Virginia Tech Football Drops Week 2 Contest to Vanderbilt, Falls to 0-2

In its second game of the 2025 campaign, Virginia Tech fell, 44-20, to Vanderbilt.

Sep 6, 2025; Blacksburg, Va.; Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) throws a pass during the first quarter at Lane Stadium. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

For the first time since 2010, Virginia Tech football has found itself in an 0-2 hole to begin its season. On Saturday evening, the Hokies dropped their second straight contest, falling to Vanderbilt, 44-20, and failing to avenge their season-opening overtime defeat from the year prior.

Although Virginia Tech (0-2) held a 20-10 advantage after the first two frames, the Commodores (2-0) outscored the Hokies, 34-0, in the second half.

"We came out of the locker room and played poorly," said Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry following the loss. "Couldn't stop the run, couldn't get of the field defensively. Mostly drives, but also some chunk plays that were obviously hurtful. And we couldn't get anything going offensive, so it compounded each other...

"There'll be things to lean into from the first half. And there'll be plenty to correct in the second half. Certainly wasn't very good. We got to get healthy. We got to recover. That's going to be very important this week."

The loss ended a nine-year streak of Virginia Tech winning the first game of its home schedule, a streak stretching back to 2016. The last time that the Hokies dropped a home opener prior to Saturday was to No. 1 Ohio State in 2015. Early signs suggested the Hokies might maintain that tradition, or at least remain competitive. By halftime, quarterback Kyron Drones had put together a strong showing, totaling 113 passing yards and 69 rushing yards, along with both a passing and a rushing touchdown.

But in the second half? Only 21 passing yards. Drones also was sacked on a trio of occasions, losing 38 total yards.

Ky-RUN Drones 💨💨#ThisIsHome | #TeamOverMe pic.twitter.com/ALyrwLqUFj

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) September 7, 2025

Outside of Drones, who led the Hokies with 37 net rushing yards, the ground game offered little production. The tailback rotation never found its footing against Vanderbilt’s front seven, with redshirt freshman Marcellous Hawkins topping the group at just 29 yards on eight carries. No other back reached double digits, leaving Tech without a reliable option to complement its quarterback.

After the game, Pry said his message to the team centered on rediscovering the level of play it showed in the first half.

"We gotta find that team that we trotted out there for the first half," Pry said. "That's who we need to be, the team that battled down in Atlanta for four quarters."

The first quarter solely belonged to Virginia Tech. Placekicker John Love opened the scoring with a 28-yard field goal, capping a 15-play, 64-yard drive that chewed up nearly eight minutes of clock. The Hokies controlled possession early, methodically moving the ball and generating points even when the drive stalled. Then, sophomore safety Quentin Reddish tallied the first interception of his career, picking off Vanderbilt signal-caller Diego Pavia to set up a Hokies touchdown.

"I look at it as more to come," Reddish said. "When that ball's in the air, I feel like it's just natural to go get it, and that's how my mentality is always gonna be."

Ironically, the Hokies’ first touchdown of the 2025 season brought with it a pair of individual milestones. Quarterback Kyron Drones connected with tight end Ja’Ricous Hairston in the end zone, not only giving Virginia Tech its opening touchdown of the year but also accounting for Hairston’s first career reception and first career score.

After Vanderbilt tallied a quick two-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Pavia to wideout Brycen Coleman, the Hokies went a quick three-and-out before Vanderbilt tailback Sedrick Alexander coughed up the ball on the Commodores' 26-yard line, with defensive lineman Immanuel Hickman forcing the fumble and cornerback Thomas Williams recovering it.

Sep 6, 2025; Blacksburg, Va.; Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) runs the ball during the second quarter. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

That drive set the stage for Drones to take matters into his own hands. The quarterback kept the ball on three straight plays, piling up 18 yards on the ground before finishing it off with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. The score not only capped an efficient possession but also went down as Drones’ first rushing touchdown of the season.

