Getting into the four-team College Football Playoff wasn’t easy, but getting into the 12-team College Football Playoff will be a breeze for some teams. Some of the programs that didn’t make the four teams have a very good chance of making the 12-team playoff, and one of those programs is Virginia Tech. The Hokies aren’t competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but that could change this season.
Virginia Tech returns a lot from last year’s team, especially on offense. Quarterback Kyron Draughns, running back Beischul Teuthen and a strong offensive line will make up one of the top rushing teams in the country in 2024. The defense has a strong front seven and cornerback Dorian Strong is a potential first-round pick on defense. The Hokies continue to have a favorable schedule this season and are contenders for the ACC title and the College Football Playoff.
Bleacher Report analyst David Kenyon described the Hokies as a struggling team that needs to take advantage of the expanded College Football Playoff.
“Virginia Tech ended its eight-year streak of 10-win seasons in 2011 and has only reached that mark once since.
But it looks certain to be achievable by 2024.
Non-conference opponents Vanderbilt, Marshall, Old Dominion and Rutgers are very favored matchups, while within the ACC, the Hokies avoid Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina and NC State, as well as rotational matchups with Notre Dame and solid newcomer SMU.
In other words, Tech’s toughest games appear to be at Miami, at home to Clemson and a trip to Syracuse, as well as a game at Stanford or Duke.
Brent Pry inherited a tumultuous 2022 season that ended with a 3-8 record before improving to 7-6 last season, the most prolific in the country according to ESPN. Virginia Tech can undoubtedly be a contender for the ACC this season, and a lucky upswing or two could relegate the Hokies to the fringes of the CFP.
What a shock that would be for a struggling but vibrant program.“
Virginia Tech has been attracting a lot of attention this offseason.
CBS Sports college football analyst Chip Patterson has released his win predictions for each team in the ACC and predicts the Hokies will surpass the win total and finish with a 10-2 record.
Wins: Vanderbilt, Marshall, ODU, Miami, Stanford, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia
Losses: Rutgers, Clemson
Analysis: “After three wins in Year 1 and seven in Year 2, oddsmakers and our projections both project coach Brent Pry to take another step forward with the Hokies in Year 3. It’s not just a dominating performance from last season, but how that group performs during a period in which the Hokies won five of their final seven games, with all five of those wins coming by at least 17 points. It looked good in Blacksburg, and when you carry that into a schedule that doesn’t feature Florida State, NC State or SMU, it becomes clear that there is room to move up further in the league by 8.5 or more wins.”
If this prediction proves correct, there’s no way Virginia Tech won’t make the ACC Finals with a 10-2 record, including one loss in a non-conference game against Rutgers. The Hokies hold tiebreakers against Miami and Georgia Tech, so it could depend on Florida State’s performance.
If Virginia Tech makes it to the ACC Championship Game, it will have a chance to win the conference and qualify for the new 12-team playoffs. That would be a big accomplishment in year three, considering where the team was when Brent Pry took over as head coach. Virginia Tech has a lot of attention on them this offseason, and one of the challenges they will have to overcome is how they handle those expectations. Games against Miami and Clemson will be big tests, but those games may be the only times the Hokies are underdogs. Playing as a championship favorite will be crucial for this team going into the season.
