By: Joey Raymond 

Headline Photo Credit: Jason Wiley-3780 Media/LMS Network

Virginia Tech made an emphatic statement in its season opener. The Hokies did exactly what they were supposed to do against VMI—and then some—opening the James Franklin era with a 73-3 demolition inside Lane Stadium.

The offense was explosive. The defense was suffocating. Special teams made plays. And for the first time in a long time, Virginia Tech looked like a football team that simply overwhelmed an opponent it was supposed to overwhelm.

Now comes Week Two.

And while Old Dominion may not have the name recognition of some of the opponents waiting later on Virginia Tech’s schedule, this is a game that carries far more history—and significantly more intrigue—than your typical early-season matchup against a Group of Five opponent.

Because Old Dominion has proven something over the last several years: They are not intimidated by Virginia Tech.

The Hokies lead the all-time series 4-3, but the recent history is impossible to ignore. Old Dominion has won two of the last four meetings, including last season’s embarrassing 45-26 victory in Lane Stadium.

That loss didn’t just hurt. It changed Virginia Tech football. That loss got Brent Pry fired. And now, almost exactly a year later, the Monarchs are coming back to Blacksburg.

Old Dominion has earned Virginia Tech’s attention

James Franklin isn’t pretending this is just another game. And honestly, he shouldn’t.

Old Dominion head coach Ricky Rahne has plenty of familiarity with Franklin, both personally and professionally. The two have worked together throughout their careers, and Franklin has spoken highly of Rahne and the relationships between members of the two coaching staffs.

But once Saturday arrives, none of that matters. Franklin knows exactly what kind of football team is coming into Lane Stadium.

Old Dominion has beaten Virginia Tech at home and on the road. The Monarchs have split the last four meetings with the Hokies, and Franklin made it clear this week that ODU has already earned his team’s full attention.

He said in this week’s press conference that they don’t need bulletin-board material, and they don’t need additional motivation. The history of this series has already taken care of that.

Last year’s loss will be impossible to ignore, particularly for the players and coaches who experienced it. Virginia Tech was thoroughly beaten, and Old Dominion walked out of Blacksburg with a 45-26 victory that ultimately led to Brent Pry losing his job as head coach.

Which brings us to one of the most fascinating storylines of this entire matchup.

Brent Pry gets another shot at the team that ended his tenure

College football is weird, but this might be one of the weirdest situations you’ll find. Almost exactly one year after Old Dominion’s victory helped bring an end to Brent Pry’s tenure as Virginia Tech’s head coach, Pry will once again be standing on the Hokies’ sideline against the Monarchs. Just in a completely different role.

Now serving as Virginia Tech’s defensive coordinator under James Franklin, Pry gets another opportunity against the football team that played such a significant role in changing the direction of his career.

And make no mistake—Virginia Tech’s defense will have a much different challenge this week than it had against VMI. The Hokies completely dominated the Keydets, holding them to just 83 total yards and negative rushing yards while piling up sacks and tackles for loss, but Old Dominion is a different football team.

The Monarchs opened their season with a convincing victory over Norfolk State and have now won seven consecutive games dating back to last season, the longest winning streak in program history. That’s something Virginia Tech needs to respect.

Virginia Tech should win this football game

Let’s be clear about something; The Hokies should win Saturday. They’re the more talented team. They’re playing at Lane Stadium. They’re coming off one of the most dominant performances in recent Virginia Tech history. And this place is going to be absolutely rocking.

Saturday’s matchup is officially sold out, marking another packed Lane Stadium crowd for the 2026 season. Fans are encouraged to participate in the White Effect, while the game will also serve as Virginia Tech’s Salute to Service celebration, honoring military members, veterans, first responders, and hometown heroes.

There will be all the energy and tradition that makes Lane Stadium one of the best environments in college football, and Virginia Tech needs to use it. Because while Old Dominion absolutely deserves respect, the Hokies cannot allow the history of this series to turn into hesitation. This is a game where Virginia Tech should take control.

The question isn’t whether the Hokies need to respect ODU. They do. The question is whether they can show that last year’s loss—and everything that followed it—belongs firmly in the past.

The two-headed monster is starting to emerge

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Virginia Tech’s victory over VMI was what the Hokies may have found in their backfield. Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton looked like a legitimate problem. A true two-headed monster. 

Overton finished the opener with 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Hawkins added 69 yards and three scores. Together, they helped lead a Virginia Tech rushing attack that piled up 268 yards and five touchdowns. Now, yes, it was VMI. But the way those two backs ran—and the balance they provided—was incredibly encouraging.

