belt, with a 21-14 victory over Boston College on Saturday afternoon at rainy and windy Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Panthers opened ACC play with a 27-13 win over Syracuse on Sept. 17.
Pitt steamrolled Bucknell in a non-conference game at home on Saturday, and now all eyes shift to Friday night's showdown in Blacksburg at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech, according to DraftKings, has opened as nearly a touchdown favorite against the Panthers.
Virginia Tech opens as a favorite over Pittsburgh
The Hokies are a six-point favorite over Pittsburgh in their ACC opener at home. In an odd schedule twist, this will not only be the first road game for Pitt, but it'll also be a true road game that will be sold out at kickoff, and a Hokies fanbase that has not seen a 4-0 team since 2017.
Some will look at Saturday's result at BC and think that Virginia Tech survived the Eagles, but it was much more about the weather conditions than anything else. On a drier field, the Hokies likely would have rolled to a bigger victory, as Boston College would have had a harder time handling tight end Luke Reynolds and quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
However, when push comes to shove, good teams find a way to win on the road, as the Hokies did, and they don't always ask how, only whether if they won or lost. There are times in a football season when a team will have to deal with Mother Nature as well as an opponent. That was the case on Saturday on the road in terrible conditions, and the Hokies survived.
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