Virginia Tech-Stanford 2010 Orange Bowl
It's been more than 13 years since Virginia Tech played Stanford in the 2011 Orange Bowl. That second half didn't go well for the Hokies.

This series takes an early look at the teams on Virginia Tech’s 2024 schedule. It will run up to the ACC's media days in late July. Read previous entries here.

Stanford

• When: Oct. 5 at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Time/Network TBD)
• Last year’s record: 3-9, 2-7 Pac-12 (t-9th)
• Coach: Troy Taylor, 3-9 in one year at Stanford (33-17 in four years at Stanford and Sacramento State)
• 2024 SP+ ranking: 84th

Last meeting

Andrew Luck threw for four touchdowns to spearhead a second-half blitz as Jim Harbaugh-coached Stanford crushed Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech 40-12 in the 2011 Orange Bowl. The Hokies trailed 13-12 at halftime, with Tyrod Taylor connecting with David Wilson on a touchdown pass. It was all Cardinal after the break though, with Stanford scoring 28 unanswered points. Luck connected with tight end Coby Fleener for touchdowns of 41, 58 and 38 yards. Fleener had 187 receiving yards and Stanford ran for 247 as a team. Harbaugh left for an NFL job with the 49ers less than a week later. It’s the only time the teams have played in football.

The big picture

One of the ACC’s newcomers isn’t exactly coming in on a high note. After being a sturdily built and consistent program for a decade under Harbaugh and his successor, David Shaw, from 2008-18, the Cardinal has hit the skids. It’s failed to win more than four games in a season since and came up shy of even three Pac-12 wins in each of its last three campaigns.