High Stakes in Blacksburg: Why the 2025 Season Could Define Virginia Tech Football’s Future
There’s no sugarcoating it—2025 is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal seasons for Virginia Tech football in recent memory. Expectations were high for head coach Brent Pry going into 2024, with many within the program and fanbase hopeful that it would be the season the Hokies turned the corner. Unfortunately, that anticipated leap never materialized. Instead of momentum, Virginia Tech saw stagnation — or worse, regression.
Now, with two consecutive 6-6 seasons under his belt and a roster that has undergone substantial turnover due to NFL departures and the increasingly influential transfer portal, Pry enters a make-or-break year. The margin for error has evaporated. The question looming over the program is stark and simple: can Pry survive another average season?
Rebuilding Under Pressure
The stakes are high, and the pressure is mounting. What makes the situation more precarious is that the team enters the 2025 campaign with more uncertainty than ever. The roster has been reshaped, not always by design, and the coaching staff has had to get creative with recruitment, transfer additions, and scheme adjustments. Even with some promising newcomers and returning contributors, it’s difficult to confidently project what kind of team Virginia Tech will field this fall.
Last year’s struggles placed the spotlight directly on Pry, who has yet to silence critics still wondering if he’s the right man to lead the Hokies back to national relevance. The patience that typically accompanies a rebuild has grown thin, and the fan base is increasingly vocal in its demand for progress.
ESPN FPI: A Surprising Sign of Optimism
Despite the uncertainties and skepticism, there is at least one encouraging sign heading into the new season. The most recent Football Power Index (FPI) released by ESPN offered an eyebrow-raising evaluation of the Hokies. Virginia Tech came in at No. 26 — just outside the Top 25 — and was given an 89% chance of securing at least six wins in 2025.
That’s a level of optimism few predicted, especially given how much the team struggled last year and the daunting nature of this season’s schedule. For context, the Hokies will face two top-15 opponents: Miami, ranked No. 9, and South Carolina, sitting at No. 15. The Hokies open the season against South Carolina in a high-stakes neutral-site clash in Atlanta and will host Miami at Lane Stadium in November. Neither contest will be easy, but both present opportunities to make national statements.
According to the FPI, seven or even eight wins aren’t out of the question. That level of success would represent a major turnaround and could dramatically reshape the conversation surrounding Pry and his tenure.
Realistic vs. Optimistic
Still, many remain unconvinced that the Hokies can make that leap. Some analysts and fans are struggling to even pencil in six wins when examining the 2025 schedule. The idea of seven or eight victories might seem far-fetched to those who watched the team’s inconsistency and roster turmoil last season. In reality, a lot will have to go right for Virginia Tech to reach the upper range of that projection.
That includes development at quarterback, improved play in the trenches, and better execution in high-leverage moments — areas where the Hokies have faltered in recent years. The coaching staff will need to be sharp with game plans, and players must stay healthy and buy into the vision Pry is selling.
But while skepticism is warranted, so is cautious optimism. Computer models don’t always tell the whole story, but they often reveal underlying strengths or potential that human observers might miss. The FPI sees a path forward — a path that includes a winning season and possibly even contention in the ACC Coastal.
What’s at Stake
What’s clear is that the 2025 season will be pivotal not only for Brent Pry but for the direction of the entire Virginia Tech football program. Success this year could rejuvenate a fan base eager to return to prominence and set the stage for future recruiting and development. On the other hand, another middling year could bring significant changes — possibly starting with the head coach.
The narrative of Virginia Tech football is at a crossroads. With a challenging schedule, a reshaped roster, and expectations recalibrated by ESPN’s metrics, this team will have to prove its worth week by week. The FPI might be a sign of hope, but ultimately, what happens on the field will determine whether this is a season of redemption or reckoning.
And maybe — just maybe — a surprise is brewing in Blacksburg.
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