Way-Too-Early Virginia Tech Football Preview and Prediction: Old Dominion and Wofford
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In the third installment of our “Way-Too-Early” series on Virginia Tech football’s hypothetical 2025 season, the Hokies (1-1 “Way-Too-Early”) stay in the Terror Dome after exacting revenge upon Vanderbilt. Today, we cover their next two opponents: Old Dominion and Wofford. Tech will play both teams at home; four of their first six games are at Lane Stadium, and just one of those six is a true road game, coming in Week 5 at NC State.
At minimum, the Hokies get a sigh of relief from their brutal SEC slate in this two-gamer. At the end of this article, we’ll give our closing predictions for how we believe Tech fares in the two-game homestand alongside our final scores.
The Hokies have matched up against the Monarchs more often than the Terriers, with 2025 being the seventh all-time matchup between the two programs. Tech holds the all-time series record at 4-2, albeit with the Hokies pulling off victories in the two most recent matchups. Oddly enough, the games ended with almost identical final scores: 36-17 in 2023 and 37-17 in 2024.
In an article from G5 Football Daily, the staff ranked the Monarchs in 10th place out of 14 in the Sun Belt Conference following spring ball. Even with the low placement, a tangle with a familiar team can prove hazardous. Complacency is dangerous, particularly so against a team that defeated Tech three years ago and looks to do so for the second time in four years.
The Monarchs not only shocked the Hokies to open the 2022 season as six-point underdogs [20-17] but they also pose a stylistic quarterback that is fit to attack the Tech defense. Colton Joseph enters his sophomore season after an impressive freshman campaign.
The 6-foot-2 signal-caller will give fans a dual-threat matchup under center against Kyron Drones in the Hokies' second home game of the season. Last year, Joseph tallied over 600 yards on the ground and racked up over 2,000 all-purpose yards while netting 11 touchdowns, both on his feet and in the air.
Joseph was the proverbial heart of the Old Dominion offense in 2024, and he’ll need to replicate those efforts if he wants to lead his team to success against the Hokies. If the Hokies' Lunch Pail defense can smother Joseph and his attack early, the Hokies should cruise on the back of their offense to a cool, calm, and collected victory in Lane Stadium.
Leading the charge in tiring down the Monarchs’ defense is an unrelenting rushing attack from the Hokies and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. While losing Bhayshul Tuten to the NFL Draft will be a big loss for Tech, Montgomery has eight years of experience in collegiate coaching with the running back position, split between two decorated Texas universities, Houston and Baylor.
The two key backs the Hokies have brought in for their rushing attack are Terion Stewart (Bowling Green) and Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina). Montgomery has another wildcard up his sleeve, one that is both suited for the backfield and that is an easy puzzle-piece fit into a slot receiver position: transfer Cameron Seldon from Tennessee.
Any rushing attack where you can effortlessly sub in and out to keep your backs fresh is vital. It is especially vital when Montgomery gets his first look at a defense not suited to stopping SEC-caliber offenses week in and week out, unleashing the two-headed beast of Stewart and Bennett at full force.
Our best analogy for this game is that the first half for the Hokies will be akin to a boxing match where they will take their time, meticulously wearing down the Monarchs until halftime before pouncing and jumping on a gassed-out Old Dominion roster in the second half–riding the momentum into their contest the following week with Wofford.
Virginia Tech has a very low sample size against the Terriers; the two schools matched up only once in 2022, Kaden’s second-ever game attended as a student. The game ended in a 27-7 blowout win for the Hokies.
The one recent common denominator the two teams do have? South Carolina — a shared opponent that offers a useful, if indirect, measuring stick. Both Virginia Tech and Wofford will have faced the Gamecocks in a two-year span. Tech plays the Gamecocks in its opening week this campaign, which we predicted would end in a Hokie loss. Meanwhile, Wofford played against South Carolina last season and was blown out in a 56-12 pummeling.
Virginia Tech opens its 2025 campaign against South Carolina, a matchup we previously predicted would end in a Hokie loss — albeit a competitive one. In that preview, we anticipated that Tech would at least keep the game within striking distance, showcasing solid effort on both sides of the ball and a team that could hang for much of four quarters.
