A Look Back at This Summer's Virginia Tech Football "Way-Too-Early" Series: How Off Were We?

The easy answer: A lot.

Nov 22, 2025; Blacksburg, Va.; Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) breaks a tackle from Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3). | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

“Way too early” is supposed to be a warning label, not a promise. Still, when the preseason rolls around, optimism has a way of sneaking past the disclaimer.

Final installment of my “Way-Too-Early” series with @kadenreinhard now out. This week, we cover the #Hokies’ final opponent of the regular season: Virginia.

On @vthokiesonsi:https://t.co/4wAfYvzwTn

— Thomas Hughes (@thomashughes_05) August 8, 2025

Back in August, my "Way-Too-Early" series co-penned with staff writer Kaden Reinhard tried to map out a season before a single meaningful snap, possession or rotation had been logged. Returning production seemed relatively reliable. The path from projection to reality looked straightforward enough. In reality, it rarely, if ever, is.

As the season unfolded, many of those early assumptions unraveled quickly. Teams we penciled in as safe bets struggled to find consistency. Others we dismissed as rebuilding projects proved far more resilient than expected. Preseason narratives — experience, continuity and “favorable schedules” — matter far less than adaptability once games started counting.

Injuries, of course, played their role. They always do, yet they never feel fully accounted for in August analysis. A projected strength can disappear in a matter of weeks, and depth that looks sufficient on paper often isn’t when tested over time. Player development also defied expectations. Some contributors plateaued. Others made leaps that no preseason metric could have predicted.

Out of every projected Virginia Tech win, only three ended up correct: NC State, Wofford and Cal. Every other win prediction — Vanderbilt, missed the mark.

Back in August, the logic felt sound. The Hokies returned experience at key positions, continuity on the coaching staff suggested stability, and the schedule appeared manageable enough to support a step forward. On paper, it looked like a team positioned to build on momentum rather than reset. The preseason expectations followed naturally from that belief.

What actually happened exposed how fragile those assumptions were. Here's a look at how our predictions unfolded and what happened in reality.

Week 1, South Carolina
Thomas: South Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 21
Kaden: South Carolina 30, Virginia Tech 18
Reality: South Carolina 24, Virginia Tech 13
Outcome: Correct (1-0)
Closer Margin: Tie

Week 2, Vanderbilt
Thomas: Virginia Tech 42, Vanderbilt 31
Kaden: Virginia Tech 35, Vanderbilt 31
Reality: Vanderbilt 44, Virginia Tech 20
Outcome: Incorrect (1-1)
Margin: Kaden (1-0)

Week 3, Old Dominion
Thomas: Virginia Tech 42, Old Dominion 21
Kaden: Virginia Tech 31, Old Dominion 12
Reality: Old Dominion 45, Virginia Tech 26
Outcome: Incorrect (1-2)
Margin: Kaden (2-0)

Week 4, Wofford
Thomas: Virginia Tech 45, Wofford 7
Kaden: Virginia Tech 39, Wofford 10
Reality: Virginia Tech 38, Wofford 6
Outcome: Correct (2-2)
Margin: Kaden (3-0)

Week 5, NC State
Thomas: Virginia Tech 35, NC State 28
Kaden: Virginia Tech 38, NC State 35
Reality: Virginia Tech 23, NC State 21
Outcome: Correct (3-2)
Margin: Kaden (4-0)

Week 6, Wake Forest
Thomas: Virginia Tech 20, Wake Forest 7
Kaden: Virginia Tech 16, Wake Forest 10
Reality: Wake Forest 30, Virginia Tech 23
Outcome: Incorrect (3-3)
Margin: Kaden (5-0)

Week 7, Georgia Tech
Thomas: Georgia Tech 31, Virginia Tech 17
Kaden: Georgia Tech 25, Virginia Tech 20
Reality: Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 20
Outcome: Correct (4-3)
Margin: Thomas (5-1)

Week 8, Bye

Week 9, California
Thomas: Virginia Tech 28, California 17
Kaden: Virginia Tech 31, California 22
Reality: Virginia Tech 42, California 34 (OT)
Outcome: Correct (5-3)
Margin: Kaden (6-1)

Week 10, Louisville
Thomas: Louisville 34, Virginia Tech 20
Kaden: Louisville 28, Virginia Tech 27
Reality: Louisville 28, Virginia Tech 16
Outcome: Correct (6-3)
Margin: Thomas (6-2)

Week 11, Bye

Week 12, Florida State
Thomas: Virginia Tech 34, Florida State 24
Kaden: Virginia Tech 31, Florida State 20
Reality: Florida State 34, Virginia Tech 14
Outcome: Incorrect (6-4)
Margin: Thomas (6-3)

Week 13, Miami
Thomas: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 20
Kaden: Miami 28, Virginia Tech 24
Reality: Miami 34, Virginia Tech 17
Outcome: Correct (7-4)
Margin: Thomas (6-4)

Week 14, Virginia
Thomas: Virginia Tech 45, Virginia 10
Kaden: Virginia Tech 40, Virginia 16
Reality: Virginia 28, Virginia Tech 7
Outcome: Incorrect (7-5)
Margin: Kaden (7-4)

2025 Virginia Tech Football "Way-Too-Early" Champion: Kaden Reinhard

Virginia Tech football's 2026 campaign begins on Sept. 5, 2026 against VMI. Hopefully, this time it'll be a better showing from yours truly. And hopefully, we're closer to 10-2 than 6-6 next time.