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.
Georgia Tech
• When: Oct. 26 at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg (Time/Network TBD)
• Last year’s record: 7-6, 5-3 ACC (t-4th), beat UCF 30-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl
• Coach: Brent Key, 11-10 in nearly two years at Georgia Tech
• 2024 SP+ ranking: 63rd
Last meeting
The Yellow Jackets rallied for 12 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to pull out a 28-27 win against the Hokies in Lane Stadium during Brent Pry’s debut season in 2022. Zach Pyron hit Nate McCollum for a 56-yard touchdown early in the fourth and Pyron scored on a 9-yard run with 3:30 left as Virginia Tech stumbled to its sixth straight loss. The Hokies had a 27-16 lead before the collapse, taking the 11-point advantage on a Keli Lawson pick-six that he tipped to himself and returned seven yards. Their last-ditch hope fell short when Grant Wells lost a fumble on a short run with under a minute left.
The big picture
Freed from the nonsense of the Geoff Collins era, when style seemed more preferable than substance, Georgia Tech got back to being a tough-nosed football team in Key’s first full season on the sideline. The result was a return to a bowl game for the first time since Paul Johnson’s last year in 2018.