A Look at Virginia Tech Football's Last Five Trips to Atlanta

Virginia Tech has made several pivotal trips to Atlanta over the past decade, from neutral‑site showdowns to ACC battles at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech football will take two trips to Atlanta, Ga. this year: the first will be for its season opener on Aug. 31 at 3 p.m., a venture to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to challenge the South Carolina Gamecocks. The second will be to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Oct. 11 to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

The Hokies possess a 9-7 all-time record in Atlanta, the most recent contest of which was in 2021. Here's a look at how Tech did in each of its last five trips to the 404.

2021 (W): Virginia Tech 26, Georgia Tech 17

The last time that Virginia Tech ventured down to Georgia, it took care of business against the Yellow Jackets, taking a 20-7 lead by halftime and surviving a late fourth-quarter surge from Georgia Tech.

In the fourth, trailing 23-17, Yellow Jackets tailback Jahmyr Gibbs broke a tackle and looked set to go on an 81-yard touchdown run, but slipped on the wet turf at the 20-yard line after attempting to evade an incoming Hokies safety. That eventually led to a failed Georgia Tech fourth-and-one attempt on the Virginia Tech 12-yard line and the Hokies brought it back with a seven-minute drive that set up a game-clinching field goal from kicker John Parker Romo.

2019 (W): Virginia Tech 45, Georgia Tech 0

The Hokies’ defense was suffocating, limiting the Yellow Jackets, who were then just 2-7, to just 134 total yards and only eight first downs all afternoon. Virginia Tech signal-caller Hendon Hooker led the charge, completing nine of 13 passes for 159 yards and accounting for three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing), while cornerback Caleb Farley returned an interception 17 yards for a score. Virginia Tech piled up 461 yards of total offense and clinched bowl eligibility with the victory. The shutout served as a fitting tribute to retiring defensive coordinator Bud Foster in his final visit to Bobby Dodd Stadium as a coach.

The pummeling also lifted Virginia Tech into the Associated Press' Top 25, a brief stint silenced by the Hokies' only loss in the past 21 years to Virginia later that month.

2017 (L): Georgia Tech 28, No. 17 Virginia Tech 22

Contrary to the following iteration, 2017's showing knocked Virginia Tech out of the AP rankings rather than placing them in. The Hokies had lost just twice going into that matchup, falling to then-No. 2 Clemson and then-No. 9 Miami.

Though Yellow Jackets signal-caller TaQuon Marshall completed just two of his eight attempts, both completions were explosive: first, a 60-yard touchdown to Brad Stewart, then an 80-yard scoring strike to wideout Ricky Jeune. He also added two short rushing touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets to their first victory over the Hokies since 2009.

Despite Virginia Tech tying the game late thanks to a 24-yard interception return from cornerback Greg Stroman, Georgia Tech's defense held strong. A late drive from the Hokies stalled, and an attempted pass on fourth down was knocked away by Yellow Jackets defensive back Ajani Kerr with just over a minute left to seal the upset.

2015 (W): Virginia Tech 23, Georgia Tech 21

Virginia Tech overcame a 14-0 deficit to push itself back to .500 in a ho-hum year mostly notable for a 55-52 slugfest victory over Tulsa in the Independence Bowl and being head coach Frank Beamer's final year. In Atlanta, Hokies quarterback Michael Brewer went 15-for-29 for 178 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Travon McMillian carried the workload on the ground with 135 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including a decisive fourth-quarter score with just over seven minutes left that sealed the lead.

After Georgia Tech pushed out to a 14-0 lead after the first frame, Virginia Tech responded with a pair of scores in the second quarter. The Jackets took a 21-17 advantage late in the third frame, but McMillian's score gave the Hokies just enough to hang on and survive a pair of unsuccessful Georgia Tech drives to triumph in Beamer's last game in Atlanta.

2013 (L/W): No. 1 Alabama 35, Virginia Tech 10 | Virginia Tech 17, Georgia Tech 10

2013 was the last year, until this upcoming campaign, that the Hokies made a pair of visits to the 404.

Tech kicked off the 2013 season against No. 1 Alabama in the Chick‑fil‑A Kickoff Game. The Crimson Tide dominated virtually every phase, winning 35-10 at the Georgia Dome. Alabama wide receiver Christion Jones electrified early, returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and then scooping a kickoff for a 94‑yard score. A pick‑six from safety Vinnie Sunseri on an interception thrown by quarterback Logan Thomas added to Tech's early troubles and despite a 77-yard touchdown run by receiver Trey Edmunds, the Hokies could never close the gap and produced only 212 yards of offense, including just 59 net passing yards.

Nearly a month later, Virginia Tech returned to Atlanta, this time at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and notched a hard-fought 17-10 victory over Georgia Tech. Thomas threw for 221 yards and rushed for 58, accumulating both a passing and rushing touchdown. The Hokies’ defense rose to the occasion, holding GT to just 129 rushing yards and forcing a pair of interceptions. Virginia Tech split end D.J. Coles caught a 21-yard TD pass in the first quarter, and in the fourth, cornerback Kendall Fuller iced the game by picking off Yellow Jackets quarterback Vad Lee on fourth down in the closing moments.