The 2023 Virginia Tech Football season is just about here which means it's time to wrap up our preview series with our staff's season predictions. You can check out the rest of our season preview pieces below, and you could win an Amazon $50 Gift Card if we reach 800 users and/or 80 Insiders by Saturday's 8pm kickoff vs ODU.
After a tough 3-8 season, the Hokies are looking to take a step forward in the second season under Brent Pry. An overhauled group of offensive skill position players and a solid defense gives reason for optimism but a still rebuilding roster plus concerns at offensive line and quarterback raise questions about what is reasonable improvement that the Hokies can make.
So will the Hokies reach a bowl game in 2023 or fall short for a second-straight season? Here are our predictions.
Tim Thomas: 5-7
Everybody has said that the schedule for the Hokies is easier this year which to some extent is true, but Tech is also facing mainly old ACC Atlantic teams which has been the more competent side of the conference by far in recent years prior to the elimination of divisions. The schedule is pretty manageable, but Tech's opponent will also see the Hokies as a manageable game on their schedules.
There's no doubt that Tech has upgraded the skill position talent on offense which should help the Hokies' offense improve. However, Tech's offensive line is a massive concern that I think will be problematic with only two returning starters, a left side that features two promising but inexperienced redshirt freshmen, and a depth chart full of freshman.
Quarterback also remains a question that may prove not to be a concern if Grant Wells can translate his improvements with his decision-making in practice to what he's doing on the field. That's a reasonable question to have and if he does struggle, Tech will be ready to turn to Kyron Drones.
The defense should improve and be a solid unit though they will have to be the unit that drives this team to success. Tech has some big time playmakers in Keli Lawson, Mansoor Delane, Dorian Strong, and Antwaun Powell-Ryland to drive this unit to success but can they carry this team to a bowl game.
Personally, I think a 5-7 season would be a very good season given the significant youth along with the OL and QB concerns, and would give Tech fans plenty of reason to be optimistic about Tech being on a good trajectory to get back to significant relevance in 2024. I see a ceiling of 7-5 and a floor of 4-8 that is definitely in play with the numerous toss-up games that the Hokies have this fall.
Will Locklin: 6-6
Coming off of a three win season in 2022, you’d think the only place the Hokies can go from here is up. With a weak non-conference schedule and only one ranked opponent on the docket ahead of week one, Virginia Tech football should see an improvement in the final wins and losses tally.
The Hokies will start out of the gate hot and go 3-1 against their first four opponents, all of which are outside of the ACC. I’ll predict a 2-0 home stand against Old Dominion and Purdue with a split on the road with the Hokies beating Rutgers and losing to Marshall.
In ACC play, I expect Tech to get the better of Wake Forest, NC State and Virginia. Then I’ll take Florida State, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse and Louisville to give Virginia Tech their five conference losses.
That puts the Hokies final record at 6-6, good enough for a low-tier bowl bid and double the number of wins Virginia Tech football had in 2022. The Hokies will string together winning and losing streaks instead of alternating wins and losses which will bode better for the future. Improvement will be the name of the game in year two for Brent Pry and I expect there to be a lot of growth on both sides of the ball.
Peyton Seay: 5-7
According to College Football News, Virginia Tech has the 27th ranked hardest schedule in the nation and you can see why. The ACC schedule they face will be a grind. The Hokies face much of what used to be the tough outs in the ACC Atlantic Division, as they must do battle at Florida State and visit Louisville. FSU is considered a contender for the conference championship this year, while Louisville is considered by some to be a dark horse for the crown.
For the Hokies to get to the record I have them at and even think about bowl eligibility as a possibility, they will have to handle their non-conference foes. The Big 10 matchups will not be overpowering, and thankfully they get Purdue at home after the Boilermakers had a coaching change, but visiting Marshall will bring a tough end to their non-conference schedule.
The Thundering Herd brings in some key guys to help what was a stellar defense last year. However, Marshall lost some key starters on offense, so hopefully the Hokies can take advantage.
This season should be an interesting one, but it has the possibility of being an improvement on last season’s 3-8 mark for Brent Pry’s squad.
