Virginia Tech has filled out more of its nonconference basketball slate, landing a home game against UCF and a road trip to Mercer, according to contracts obtained by The Roanoke Times.
The Hokies will face UCF on Dec. 12 in a neutral-site game at Novant Health Fieldhouse in Davie, Florida, about three hours from UCF’s campus in Orlando. It will be the first meeting between the programs. The matchup is part of the Baha Mar Championship and comes with a payout of $95,000 for Tech this season and $35,000 for the next season’s game.
UCF arrives with some recent postseason credibility. The Knights went 24-12 overall and 13-7 in the Big 12 last season, then lost to UC San Diego in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They must replace five starters from that team.
Mercer will host Virginia Tech on Nov. 3.
The game will be the first meeting between the schools since 1976, when Rick Barnes was coaching against George Mason. Mercer finished 17-15 overall and 11-5 in the Southern Conference last season, then lost to Michigan in the first round of the College Basketball Crown.
The Hokies also have a Week Zero game in 2025, meaning they will play a “Week Zero” game both this year and next. Virginia and Arkansas State have moved up their 2025 meeting in Charlottesville from Sept. 16 to Aug. 26, 2025, which means UVA will host North Carolina State in a Week Zero game next month. Arkansas State joins William & Mary on Mary’s 2025 nonconference schedule.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech May Have Found The Edge Rusher It Desperately Needed
Virginia Tech has spent plenty of time searching for a pass rusher who can change the feel of its defensive front, and Samuel Okunlola at least gives the Hokies a compelling reason to believe they found one. The former three-star recruit has already logged stops at Pittsburgh and Colorado, and his path has included a productive sophomore season, a move into a bigger role with the Buffaloes and enough experience to arrive in Blacksburg with real value attached to his name.
The appeal is obvious: Okunlola has shown he can handle starting work, get after the quarterback and give a defensive line some needed juice. His spring at Virginia Tech was limited after a shoulder injury surfaced early in his 2025 season at Colorado, so the Hokies are still waiting to see how quickly he can settle in and how much of an edge he can bring right away. For a defense looking for help on the perimeter, though, he looks like one of the more interesting additions on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs 2026 Offense May Hinge On One Unsettled Unit
Virginia Techs 2026 offensive line is starting to take shape, and the front five may end up being the most important puzzle piece for the offense as a whole. New transfers Logan Howland and Justin Terry give the Hokies added options up front, while redshirt sophomore center Kyle Altuner is positioned to build on a season in which he started every game and became one of the steadier pieces in the group.
The encouraging part is that the projected starters bring a clearer outline than the unit had not long ago. The uneasy part is everything behind them, where Virginia Tech still needs returning players and freshmen to provide the kind of depth that keeps a line functional over the course of a season. Howlands health, Terrys fit, and Altuners next step all matter, but the real question is whether the Hokies can find enough stability beyond the first five to make the whole thing hold together. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Fall Camp Could Reshape The Hokies Depth Chart Fast
Fall camp always has a way of turning educated guesses into real depth-chart movement, and Virginia Tech looks like a team with several spots ready to change quickly. The quarterback room is one place to watch, with Troy Huhn in position to push past one of the backups even if he does not seize the No. 2 job, while the defensive line has a chance to look different if Emmett Laws takes the kind of step forward the staff needs inside.
There are similar questions behind those spots, too, especially at linebacker and in the secondary. Gabe Williams appears lined up as the fifth man in the linebacker rotation with room to rise, and the cornerback and slot picture could keep shifting as Que'Sean Brown settles into the top role and Takye Heath tries to carve out his place in the mix. [Read more 🡒]