Old Dominion will provide a much better measuring stick. Can Virginia Tech establish the running game early against a stronger opponent? Can Hawkins and Overton continue to complement each other? Can the Hokies use the run to control the tempo and keep their offense balanced?

If the answer to those questions is yes, this could become one of the biggest strengths of Virginia Tech’s offense. Because when you have two talented running backs capable of wearing down a defense, things start getting really interesting late in football games.

Que’Sean Brown is an absolute unit

Speaking of offensive weapons, there are a lot of weapons on this Virginia Tech offense. But Que’Sean Brown immediately looked like someone opposing defenses need to worry about.

Simply put: The dude is an absolute unit.

Brown finished the opener with six receptions for 109 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown, immediately showing why he could become one of Grunkemeyer’s most important weapons. And that’s what makes Virginia Tech’s offense exciting right now, Defenses can’t simply focus on one player. Stack the box, and the Hokies have athletes capable of beating you through the air.

Focus too heavily on Brown and the receivers, and Hawkins and Overton can hurt you on the ground. That’s the balance Virginia Tech has been searching for. And while it’s far too early to make massive declarations after one game, the pieces are certainly there.

Grunk gets his first real measuring stick

Ethan Grunkemeyer couldn’t have asked for a much better start against VMI. The Virginia Tech quarterback completed 17 of 20 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns against VMI, looking comfortable and efficient while leading an offense that scored 73 points.

But this week is different. Not because Grunkemeyer suddenly needs to throw for 400 yards, and not because Virginia Tech needs him to play hero football.

Actually, it’s the opposite. The biggest thing Hokie fans should want to see is more of what they saw last week. Efficiency, Smart decisions, Comfort within the offense, and most importantly taking what the defense gives him.

The VMI game showed what Grunkemeyer could look like when everything is working. The Old Dominion game should give us a better understanding of how much of that success can carry over against a significantly better opponent. This is where Virginia Tech starts learning what kind of quarterback—and what kind of offense—it really has.

The penalties have to come down

There was one major negative takeaway from the VMI game: Virginia Tech was not disciplined enough. The Hokies were flagged 11 times for 93 yards. Against VMI, it didn’t matter. Virginia Tech was so overwhelmingly better that penalties weren’t going to change the outcome of the game.

Against Old Dominion? That could be a completely different story. Drive-killing penalties, False starts, Holding calls, and Personal fouls. Those things can give an opponent confidence, especially one that already believes it can beat you. Virginia Tech cannot give Old Dominion additional opportunities.

If the Hokies want to take the next step under Franklin, discipline has to become part of the identity. Good football teams don’t consistently beat themselves, and Saturday provides the first real opportunity to see whether Virginia Tech can clean up the mistakes from Week One.

This is the first real test of what Virginia Tech could be

The 73-3 victory over VMI was fun. Very fun, but it also only told us so much. Virginia Tech was supposed to win. The Hokies were supposed to dominate, and they did.

Saturday against Old Dominion is different. This isn’t necessarily a game that should have Hokie fans panicking. Virginia Tech is still expected to win, but this is the first game where we can start asking legitimate questions about what this team is becoming under James Franklin.

Can the offense continue its momentum? Can the two-headed monster of Hawkins and Overton establish itself against a stronger opponent? Can Que’Sean Brown continue emerging as a major weapon? Can Grunkemeyer build off an incredibly efficient debut? Can Brent Pry’s defense shut down an Old Dominion team that embarrassed Virginia Tech last season? And perhaps most importantly: Can this team avoid letting the mistakes of the past repeat themselves?

Old Dominion is coming into Blacksburg confident. Frankly, they’ve earned that confidence. They’ve beaten Virginia Tech before. They’ve won seven consecutive games. And they know exactly what happened the last time they walked into Lane Stadium.

But this is supposed to be a different Virginia Tech football team. With a new head coach, a new identity, and a new era. Saturday is an opportunity to prove it.

The Hokies don’t need to score 73 points again. They don’t need to embarrass Old Dominion. Although it would be fun, Virginia Tech needs to take care of business. Because respect for your opponent is important. Fear of them is not. Old Dominion has earned Virginia Tech’s attention. 

Now the Hokies have to show they’ve earned something else: The right to be taken seriously themselves. They can do that with a huge win over an in-state opponent who has seemed to have your number the last several years.