Virginia Tech Set for High-Profile 2025 Football Slate, Including Friday Night Clash with National Runner-Up
For the second time in three seasons, Virginia Tech is gearing up to face the reigning national runner-up on a Friday night - and this one promises to be a spotlight showdown.
The Hokies will travel to Miami on Nov. 20 for a primetime ACC matchup, marking one of the marquee games on their newly released 2025 football schedule. It’s a rematch that’s sure to carry weight, especially after last season’s dramatic finish that saw a potential Hokies game-winner wiped off the board by replay. That controversial call turned what could’ve been a defining upset into a narrow escape for the Hurricanes - and left a bitter taste in Blacksburg.
That game is just one piece of a schedule that’s loaded with intrigue, featuring a mix of regional rivalries, cross-country trips, and some serious tests in ACC play.
A Front-Loaded Nonconference Slate
Virginia Tech opens the season with three straight nonconference games, all in September - and all against familiar foes. The Hokies kick things off at home on Sept. 5 against VMI, followed by another home game on Sept. 12 against Old Dominion. Then comes a trip north to face Maryland on Sept. 19, a matchup that brings some historical heat from their shared ACC days.
That early trio sets the tone before the Hokies dive headfirst into the meat of their conference schedule.
ACC Play Brings Coast-to-Coast Challenges
The Hokies begin ACC play on Sept. 26 with a road game at Boston College, followed by a quick turnaround for a Friday night home game against Pittsburgh on Oct. 2. That Pitt matchup could be a tone-setter - a primetime game in Lane Stadium with the potential to shape early momentum in the ACC standings.
From there, it’s a coast-to-coast grind. On Oct.
10, Virginia Tech heads west to face California, one of the newer additions to the ACC lineup. The Golden Bears will be a unique challenge, both in terms of travel and style of play.
The following week, the Hokies return home to host Georgia Tech on Oct. 17, then hit the road again to take on Clemson on Oct. 24 - a game that’s never short on intensity.
After a well-earned bye on Oct. 31, the Hokies head to Dallas for a matchup against SMU on either Nov. 6 or 7. That game will be another test of endurance, coming just two weeks before the high-profile trip to Miami.
Rivalry Week and the Regular Season Finale
The Hokies close out the regular season with two pivotal home games. On Nov. 14, they host Stanford, another West Coast newcomer to the ACC.
Then, on Nov. 28, Virginia Tech wraps up its schedule against in-state rival Virginia in what’s always a must-watch Commonwealth Clash.
That game, as always, carries more than just bragging rights. With the ACC standings likely to be tightly packed, especially in the new-look 17-team league, every late-season win could be the difference between a bowl berth, a championship game push - or a long offseason of what-ifs.
JMU Matchup Canceled Due to ACC Expansion
One notable absence from the 2025 slate: the previously scheduled showdown with James Madison. Both programs announced the cancellation, citing the ACC’s move to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026. With the expanded league footprint and added travel demands, nonconference flexibility is becoming increasingly limited.
Virginia Tech and JMU had agreed to a two-game series, with the 2025 game set for Lane Stadium. Now, that matchup will have to wait - or potentially be scrapped altogether.
Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond
The ACC’s shift to a nine-game conference schedule is already reshaping future plans. For Virginia Tech, it means more high-stakes league games, fewer nonconference opportunities, and even more national exposure. The Hokies are set to play three marquee road games in 2026 as part of that expanded ACC slate, and scheduling flexibility will be at a premium moving forward.
As head coach James Franklin prepares for his first season at the helm in 2026, he’ll inherit a program that’s already navigating a changing landscape - one where every game matters just a little more.
But for now, all eyes are on 2025. With a schedule that features old rivals, new faces, and a Friday night rematch with the national runner-up, Virginia Tech has a chance to make some serious noise.
Virginia Tech 2025 Football Schedule
- Sept.
5: VMI
- Sept.
12: Old Dominion
- Sept. 19: at Maryland
- Sept. 26: at Boston College
- Oct.
2 (Fri.): Pittsburgh
- Oct. 10: at California
- Oct. 17: Georgia Tech
- Oct. 24: at Clemson
- Oct.
31: Open
- Nov. 6 or 7: at SMU
- Nov. 14: Stanford
- Nov. 20 (Fri.): at Miami
- Nov. 28: Virginia
Circle those Friday nights, Hokies fans. The lights will be bright - and the stakes even brighter.