It’s no secret that the 2025 season is as big of one for the Virginia Tech football program as they have had in a while. Last season was supposed to be the year that the Hokies took the next step in the rebuild under Brent Pry. Instead of going forward, they went backward, not something that Pry could afford.
Now with a new-look roster after several defections either for the transfer portal or the NFL, there are more questions than answers going into the summer and a new season. After two straight 6-6 campaigns, can Pry afford another one and survive for 2026? That’s the question.
Factor in a tough schedule, and you've got all the makings of a season that is going to have a lot of eyes on it around not only the fan base, but also college football. Just how things go will come down to several factors, but the latest ESPN FPI rankings paint what a lot of people are dreaming of for a 2025 season and some who don’t believe the Hokies' win total can ge that high.
Don’t look now, but the latest FPI rankings released by ESPN have Virginia Tech ranked 26th, yes, that's right, one spot out of the Top 25, and it gives them an 89% chance of winning six games. Seven or eight wins are not out of the question, judging by the numbers.
Let’s be honest, an eight-win season with the roster questions and schedule would be something else. Two teams on Tech’s schedule this season, Miami at No. 9 and South Carolina at No. 15, are ranked ahead of them. The Hokies get Miami at home in November, and they open the season with South Carolina in Atlanta in August.
A lot of people are having a hard time finding six wins of Virginia Tech’s schedule, never mind seven or eight. A lot has to go right for the latter to happen, but six wins seems like a more realistic number, but the computer likes the chances of Pry’s team. Who saw this coming after the 2024 season and all the changes the roster has gone through? Just maybe we’re in store for a surprising season in Blacksburg.