Virginia Tech Confidence Meter: How I Feel About the Hokies' Chances Against Maryland

Virginia Tech football dismantled VMI, 73-3, before handling Old Dominion, 44-21, a week later. Virginia Tech is 2-0 for the first time since 2021, Ethan Grunkemeyer has provided consistency under center and a defensive front that entered the season with plenty of questions has instead been one of the team's early strengths.

Still, there's a reason Saturday's trip to Maryland has been circled as Virginia Tech's first true measuring stick of the James Franklin era.
Maryland is No. 39 in SP+ entering Week 3, making it the first top-40 opponent Virginia Tech has faced this season. The Terrapins are also 2-0 after victories over Hampton (62-0) and UConn (38-14), meaning neither side has exactly faced a murderer's row to begin the year.

So, how confident am I that Virginia Tech leaves College Park at 3-0?

Confidence Meter: 6.5/10

That's certainly enough confidence for me to believe Virginia Tech can win Saturday. It's not quite enough for me to expect the Hokies to cruise.

Perhaps my biggest reason for optimism is Virginia Tech's pass rush. The Hokies have consistently generated pressure through their first two games, with Mylachi Williams, Cortez Harris and Aycen Stevens among the pieces contributing up front. Maryland quarterback Malik Washington should provide a considerably better test, but if that production carries over into Week 3, it'll become much easier to believe the Hokies have developed a genuine strength rather than only feasting on overmatched offensive lines.

Maryland has 10 sacks through two games and currently owns Pro Football Focus' highest pass-rushing grade in the country at 91.5. Virginia Tech sits directly behind the Terrapins at No. 2 with a 90.8 grade. There does come the caveat that Maryland's first two opponents haven't provided a definitive measuring stick like Virginia Tech's haven't, but its ability to generate pressure is difficult to completely overlook.

That'll provide a key test for a Virginia Tech offensive line that struggled against Old Dominion. The Monarchs recorded 10 tackles for loss and four sacks while holding the Hokies to 89 net rushing yards, exposing an area Maryland is more than capable of attacking.

The good news? Virginia Tech should be closer to full strength.

Starting center Kyle Altuner, who missed the Old Dominion game after getting banged up against VMI, said this week that he's back to full strength. His return doesn't guarantee Virginia Tech suddenly eliminates the issues it experienced against the Monarchs, but getting one of the offensive line's most important communicators back certainly doesn't hurt. And then, there's Grunkemeyer.

Through two games, the Penn State transfer is 48-of-62 for 551 yards and four touchdowns. His 31-of-42, 327-yard performance against Old Dominion was particularly encouraging because Virginia Tech needed him to shoulder more of the offensive burden once its rushing attack struggled to find consistency.

Maryland should ask more difficult questions of him. For the first time this season, Grunkemeyer will be making a road start in Virginia Tech colors, and he'll do it against a defense capable of making him uncomfortable, particularly on the edge. That's ultimately why my confidence meter settles at 6.5 rather than somewhere around an eight or nine.

There are plenty of reasons to like Virginia Tech's chances. Grunkemeyer has been steady, the pass rush has been disruptive and the Hokies should have a healthier offensive line than they did a week ago. There are also enough unknowns to keep me from being completely sold after victories over VMI and Old Dominion.

Virginia Tech hasn't won a nonconference game against a Power Four opponent since beating West Virginia in 2017. It'll get a chance to snap that 15-game streak when it takes on the Terrapins tonight in SECU Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET. Coverage for the game will be on FS1 as the Hokies look to start 3-0 for the first time in nine seasons.

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