Hokie ClubFor the first time in over 30 years, the Virginia Tech Hokies and the South Carolina Gamecocks will face off, this time in the exciting 2025 Aflac Kickoff Game on Aug. 31. Kickoff is set at 3 p.m. for the contest and will be nationally televised on ESPN and ESPN-affiliated networks. Here’s What to Watch for when the Hokies and Gamecocks take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Sunday.
Run For It!
Among all contributing members of the Tech offense, it can be said that the 2025 version of the running back room has a chance to make the biggest difference on gameday. Under the tutelage of first-year offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and running backs coach Elijah Brooks, the unit now boasts three transfers and five homegrown talents that can all turn the tide of any matchup this season.
Looking at this weekend, the running backs enter the matchup in a favorable position, and a running back-by-committee approach could very well take the wind out of the Gamecocks’ sails early in the matchup.
Also important to note: Of the eight defensive linemen who featured in games for South Carolina last season, only two – Nick Barrett and Monkell Goodwine – have returned and are slated to start on Sunday. Such newness on the defensive interior could play well to the strengths of the Tech running back room, especially if Montgomery and company craft varying offensive schemes throughout the game.
Buyers and Sellers
Many of the major headlines surrounding Sunday’s contest have been focused on Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Known for his ability to operate both in and outside of the pocket with speed, the Carolina signal-caller steps into his second season with the Gamecocks after throwing for over 2500 yards and rushing for over 650 yards in 2024.
For the Hokies, however, key members of the defensive front are prepared to step up to the challenge of limiting the production of the South Carolina offense. Kemari Copeland, Kelvin Gilliam Jr., and the rest of Tech’s defensive line will look to get after Sellers and force the redshirt sophomore to make decisions that can benefit the Hokies.
In the secondary, the Hokies can mute Sellers’ offensive production by limiting his options downfield. While South Carolina returns a good number of wideouts from the 2024 season, including Nyck Harbor and Mazeo Bennett Jr., experienced cornerbacks such as Tech’s Dante Lovett and transfer Isaiah Brown-Murray have the chance to lock up options that Sellers would be expected to throw to.
Success on Sunday starts with getting after Sellers. Turnover issues remain a big question, especially when considering his 11 turnovers through five games at the beginning of last fall. If the Hokies can make Sellers revert to his early 2024 self, the defense has a chance to thrive.
“I Don’t Think We’re in Blacksburg Anymore...”
For the first time in just shy of a decade, the Hokies will open their season in a neutral-site matchup. Georgia’s own Mercedes-Benz Stadium will play host to the contest against the Gamecocks, serving as the site for the second of two games in the Aflac Kickoff Game opening weekend. The beginning of the Hokies’ 2025 campaign is just the seventh neutral-site season opener for Tech football in the BCS/CFP era.
Sunday matchups have also served the Hokies well in the team’s history. Tech stands at a perfect 6-0 on Sundays, outscoring opponents 217-93 over six games. When the game kicks off at 3 p.m. this weekend, watch to see if the Hokies can extend that record to 7-0 and uphold the excellence of Hokie football on Sundays.
2017 marks the last time the Hokies opened their season at a neutral site. In that contest, quarterback Josh Jackson lit up FedEx Field in Landover, Md. with 235 passing yards, 101 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns en route to a 31-24 win over West Virginia.
Single-game tickets for the rest of the Hokies’ 2025 campaign are selling fast. Don’t miss your chance to see Tech football at Lane Stadium when they return from Atlanta later this fall!