Virginia Tech Football: Could Virginia Tech Host College Gameday vs Clemson?
In 2024, ESPN's College Gameday has made an effort to attend untraditional matchups, and give schools chances which haven't hosted Gameday in quite some time, like Cal earlier in the season.
Virginia Tech has the opportunity to continue this hot streak, as the Hokies will invite the Clemson Tigers into town in week eleven. The last time Virginia Tech hosted College Gameday was against Clemson in 2017. The Hokies were ranked as the No. 12 team in the nation alongside the No. 2 Tigers who appeared on Gameday two weeks prior.
Bruce Smith was the 'guest picker' and Lee Corso chose the Tigers to win. Clemson would win 31-17, in a loss that would mark Virginia Tech's last appearance on College Gameday during head coach Justin Fuente's tenure.
Now, Virginia Tech has hit the full reset button on the program. Brent Pry has taken over the reigns as head coach, the Hokies haven't been ranked since 2021, but Virginia Tech Football is heading in the right direction. Virginia Tech is currently one win away from bowl eligibility, and the Hokies have sold out every home game at Lane Stadium in a season, the first time since 2012, when Logan Thomas was still Virginia Tech's quarterback.
The atmosphere at Lane Stadium has much improved this year, and although Lane isn't in its prime form, Virginia Tech has a true home-field advantage after it seemed for a while that Virginia Tech didn't have that.
The Hokies are winning games, breaking records, and the fans are invested, and fully believe in a coach for the first time since Frank Beamer's legendary tenure.
Now, Virginia Tech is not a lock to host College Gameday, but it is possible. Most of the schools with marquee matchups in week eleven have already hosted College Gameday this year, or at least appeared on the show.
By just looking at the Top 25 matchups, it's easy to rule some schools out. No. 13 Indiana vs Michigan has no chance, both schools have hosted Gameday this year. Georgia Tech's matchup against No. 5 Miami is unlikely, as the Yellow Jackets are in a skid as of late. No. 4 Ohio State should take care of Purdue quite easily. The No. 3 Penn Nittany Lions and the Washington Huskies will have both appeared on College Gameday by week eleven.
Adding onto this, some Top 25 schools are just playing lesser talent. No. 7 Tennessee is playing 1-7 Mississippi State, No. 11 Iowa State is on the road against 2-6 Kansas, No. 15 Boise State hosts Nevada, No. 18 Pitt hosts Virginia, No. 22 Washington State hosts 2-6 Utah State, and No. 8 Notre Dame hosts an abysmal Florida State team.
Truly, the games that Virginia Tech and Clemson will compete with are both SEC matchups: No. 14 Alabama at No. 16 LSU and No. 2 Georgia at No. 19 Ole Miss.
Additional Links:
Virginia Tech Football: Three Things Virginia Tech Must Fix Ahead Of It's Matchup With Syracuse
Virginia Tech Football: 5 Big Takeaways From Virginia Tech's Win vs Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech Football: Three Keys To Victory For The Hokies Against Georgia Tech
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.