Virginia Tech has banked two wins, and that alone matters. But the real story heading into Week 3 is that the Hokies are about to find out a lot more about themselves.
The first two games have been useful for confidence, but they’ve also come against opponents sitting at No. 96 and No. 408 in SP+ entering Week 3. Old Dominion, the higher of those two, is the third-lowest team Virginia Tech will face all season by that metric. Boston College at No. 98 and VMI are the only teams below the Monarchs on the Hokies’ schedule.
Even so, there are clear signs of progress. The most obvious is the connection between quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds.
Through two games, Reynolds has caught 13 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns, while Grunkemeyer has gone 48-of-62 for 554 yards and three scores. The level of competition has to be part of the conversation, but Virginia Tech’s 2-0 start is still doing exactly what it was supposed to do.
Grunkemeyer had only seven career starts at Penn State before transferring, and Reynolds had never topped 100 receiving yards in a college game before Saturday. That makes the early chemistry between the two even more important. It’s given Virginia Tech a steadier passing game than it had at times last season, and that consistency has been one of the early positives.
The defense has had its own encouraging moments. Virginia Tech’s edge players have stood out through two games, with Aycen Stevens posting a 94.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Special teams has flashed, too, especially through Que’Sean Brown. He has 117 punt return yards on three tries and nearly broke one Saturday, taking a 79-yard return to the 1-yard line.
But the Hokies have also shown some cracks. Against Old Dominion, they gave up 10 tackles for loss and four sacks, and the run game managed only 89 net yards.
Starting center Kyle Altuner missed the ODU game after a VMI defender landed on his knee in the opener, which pushed Virginia Tech to first-time starter Tommy Ricard. Right guard Montavious Cunningham is also presumably out for the first half against Maryland after being ejected for throwing a punch in the Old Dominion game.
Now comes the first real checkpoint. Maryland enters at No. 39 in SP+, making it Virginia Tech’s first opponent this season ranked inside the top 40, top 50, top 60, top 70 and top 80. The Terrapins have already piled up 10 sacks in two games, though those came against Hampton, a 62-0 win, and UConn, a 38-14 win.
That pass rush could make life a lot harder on a Virginia Tech line that survived its issues against Old Dominion but may not get the same margin for error on Saturday. How the Hokies protect Grunkemeyer - and whether the ground game can bounce back after the 89-yard performance - will be central to the outcome.
Virginia Tech hasn’t been flawless. It was outscored 15-10 in the second half against Old Dominion, Keon Wylie lost a fumble right before the goal line that wiped out a touchdown chance, and Brown’s long punt return ended with only a field goal.
Still, the overall start has been strong. The Hokies are 2-0 for the first time since 2021, and their 34-6 halftime lead over Old Dominion matched the 28-point halftime deficit they suffered a year ago against the same opponent.
Maryland is unbeaten, too, but its 2-0 start has come against Hampton and UConn, which leaves just as many questions hanging over the Terrapins. That’s what makes Saturday such a useful early-season test for both teams.
And for Virginia Tech, there’s one more layer. The Hokies haven’t won an out-of-conference Power Four game since beating West Virginia in 2017. If they can end that streak against Maryland, it would say more than the first two wins ever could about where this team really stands.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Faces Its First Real James Franklin Test At Maryland
Virginia Tech heads into next Saturday nights road trip to Maryland with a little more momentum than it had a few weeks ago, thanks to a 2-0 start under James Franklin and a solid win over Old Dominion. The Hokies are carrying the usual early-season optimism, but this one comes with a bit more weight, since its the first real chance to see how Franklins team handles a tricky away setting against a power-conference opponent. FanDuel Sportsbook has Virginia Tech favored by 3.5 points, and the matchup is set for FS1 or Fox Sports.
Franklin had reason to feel good about what he saw from the defense against Old Dominion, especially from the starters, who helped set the tone with disruptive play up front. Now the challenge shifts to proving that edge travels, because Maryland offers a different sort of stress test and a road game can expose the small issues that dont always show up at home. For a Hokies team trying to build something early, this feels like the kind of game that can say a lot without fully revealing everything. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Fast Start Comes With One Worry Fans Can't Ignore
Virginia Techs 44-21 win over Old Dominion at Lane Stadium gave the Hokies something they have not had since 2021: a 2-0 start. The defense set the tone with seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles, while quarterback Grant Grunkemeyer kept the offense moving with 327 passing yards and two touchdowns. Even with the result well in hand, the game still offered a reminder that this team is not quite finished coming together, especially when it comes to composure and getting the rushing attack on track.
Montavious Cunninghams fourth-quarter ejection added an unwanted edge to an otherwise encouraging afternoon, and it is the kind of moment that can linger beyond one Saturday. Virginia Tech has enough going right to feel good about its early momentum, but the Hokies also know the next step is about more than making plays. It is about keeping the focus and discipline intact before the schedule tightens again. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Faces Its First Real Test With Plenty To Prove
Saturday night brings Virginia Tech its first real measuring stick of the season, and the setting is as firm as it gets for an early nonconference game. The Hokies head into an out-of-conference P4 matchup at Maryland with both teams still unbeaten at 2-0, which makes this more than just a September tune-up and gives the winner an early boost in the bigger picture. Virginia Tech has leaned on quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer to get here, while Maryland has its own answer in Malik Washington, setting up a game that should tell a lot about where each program really stands.
The market has treated it like a tight one from the start, with Virginia Tech opening as a slight favorite and the total sitting in a range that suggests points should be available on both sides. ESPN Analytics gives the Hokies a 58.3% chance to win, but that edge is hardly the kind that settles anything before kickoff. For Virginia Tech, the real question is whether this is a team ready to turn an encouraging start into a statement, or one that still has plenty to prove when the level of competition rises. [Read more 🡒]