Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – In what serves as the second of three consecutive home games for the Hokies, Virginia Tech will welcome Old Dominion for an evening matchup on Saturday, Sept. 13. The contest will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network and streamed on ESPN.
How to Follow:
TV: The game will be televised on ACC Network with Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Victoria Arlen (sidelines) on the call.
Radio: The Virginia Tech Sports Network will carry the contest over the airwaves in Blacksburg on 93.1 FM and 105.9 FM. Bill Roth will handle play-by-play duties while Mike Burnup provides color commentary and Zach Mackey reports from the sideline.
Streaming: Catch the game online at ESPN.com and the ESPN mobile app.
Live Audio: Listen to live audio coverage of the matchup at HokieSports.com/listen or through the HokieSports mobile app.
Live Stats: Monitor the game through live stats on HokieSports.com, including play-by-play updates and full team and individual statistics.
Social Media: Stay connected with the Hokies on Twitter (@HokiesFB), Instagram (@hokiesfb), and Facebook (@VirginiaTechFB).
Things to Know:
The Hokies have had success against the Monarchs.
Entering this weekend’s contest, Virginia Tech football has won three of the last four matchups against the Monarchs. Most recently, the Hokies found success last season on the heels of a dominant second half, one in which quarterback Kyron Drones sparked a 17-point fourth quarter to put Old Dominion away 37-17. The nearly identical result in 2023 (a 20-point second half for a 36-17 win) is additional proof that the Hokies have been consistent in matchups against Old Dominion.
Also important to note: Of the six all-time matchups against the Monarchs (Hokies have the edge, 4-2), the Hokies are 3-0 in matchups played in Blacksburg. Tech has put up 30 or more points in each of the three contests, outscoring the Monarchs 105-34, including a 38-0 blanking in September 2017.
Kyron Drones has the chance to exploit the Monarchs’ secondary.
One of the more interesting storylines heading into Saturday’s matchup is the absence of returners on the Old Dominion defense. Both the cornerbacks and the safeties are entirely new for the Monarchs, the two position groups experiencing a plethora of outgoing transfer moves that have fundamentally shaken up the defensive roster.
This bodes well for the Hokies' playcaller. Drones has been able to pinpoint receivers downfield effectively in games this fall, most notably hitting a new receiver line with Donavon Greene and Isaiah Spencer in the opening contest of the season. Drones’ experience not only in maroon and orange but as a starting quarterback can play well to the lack of connectivity an entirely new Monarchs secondary inherently brings to the table.
Players to Watch:
Running Back Marcellous Hawkins
One of three incoming transfers in the running back room this fall, Hawkins has been given the starting nod in consecutive games for the Hokies this season. His 58 rushing yards against South Carolina can give Tech fans an idea of Hawkins’ downhill running style, one perfected over three successful seasons at Central Missouri. While the Monarchs’ defensive line retains a good amount of talent from last season’s campaign, look for the 5-foot-11, 219-pound Oklahoma City native to be a force in the ground game Saturday.
Linebacker Michael Short
Hawkins isn’t the only transfer on the Hokies who has seen great success through two games this season. Short, who spent two years at ACC competitor North Carolina, leads the defensive side with 16 tackles (4 solo, 12 assists) and 2.5 tackles for loss. His 11 total tackles against Vanderbilt this past Saturday were not only the most on the Hokies, but the most across both teams.