Virginia Tech moved one win closer to bowl eligibility against Georgia Tech, and its potential postseason destinations offer some intriguing possibilities.
The Hokies enter Saturday’s trip to Clemson at 5-2 after a 34-24 victory over the Yellow Jackets snapped a two-game losing streak. With five regular-season games remaining, Virginia Tech has an opportunity to secure its sixth victory and strengthen its postseason position.
The latest projections from ESPN, CBS Sports and Athlon Sports offer four different matchups:
| Projection | Bowl | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN — Kyle Bonagura | Duke’s Mayo | Penn State |
| ESPN — Mark Schlabach | Gator | LSU |
| CBS Sports | Pinstripe | Northwestern |
| Athlon Sports — Steven Lassan | Sun | Arizona |
ESPN’s selections come from its post-Week 7 update, while CBS and Athlon also published their picks following that weekend’s games.
The potential meeting with Franklin’s former program would bring an obvious storyline to bowl season. A matchup between Virginia Tech and Penn State would place the coach opposite the school where he built much of his head coaching career, adding a personal dimension to the Hokies’ postseason.
For now, however, Virginia Tech still has work to do before any potential matchup becomes more than a projection.
Athlon’s forecast remains consistent with its previous update, sending the Hokies to El Paso, Texas, to face Arizona. Steven Lassan’s latest projection lists the Sun Bowl for Dec. 31 at Sun Bowl Stadium. His post-Week 6 picks featured the same pairing.
That continuity contrasts with the range of possibilities elsewhere. There is no consensus destination for Virginia Tech, leaving the final stretch of the season to shape where the Hokies might land.
The immediate opportunity comes at Clemson. Virginia Tech then visits SMU before returning home to face Stanford. A trip to Miami follows, giving the Hokies three road tests across their next four games.
Winning at Clemson would accomplish more than reaching the six-win threshold. It would give Virginia Tech consecutive victories after losses to Pitt and California and provide a stronger result away from Lane Stadium heading into November.
Franklin’s preparation this week has centered on improving the consistency needed to take that step.
The Hokies moved some competitive periods to the middle of practice to emphasize their response after halftime. Franklin said the team has started games well, but he wants that readiness to carry into the third quarter.
“So we shifted half of that to the middle of practice just to try to put an emphasis on it,” Franklin said.
Virginia Tech has also increased crowd noise during practice to prepare for Clemson’s environment, using stadium-specific music and additional speakers to make communication more difficult.
“It can make practice a little sloppy from time to time, but I also think it forces an extra level of focus and attention to detail,” Franklin said.
Those details will help determine whether the Hokies simply reach bowl eligibility or build a stronger finish. The projections provide several possibilities, but Saturday offers Virginia Tech its first chance to secure the victory needed to take the next step.
