Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech Football will conclude its 2025 run against No. 17 Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. ET. The contest, which features a Hokies team looking to finish strong and a Cavaliers team who is 5-1 at home, will serve as yet another entry into the esteemed “Smithfield Commonwealth Clash”. With plenty of storylines and exciting moments to come, here’s What to Watch as the Hokies speed towards the finish line of the 2025 campaign this weekend.
Playing Spoiler
It’s no secret that Virginia has enjoyed one of the most promising regular seasons in program history. The team sits at a comfortable 9-2 on the season and atop the ACC with a 6-1 record, achieving the record through a combination of efficient offense and overwhelming defense through 11 games.
As the season concludes, however, the Hokies find themselves with an elite opportunity to ruin the success of the 2025 Virginia Cavaliers. With conference foe Georgia Tech’s 42-28 loss to the Pitt Panthers this past weekend, Virginia and head coach Tony Elliott find themselves in a must-win situation if the team wishes to compete in the ACC Championship game. However, if the Hokies are to emerge victorious from the road battle this Saturday, Virginia’s route to making the prolific final conference matchup – and the College Football Playoff – will become much more difficult.
Hokie Nation will have to keep their eyes peeled as to how the Hokies can be a thorn in the side of the Cavaliers on Saturday. Tech football enters the contest looking for its third straight road win against Virginia dating back to 2019.
Historical Dominance
Spanning over 130 years of competition, the Hokies and the Cavaliers face each other yet again this weekend in the battle for Commonwealth bragging rights.
Across all matchups between Tech and Virginia (105 games, to be exact), the Hokies hold a vice grip on the record to the tune of 62-38-5. Saturday will mark the 106th matchup between the two squads, providing yet another entry into the football history of the two state schools.
The Hokies will look to add to their impressive record against the Cavaliers this weekend. A win against Virginia on Saturday would give Tech their 24th win in the last 26 contests, the record further punctuating the success the team has enjoyed when facing their conference counterpart.
Limit the Offense
While Virginia Tech is in a prime position to crumble Virginia’s postseason aspirations this weekend, the Hokies will have to limit key position players on the offensive side of the ball to do so.
Virginia’s offense runs through graduate student quarterback Chandler Morris. At 6-foot, 192 pounds, Morris’s 2,404 passing yards through and 14 passing touchdowns has guided the team to its 9-2 record, while his 223 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns give Virginia extra support when necessary. Assisting Morris in the team’s offensive explosion is running back J’Mari Taylor, whose team-high 917 rush yards leads all running backs in the ACC.