After Vanderbilt cut into the lead with a Brock Taylor field goal, Virginia Tech had a chance to answer late in the second quarter. Facing a fourth-and-3 deep in Commodore territory, the Hokies kept the offense on the sideline and sent John Love back out for a short attempt. His 27-yard kick was true, pushing the margin back to 20-10 and giving Tech a two-score cushion heading into halftime.

However, from there, it was all Vanderbilt; the Hokies were stifled from that point on, becoming a completely different team and one that completely unable to stop the Commodores, both through the air and on the ground. Alongside the 34 unanswered points, Vanderbilt compiled five touchdowns on as many possessions to start the second half before a quarterback kneel put an end to the game.

The struggles carried over to the Hokies' offense as well. Drones threw for 134 yards, but 84 of those came in the opening quarter before the passing game stalled. From that point on, Virginia Tech failed to establish any rhythm through the air, with Vanderbilt adjusting to take away downfield opportunities.

Portions of that came due to the offensive line, with left tackle Johnny Garrett going down and redshirt freshman Aidan Lynch pushed into his first snaps in maroon and orange.

But the run game fared even worse. The Hokies finished with zero net rushing yards, unable to generate push up front or find lanes against a disciplined Commodore front seven. With no balance to lean on, Tech’s attack became predictable, and Vanderbilt took full advantage. Each possession in the second half seemed to expose the Hokies’ lack of options, forcing them into long-yardage situations and leaving little chance of sustaining drives. In total, the Commodores outgained Tech 307-21 in the second half.

Rushing-wise, the Hokies' defense surrendered 262 rushing yards, allowing 7.1 yards a carry and a trio of rushing touchdowns.

"They're a good team," said Virginia Tech defensive lineman Immanuel Hickman. "They were exactly who they are in their own film. We came in. Our number one priority was to stop the run. That's what we were supposed to do. That's what we preach. That's what we practice... We're here to stop the run, and tonight we didn't. Seven yards a carry, it's mind-blowing."

After a shaky opening half, the Commodores keyed in, neutralizing Virginia Tech's defensive line, one of the standouts of last week's game against then-No. 13 South Carolina. That day, the Hokies sacked Gamecocks signal-caller LaNorris Sellers on a quartet of occasions. Tonight, Tech did not notch a single sack.

"Small things, alignment techniques, the things that in the holistic game of football, there's so many minute details that you have to hit," Hickman said when asked about what he attributed Vanderbilt's long runs to. "It's one of our core values. It's details. We're detail-oriented, and once we watch the film to see what actually will happen, I trust my coaches that were going to make the adjustments. And I have to tip my hat to Vanderbilt, they found it. They found the groove, and they were able to hit it."

As of right now, an 0-2 start appears bleak for the Hokies, a reality not lost on the players themselves. They're now in the position where to claim a record at or above .500, they need to win six of their final 10 games. In Pry's 39 games as a head coach, he has won 41% of his games.

Defensive lineman Immanuel Hickman didn’t mince words after the game, acknowledging that the performance “failed to live up to the standards” of what Virginia Tech football has represented. In Hickman's own words, "everyone needs to come in with the mentality that we're not living up to the Virginia Tech standard. Point blank, period... We must get that fixed ASAP."

Pry has also faced questions about his job security, a conversation that intensified even before the loss to Vanderbilt. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas listed him at 5-to-1 odds to be fired, but the Hokies’ head coach has shown little sign of feeling the pressure.

"I'm not," Pry said after the game when asked if he felt any pressure of job security. "I tell the players to ignore the noise. The expectations here are to win. I'm not happy with where we are right now, not from a wins standpoint. But I like this team. I'm still excited with what we do."

For now, Pry remains committed to instilling confidence in his players and reinforcing the standards he expects. The upcoming stretch of ACC competition will be telling, offering a clearer picture of whether his message translates into tangible improvement on the field and whether his job is stable. But in the short-term, Tech enters an easier slate, with Old Dominion and Wofford providing opportunities for the Hokies to push their way back up to a 2-2 record.

Virginia Tech football will take on Old Dominion on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in Lane Stadium; like the Vanderbilt contest, viewing is available on the ACC Network.