So, with all that context, it’s difficult to imagine Virginia Tech not running away with this one. This brings up a more strategic question: Does Kyron Drones need to start this game at all? If the Hokies are confident in their depth and want to keep their QB1 fresh for conference play, Wofford presents the perfect opportunity to see what else they have under center.
William “Pop” Watson III, with his athleticism and high ceiling, could get his first non-injury-related start. His ability to extend plays and keep defenses off-balance would be an exciting wrinkle against an outmatched opponent. And if not Watson, this could be the ideal setting for Oklahoma State transfer Garret Rangel to get his first real action in maroon and orange.
— Pop Watson III (@WW3thefuture) June 4, 2025
Either way, the Wofford game provides a prime opportunity to see what the future of the Hokies’ quarterback room might look like without the pressure of an ACC opponent breathing down their necks. Old Dominion would also be a game where Watson starting could be a realistic possibility, though the Monarchs are more of a danger than the Terriers.
Watson, a redshirt sophomore, remains an enigma. His in-game sample size is still small, and while he looked electric in limited time against Virginia — showing command, quick feet and downfield aggressiveness — that performance comes with a major asterisk, given that the Cavaliers’ defense ranked in the bottom five of every major stat tracked by the ACC, with the exception of fumbles forced. Watson struggled mightily in the bowl game, being sacked five times by the Gophers.
However, Rangel is just as much, if not more of an enigma. The last time he threw over 32 attempts was 2022, and the last time he also accumulated more than 200 passing yards was that same year. For better or worse, Rangel’s freshman campaign, where he threw for 711 yards, four touchdown passes, and five picks, is his most recent comparison with meaningful weight.
Regardless of who lines up under center, the goal remains the same: handle business cleanly, without giving either opponent hope.
Conclusion:
While we both expect a dormant start for the Hokies against the Monarchs, the gas tank of Old Dominion will only get them through part of the grueling 60 minutes in store for them inside the Terror Dome. Eventually, Tech will win out. The same goes for Wofford. The Hokies’ offense will be stagnant, then likely flash up and pull away.
The Terriers are a step below Old Dominion in terms of size, speed, and overall program depth. While Tech’s offense likely takes a quarter to settle in, all signs point to a second-half stretch where they break things open and pull away.
Still, the thing that’s been Tech’s kryptonite against Group of 5 teams has been the lack of ability to pull away, to maintain an iron grip on their opponents and not let up, keeping a foot on the gas.
It cost the Hokies in 2022. It can’t again if Tech aspires to reach the upper echelon of the ACC once again. If Virginia Tech is serious about climbing back toward ACC relevance, these games need to be businesslike, efficient, and conclusive.
The Hokies can’t afford to flirt with danger against G5 opponents. If the team emerges from Week 4 with a 3-1 record and momentum heading into their first real road test at NC State, Hokie fans will have reason to believe this team is turning a corner.
Virginia Tech’s game against Old Dominion comes on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m., while its game against Wofford will be a week later on Sept. 20 at a time to be determined.
Old Dominion:
Thomas’ Prediction: Virginia Tech 42, Old Dominion 21
Kaden’s Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, Old Dominion 12
Wofford:
Thomas’ Prediction: Virginia Tech 45, Wofford 7
Kaden’s Prediction: Virginia Tech 39, Wofford 10
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Thomas is a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism with a minor in creative writing. He currently works with Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech's student-run newspaper, as a staff writer for its sports section. In addition, he also writes for 3304 Sports as a staff writer and on-air talent, as well as Aspiring Journalists at Virginia Tech as a curator. You can find him on X: @thomashughes_05.
Follow thomashughes_05-c647d0570ffad1263447dc3c4ea97f33.jpg "Kaden Reinhard")
Kaden Reinhard started his sports media career covering sports for his local alma mater, the Floyd County Buffaloes, through Citizens Telephone Coop. Has commentated for football, basketball, baseball, and softball. Began writing 3304 Sports in the Spring of 2025, covering lacrosse and softball. Currently a Junior at Virginia Tech, majoring in sports media and analytics.
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