Ryan Duvall: 6-6
Coming off its worst season in three decades, year two for Brent Pry and company should be better, but by how much?
The Hokies, who went 3-8 last year have an over/under of 5.5 wins according to Fox Sports, and with a much easier schedule than 2022, the over could very well happen.
In my opinion, Virginia Tech will be bowl eligible in 2023, thanks to a revamped offense, and several dynamic defenders stepping up. The Hokies have a ceiling of 8-4, and a floor of 5-7, but I’ve got them going 6-6.
On the offensive side of the ball, offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen, who added QB coach to his role, will have several new weapons to work with, thanks to Old Dominion transfer Ali Jennings, Middle Tennessee transfer Jaylin Lane, and Norfolk State transfer Da’Quan Felton upgrading up the wide receiver room. Additionally, Tech went out and got Bhayshul Tuten, an FCS All-American with North Carolina A&T last season, who should make a good trio with fellow backs Malachi Thomas and Bryce Duke.
Senior quarterback Grant Wells has been named starting QB to begin the 2023 campaign, but he’ll have to play with more fire and precision if he wants to keep his job with Baylor transfer and former four-star recruit Kylan Drones hot on his trail for the top job. Time will tell if ‘the dragon’ can lead Tech to success, but don’t be surprised if one of Jennings, Lane, or Felton become the first Hokie receiver to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark, or the double-digit touchdown threshold for the first time since Isaiah Ford did so in the mid-2010’s.
On defense, we would all love for the great ‘Lunch Pail’ defense to come back, and in order to do so the Hokies will need hard-nosed playmakers. Two guys that really stand out to me entering 2023 are defensive end Antuwan Powell-Ryland, and corner Mansoor Delane.
For Powell-Ryland, he chose Tech the second time around, after committing to Florida in 2020, as he transferred to Blacksburg this summer following three seasons in Gainesville. The former four-star should provide leadership and skill on a solid defensive line.
As for Delane, I would like to think he’s a projected first rounder in 2025, following a Freshman All-American campaign in 2022. The defensive back should be a ball-hawking, turnover machine for Tech this year.
Raza Umerani: 8-4
The good news for any Hokie fans concerned about last year is that there’s nowhere to go but up in 2023. There is simply no way Virginia Tech struggles as mightily as they did last season. This is a program that is trending upwards in their second year under Brent Pry, and will use a fantastic offseason to fuel a resoundingly successful campaign.
I would love to stick by my bold prediction and predict Tech to start the year 5-0 before suffering their first loss of the year at Florida State on October 7th. But the prior game against Pitt will also be a very difficult one, and even if you think the Hokies will sweep the non-conference schedule like I do, you can’t deny that opening ACC play against a Panthers team that dismantled Tech last season will be a challenge. So, putting the realism cap on, I say the Hokies finish the first half of the year 4-2.
The second half kicks off with a home game against Wake Forest, which doesn’t seem to be the toughest game on paper and should be a solid win. Then comes the Hokies’ bye week followed by what should be an electric Thursday night clash against Syracuse on October 26th. I think that game will be the most fun of the season, and that Tech will ride a fired up Halloweekend crowd to a bowl-clinching win over the Orange.
In November, the schedule toughens up. The Hokies open the month with a trip to Louisville for a contest against a very solid Cardinals team. I’ll chalk that up as the third loss of the season. The good news is that Tech’s next game is against arguably the worst team in the ACC in Boston College. Despite potentially tough road conditions, the Hokies should notch their seventh win of the year in Chestnut Hill.
The Hokies return to the Commonwealth for their final two games of the year – a home matchup with NC State and the Commonwealth Clash in Charlottesville. The Wolfpack are one of the best teams in the conference, and despite having home-field advantage, I think Tech will struggle against what figures to be a great NCST passing offense led by Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong. What the Hokies should have no problem with is Armstrong’s former team, as they should deal with UVA with swiftness to win the rivalry game for the third straight time and 22nd time in the last 24 years.
Virginia Tech finishes with a very respectable 8-4 record, going 4-4 in ACC play and showing tremendous progress in year two of its new regime under Brent Pry. I’ll say they land a solid bowl game as well – perhaps the Holiday Bowl or Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
