If there is one thing we have learned over the years, the Virginia Tech and Virginia football rivalry tends to get spread year-round, not just Thanksgiving Weekend. The last two holiday weekends have been a big win for the Hokies, who have become bowl-eligible with wins over their heated rivals.
When the 2024 season began, little did any Virginia Tech fans know that the game on Thanksgiving Weekend in Blacksburg was going to be for bowl eligibility. No, not just the Cavaliers, but also the Hokies, which is what happens when you underachieve. Now, the two schools are in a heated recruiting battle that will be decided at the end of the month.
Virginia Tech and Virginia football Final 2 for in-state recruit
The heated rivalry will get even more heated this month when three-star defensive lineman JaySean Richardson makes his decision on July 25, when he announced he'll choose between the Hokies and Cavaliers. He took a visit to both schools during the just-passed recruiting period, visiting Charlottesville on June 5 and Blacksburg on June 20.
Where is home⁉️ pic.twitter.com/mqJ2tYIKy1
— JaySean “Bull” Richardson (@Feedabull21) July 3, 2025
According to 247Sports, Richardson is the 117th-ranked player in the Class of 2026 and the 27th-ranked prospect in Virginia. The 6-foot-0, 290-pound Richmond native has yet to have a Crystal Ball prediction logged for him. This is another must-win for Hokies coach Brent Pry and his staff.
On Thursday night, Virginia Tech picked up its eighth commitment in the Class of 2026 when Thomas Wilder committed, and there are other recruits making their decisions over the next couple of weeks. Pry has had some success recently in Virginia, and he has made it a priority, along with his staff, to keep the local recruits home and get them to come to Blacksburg. A lot of eyes from both schools will be on this decision when it's made in a couple of weeks.