What Does ESPN's FPI Say About Virginia Tech's Matchup With Old Dominion?
Virginia Tech faces yet another challenging out-of-conference opponent this week.
Old Dominion will invite the Hokies into Norfolk, Virginia for the sixth matchup against the two schools.
Virginia Tech has already had an up-and-down season, and it's only the week three. The season started off with a more than disappointing loss to Vanderbilt in week one, and a decent game against Old Dominion in week two. Both sides of the ball have underperformed Virginia Tech's high expectations heading into the season. The play-calling, althugh not bad, has been inconsistent, and the identity of the team still hasn't been found. The Hokies' rush defense has been picked on at times, Kyron Drones wasn't perfect in some high-level pressure situation, and the general feel of the team is just off. It seems like the players really haven't settled in at all to the new season.
ESPN's FPI is giving Virginia Tech a 71% chance of pulling off their first ever road win against Old Dominion in program history. These two schools have faced off plenty on recent history, including two wins in Norfolk for Old Dominion. Since the matchcup has been so short-lived, it's one of the only college football matchups where the home team has one every single game in the series.
Virginia Tech won the first game in the series in 2017 in Blacksburg, Old Dominon won the next matchup in 2018 in Norfolk, Virginia Tech then won another game in 2019 at Lane Stadium, then the Hokies travelled to Old Dominion again, catching another loss in 2022, and finally, the Hokies took a 3-2 all-time lead in the series in 2023, with a 36-17 home win against Old Dominion.
The stakes are fairly high for this in-state matchup, and both teams definitely need this win for a solid resume at the end of the year.
RJ SCHAFER
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.