Boston College gets its ACC slate rolling Saturday at noon, and the first test comes with Virginia Tech walking in at 3-0. The matchup brings back plenty of familiar ground, since these two have been seeing each other since the Big East days. The last meeting came in 2024, when the Hokies beat BC 42-21, and Virginia Tech has now strung together three straight wins.
The biggest worry for Boston College is what Virginia Tech has done through the air. Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer has been operating at a high level through three games, completing 79 of 101 passes for 865 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. That 78.2% completion rate tells part of the story, but the downfield damage has mattered too: Virginia Tech ranks 30th nationally in passing plays that go more than 30 yards.
A lot of that production has flowed through tight end Luke Reynolds, another Penn State transfer and a local product. Reynolds has broken out quickly for the Hokies with 25 catches for 265 yards and four touchdowns.
His latest showing came against Maryland, when he hauled in 12 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. He has also been a problem on money downs, with seven of his catches coming on third down and five of those converting first downs.
That makes him a major issue for Boston College when it needs a stop, and he looks like the sort of player KP Price and the linebackers will have to stay glued to.
Virginia Tech has also gotten steady production from other spots. Former Duke wideout Que'Sean Brown has 173 receiving yards, and the offense has shown a knack for spreading touches around to different receivers and backs.
Boston College’s defense will have a chance to counter with pressure. Virginia Tech has allowed just five sacks this season, and Grunkemeyer has been hit only three other times.
The Eagles have eight sacks of their own, and for the first time this year they should have both starting EDGE rushers available with Onye Nwosisi and Kris Jones in the lineup. BC will, however, be without defensive back Charlie Comella after he was ejected for targeting against Maine.
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Boston College Is Walking Into A Very Different Virginia Tech Offense
Bill OBrien and James Franklin know each other well enough to appreciate the kind of program-building job both men have been asked to do at Boston College and Virginia Tech. OBriens track record includes helping stabilize Penn State in a difficult stretch before moving on to the NFL, while Franklin has done similar work at Vanderbilt and Penn State before landing in Blacksburg. Now their paths cross again with both programs trying to keep moving forward in their own way.
The matchup matters because Virginia Tech no longer looks like the same offense Boston College might remember from Franklins earlier stops. The Hokies are getting cleaner, more efficient play through the air and have turned that side of the ball into a real calling card, which means Boston College will have to prepare for a version of Virginia Tech that can stress a defense in different ways than it has in the past. How BC handles that shift could say plenty about where OBriens team stands against a confident, well-defined opponent. [Read more 🡒]