Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – After claiming a strong 34-24 victory against Georgia Tech in the Homecoming contest this past weekend, the Virginia Tech football team will play their first of two road games over three weeks as they face Clemson on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. ET. The matchup – which will be on primetime television on ESPN – will feature two ACC foes seeking their third win in conference play in the 2026 regular season.
The Hokies can secure bowl eligibility with a weekend victory in Death Valley. Read below for the First Look at Tech’s matchup against the Tigers on Saturday night.
How to Follow:
TV: The game will be televised on ESPN with Roy Philpott, Brock Osweiler, and Sherree Burruss on the call.
Radio: The Virginia Tech Sports Network can be heard on 40+ radio stations across the Commonwealth including 105.3 FM in Blacksburg. Bill Roth will handle play-by-play duties while Mike Burnop provides color commentary and Evan Hughes reports from the sideline.
Streaming: Catch the game online on ESPN or the ESPN 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).
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Tickets are already on sale for the Virginia Tech Football 2027 regular season in Blacksburg! Don’t miss the opportunity to make memories by securing season tickets in Lane Stadium, or by renewing season tickets for continued support of Virginia Tech Athletics. Buy or renew your season tickets by Oct. 28 to receive 15 priority points, which reward both loyalty and generosity with advanced seat selection and ticket allocation perks.
Storylines to Follow:
Virginia Tech’s defense has an opportunity to impact a Tigers offense that has been missing its starting quarterback since the second week of the season.
The Hokies are poised to cage the Tigers behind a defense led by linemen Aycen Stevens and Kemari Copeland.
While Clemson enters their contest against Tech with a 4-2 (2-1 ACC) record, the team ranks last in the conference in passing offensive efficiency, ranking 16 points below Stanford (124.9) at 108.9. Much of the stagnant nature of the Tigers’ offense has been from unexpected quarterback play as senior Christopher Vizzina – who suffered an elbow injury in the second week of the 2026 regular season – has continued to sit while true freshman Tait Reynolds has taken his place as the team’s starting gunslinger.
Similar to that of the Hokies’ contest against Cal two weekends ago, the Hokies will have to prepare for multiple quarterbacks on the Clemson side. If Reynolds is named the starter for the Tigers, the Hokies will have to prepare for a dual-threat quarterback that has thrown just one touchdown this season along with three interceptions. If Vizzina is deemed healthy to play, it’ll be the first complete game of the senior’s 2026 campaign since opening the season with a 41-point loss to LSU on Sept. 5.
While the Clemson offense has sputtered in key moments, the defense has stabilized what could have been a rocky start to the season.
Clemson’s defense under second-year coordinator Tom Allen has allowed the unit to see growth across multiple positions.
Of the six contests Clemson has played this fall, the defense has limited opposing offenses to 10 or fewer points in three of them. Most recently, Clemson defeated Charleston Southern in a 37-0 shutout that featured 13 tackles for loss and just 76 yards of total offense for the Eagles.
Anchoring the Tigers’ defense is a mix of players in the secondary on the line. Safety Corey Myrick, who transferred from Southern Miss this past season, leads the team with 44 total tackles while defensive end Will Heldt has registered four sacks for 19 yards. Linebackers Sammy Brown and Jeremiah Alexander have also been efficient, registering a combined 79 total tackles throughout the season thus far.
Players to Watch:
Defensive Lineman Aycen Stevens
Aycen Stevens has been a wrecking ball for the Hokies through six games, smashing through opposing offensive lines and getting after the quarterback with efficiency. Stevens currently leads the ACC in sack yards (53) behind six sacks (four solo) in competition this fall.
In the Homecoming contest against Georgia Tech this past Saturday, Stevens sliced through the Yellow Jackets’ pass protection on multiple occasions, registering 1.5 sacks on quarterback Alberto Mendoza while also securing 2.5 tackles for loss.
Fans should keep an eye on the senior from Indianapolis, Ind. against Clemson this weekend, as the Tigers have allowed 17 sacks in 2026.
Wide Receiver Que’Sean Brown
Known for elite speed and a quickness, wide receiver and special teams asset Que’Sean Brown has put up quite the résumé in his first season with the Hokies. In six games, Brown has corralled 46 receptions for 616 yards (13.4 yards per catch), a total that ranks fourth amongst all wide receivers in the ACC.
Brown posted a monster game against the Georgia Tech secondary in the Homecoming matchup, registering a staggering 251 all-purpose yards on Saturday afternoon in the 34-24 victory. His 182 receiving yards on six receptions led the team, and a 63-yard punt return in the third quarter placed the Hokies in the red zone.