Virginia Tech Football: Why the Hokies are Facing an Uphill Battle vs. South Carolina

Can the Hokies will their way to a Week 1 upset victory against the Gamecocks?

Oct 26, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies tight end Benji Gosnell (82) celebrates with wide receiver Jaylin Lane (83) after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Physically, the Hokies have the manpower to compete with the best college football rosters in the nation, but the unseen mental game might be the decisive factor in the opening contest in Atlanta.

Kickoff is closing in…🫣#ThisIsHome | #TeamOverMe pic.twitter.com/q7EsvKSvbl

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) August 14, 2025

South Carolina's head coach, Shane Beamer, is very familiar with Virginia Tech. Son of Frank Beamer and Hokies running back coach from 2011 to 2015, giving Shane his first opportunity to square off with a University where his last name is decorated.

The Gamecocks have been generating buzz entering the 2025 season, with signal caller LaNorris Sellers' name being mentioned in early Heisman discussion. The then-redshirt freshman Sellers got the nod in all but one of South Carolina's contests last season, culminating in 3,294 all-purpose yards, with a late-season stretch that saw Sellers improve as he played against his in-conference foes.

LaNorris Sellers will be tough to stop

Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) throws the ball against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Now, does that mean Sellers ramps up his play throughout the season? Maybe. The 2024 season opener for the Gamecocks saw them host Old Dominion in Columbia, starting the season with a narrow 23-19 victory, in which Sellers passed for only 114 yards. This was Sellers' first collegiate start, and while his arm was sub-par, the dual-threat glimpse was already shining with this start.

The Hokies' biggest priority on defense will be shutting Sellers down to give Tech a chance at upsetting a nationally ranked SEC squad. Raheim Sanders tallied 881 rushing yards for South Carolina in 2024 behind Sellers. With Sanders gone, it's unclear who will step into the main tailback role.

Quick pressure will be key for the Hokies' defense in making Sellers uncomfortable in the pocket, but can a revamped defensive line do just that? Yes, with defensive line coach J.C. Price, who enters his ninth campaign with Tech. Price is responsible for shaping many of the recent star defensive linemen in the maroon and orange, including Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Aeneas Peebles, who were both selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Up and down, the Gamecocks have deep, grizzled experience with their in-conference schedule every season. South Carolina enters the 2025 season as No.13 on the AP Top 25 rankings, good enough for sixth best in the SEC.

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones will have two priorities against the Gamecocks' defense: moving the ball efficiently down the field, while keeping turnovers to a bare minimum. Drones, with his leg talent, is already selective with the throws he takes — knowing that in a pinch he has the leg talent to save a tightly covered play.

Defensive coordinator Clayton White enters his fifth season with South Carolina, and his first four have been stellar. A defense that can pride itself on winning the turnover battle has produced 88 turnovers in White's four seasons, which leads the conference.

Similar to the Hokies, South Carolina's defensive line is left with a shell of the stellar front they had in 2024. The defensive back duo of Jalon Kilgore and Judge Collier remains as strong as it was last year, if not stronger, with the added experience of another season. Beamer added NC State transfer Brandon Cisse to complete a secondary that can shut down games on a moment's notice

Who will win?

Nov 23, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry looks on during the second half of the game against Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

VT on SI's lead editor Thomas Hughes and I predicted the Week 1 battle in Atlanta, a brief excerpt with our thoughts:

"For the Hokies to stay competitive, the defense will need to punch above its weight against a dynamic Gamecock offense.

Both sides of the Hokies’ squad are currently in a period of limbo. After the season, Tech lost a good deal of firepower to the draft and transfer portal, and the jury is still out on both how the transfer portal will shake out for the Hokies, as well as how their coordinator changes will play out.

That leaves unproven spots littered throughout the Hokies' starting lineup for young talent and newly acquired transfer pieces to make an impact and earn a starting role in week one. Just as the double-edged sword offers, the Gamecocks can just as quickly pounce and take over a game if the Hokies enter unprepared."

Tech enters as the +7.5 underdog according to DraftKings for their Week 1 slate, but that might be the thing that propels this squad to a victory. The Hokies need to embrace the no-pressure, underdog mentality of this matchup; if they do, they might be able to squeeze out a victory from the Gamecocks and run back to Blacksburg undefeated to take on another SEC foe, Vanderbilt.