A Look Back at Virginia Tech Football's Last Five Season Openers

It’s paramount for any team to get started on the right foot. For Virginia Tech football, that urgency is amplified, not only because early momentum can set the tone for the remainder of the season, but also because the Hokies enter this year with little margin for error in a competitive ACC landscape and expectations that the coaching staff, particularly head coach Brent Pry, must reach. Here's how Tech has fared in its past five season openers:

2024 (L): Vanderbilt 34, Virginia Tech 27 (OT)

Last year, the Hokies were dealt a shocking opening-week loss by Vanderbilt, which went on to defeat then-No. 1 Alabama for its first win against an AP top-five opponent in 61 tries. The Commodores' signal-caller, Diego Pavia. Though Virginia Tech starter Kyron Drones threw for a season-high 322 yards, he was temporarily forced out with a leg cramp, forcing backup Collin Schlee to take his place.

For many observers, that season-opening matchup felt like a microcosm of Virginia Tech’s entire 2024 campaign. It showcased flashes of what the Hokies were capable. Yet those positives were overshadowed by the same shortcomings that plagued them throughout the year: inconsistent execution, untimely mistakes and an inability to close out several winnable games, leading to a 6-7 finish.

2023 (W): Virginia Tech 36, Old Dominion 17

Then-starter Grant Wells accumulated three passing and one rushing, efficiently guiding the offense while spreading the ball to multiple receivers. The Hokies’ defense set the tone early, forcing three turnovers and consistently pressuring ODU quarterback Grant Wilson to disrupt drives. A balanced attack combined with improved discipline helped Virginia Tech control the game after a tight first quarter, building a two‑score lead by halftime and never relinquishing it

While inconsistency remained a theme early like 2022, the Hokies found their footing in ACC play behind the emergence of new starter Kyron Drones and running back Bhayshul Tuten. A 6‑6 regular season secured bowl eligibility, and a win over Tulane in the Military Bowl gave the program its first winning season since 2019.

2022 (L): Old Dominion 20, Virginia Tech 17

Despite briefly taking a fourth‑quarter lead on a Keshawn King touchdown, Tech surrendered a late scoring drive that sealed the upset. The chaotic ending, which included a failed snap on a potential game‑tying drive, set the tone for a year defined by inconsistency and self‑inflicted mistakes.

Those issues persisted throughout the fall; the Hokies finished 3‑8, their fewest wins since 1992. Injuries and a lack of offensive identity contributed to a seven-game losing streak, including narrow defeats to Georgia Tech and NC State that underscored how far the program needed to go to regain ACC relevance.

2021 (W): Virginia Tech 17, No. 10 North Carolina 10

After COVID-19 impacted the entire world and cancelled the remainder of the 2020 NCAA season for many programs, including Virginia Tech, the 2021 return to Lane Stadium was an electric and buzzing atmosphere. The defense forced Tar Heels signal-caller Sam Howell into a trio of interceptions and six sacks; on the other end, Hokies quarterback Braxton Burmeister notched both a rushing and passing touchdown.

The season ultimately was not a successful one for Virginia Tech; the Hokies stumbled to a 6‑7 record and parted ways with longtime head coach Justin Fuente in November following a blowout win over Duke. Despite the thrilling opening‑night upset of the Tar Heels and a midseason win over Georgia Tech, inconsistency on offense and injuries piled up, leading to a coaching change and a transitional bowl game under interim J.C. Price that ended in a lopsided loss to Maryland in the Pinstripe Bowl.

2020 (W): Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech opened the 2020 campaign with an emphatic 45‑24 win over NC State at Lane Stadium, despite missing starter Hendon Hooker and dealing with an injury to second-stringer Burmeister midway through the game, relying on the No. 3 quarterback, Quincy Patterson II. The Hokies leaned on their ground game, rushing for 314 yards, paced by Khalil Herbert's 104, and controlled the tempo throughout.

The season as a whole, however, was turbulent. COVID disruptions left the roster occasionally thin, leading to inconsistency and a 5‑6 finish. The highlights were a 33-15 thumping of rival Virginia and Herbert’s breakout as one of the ACC’s best backs.