The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 2024 college football season feeling good. Returning 20 starters from a team that won five of their final seven games a year ago, there was legit talk of the Hokies being a College Football Playoff dark horse.
We can probably slow down on that talk — for now — as the Hokies dropped their season opener to Vanderbilt, 34-27, in overtime.
The Hokies looked shellshocked against the Commodores, falling behind 17-0 in the first half before kicking a field goal just before halftime. Tech’s offense turned things around in the third quarter, but ultimately, the Hokies defense couldn’t make critical stops in the fourth quarter and overtime.