Virginia Tech Football Sets Start Time For Week 11 Game Vs. Stanford

The Hokies are 6-2 (3-2 ACC) nine games into the season with a bout at SMU this Friday. But what about Stanford?

Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) during warm up time with running back Jeffrey Overton, Jr. (16) before kickoff with Clemson and Virginia Tech. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech football's start time for its Week 11 clash with ACC bottom-feeder Stanford is partially official.

The Hokies (6-2, 3-2 ACC) will play the Cardinals (4-5, 2-4 ACC) on Saturday, Nov. 14 at either 7 p.m. ET or 7:30 p.m. ET on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Stanford lost its last game on the road against Louisville 52-24, conceding 545 total yards of offense to the Cardinals. The Cardinal had previously beaten Elon 34-7 and defeated NC State 31-28. However, the Cardinal's other four league games — then-No. 7 Miami, Duke, Wake Forest and then-No. 3 NC State — have resulted in a 195-23 combined total. The Hurricanes took down Stanford 45-6, with Duke handing Stanford a 35-7 loss one week later.

After a 34-27 win over Georgia Tech, which is last in the ACC standings, the Cardinal lost 57-3 to Wake Forest and 58-7 to then-No. 3 Notre Dame.

For comparison, Virginia Tech clinched bowl eligibility Oct. 24 in Memorial Stadium, defeating Clemson 20-16 for its first victory against the Tigers since 2007. The Hokies opened their season at 4-0 for the first time since 2017, claiming victories over VMI (73-3), Old Dominion (44-21), Maryland (35-26) and Boston College (21-14) to do so.

Virginia Tech lost its first game on Oct. 2 with a 35-33 defeat against Pitt. The Hokies scored the game's first 14 points within the first frame, but they were outscored 35-10 over the next 35-plus minutes, operating in a 35-24 hole midway through the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech's nine-point rally set the stage for a 36-yard game-deciding field goal from fifth-year kicker John Love, but his try was ruled no good. The Hokies lost 25-20 the subsequent week to Cal in Berkeley, Calif.

Virginia Tech scored a go-ahead touchdown to assume a 19-14 lead with 1:15, but California — aided by two penalties for roughing the passer and defensive pass interference that netted it 30 yards — marched down the field in six plays, scoring with 18 seconds left.

The Hokies took the football down to the Golden Bears' 7-yard line with three seconds, but quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer's last-gasp throw to tight end Luke Reynolds fell incomplete.

Virginia Tech bounced back with a 34-24 win over Georgia Tech where it led 24-3 at halftime; the Hokies then won 20-16 at Clemson to become bowl-eligible. This year, Grunkemeyer is 187-of-262 (71.4% completion percentage) for 2,140 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. His 2,140 yards ranks No. 17 in the nation, while his quarterback rating of 74.8 is 28th.

In the meantime, Virginia Tech's Week 10 clash comes against SMU on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.