While the 2025 CFP National Championship was far from the worst, it wasn’t exactly “inclusive” to the humbler fanbases out there, coming down between two historical and current bluebloods in Ohio State and Notre Dame.
When having and performing at such monumental standards, it’s not particularly shocking when you see them on the way-too-early watchlists for the upcoming season. Therefore, I don’t really care to talk about them. Instead, I want to talk about the guys that don’t get all the media hype, that aren’t your consistent front-runners, yet still deserve praise.
Typically, there are multiple teams that meet that description this time of year, but don’t worry, we won’t be running down some hefty list of names—in fact, we’ll be discussing just one, as it stands out to me as the clear favorite to catch the CFB world by the biggest surprise. That name? Virginia Tech.
I know, I know! We were just brutally reminded that the Hokies are never promised to deliver on whatever preseason love they get, as they were expected to be a dark horse in the ACC before finishing negative in 2024. However, in spite of falling so short, everything is set to go their way in 2025, and I mean everything.
Competitiveness, quarterback, schedule—all looking good for VA Tech
For starters, we have to acknowledge that VT made a 6-7 record look about as good as any team could, only losing one regular-season game by more than a touchdown (24-14, to an ACC-winning/CFP-making Clemson squad), and taking each win by 15 points or more. They also went unbeaten against both their smaller and sub-500 foes.
That’s the Hokies proving that they’re in every game they play, and that they win the games they’re supposed to. Those are phenomenal traits to have when we’re gauging your potential.
Another good one is returning impact players, especially when we’re talking quarterbacks, so Kyron Drones sticking around is a big plus for them as well. Sure, Drones wasn’t a superstar in 2024, but your starting QB coming back with all the more experience will always be crucial in preserving the solidity of your offensive identity.
So that’s what we have dripping off of last season that sets an encouraging tone for the next one, but when looking at the next season itself, we see a slate that could not be more ideal.
Of VA Tech’s 2024 losses, only two of them were dealt by names they’ll encounter in 2025, with both of those defeats being on the road—meaning they’ll now meet in Blacksburg—and having finales as tight as knots (overtime loss at Vandy, and a controversial call on the final play at Miami).
Speaking of which, the latter of those two rematches will probably be as tough as VT’s 2025 schedule gets, as beyond the Hurricanes, the biggest threats on the calendar would probably be the neutral-sited opener against a good-not-great South Carolina, a home game against what was just a four-loss Louisville, and a trip to Georgia Tech, who went 7-6 and was one of those several teams that fell to the 2024 Hokies by multiple scores. In other words: Winnable, winnable, winnable.
Look, are the Hokies going to make some overwhelming playoff push, completely dominating all who cross their path? No. I see them as a team with a clear—and not very high—ceiling when it comes to their objective toughness. I mean heck, they faced Minnesota (who finished with eight wins as a Big Ten team) in their bowl game and lost by the biggest margin of their year. If that doesn’t put their inability to keep up with bigger fish into perspective, I don't know what does.
But, amongst ACC powers? This team could definitely find itself in a situation similar to one like 2024 SMU’s: Fed on the weak, won the games it needed to, and was just happy to make a big stage and turn some heads. So look out for the Hokies, because I’d say that’s still quite a shocking leap from 6-7.