Virginia Tech's first half was a significant improvement from last week as you would hope given that the Hokies were facing a weaker opponent in Vanderbilt. However, Virginia Tech's second half performance was the worst half of football that I've ever seen the Hokies play, an embarrassment to the sport of football by the Hokies.
Virginia Tech blew a 20-10 halftime lead by allowing 27-straight points and four-straight touchdown drives on their way to a 37-20 defeat of the Hokies. VT falls to 0-2 with Old Dominion coming to town next week while Vanderbilt improves to 2-0 with South Carolina up next.
We'll get into the first half eventually but the story of this game is the embarrassing second half performance from the Hokies.
Each time had five drives in the non-QB kneel part of the second half with the disparity being all-time wide. Vanderbilt had five touchdowns over the course of 309 yards covered while VT had three first downs with two coming on the last drive and one via PI, 2 true 3 and outs plus a failed fourth down attempt, a turnover on that last drive via a fumble, and only 27 yards covered including penalties from both teams.
Virginia Tech's run defense was a sieve while their pass defense didn't provide much help either. The Commodores averaged 7.1 yards per carry and ran for 262 yards in this game while Diego Pavia was 13-19 for 193 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Cornerback play is a clear weakness at this point with Caleb Brown struggling mightily for the second-straight week while Dante Lovett had a poor coverage moment and VT had some coverage busts and too much space in zones. The run defense that had been good last week was a complete disaster this week, not having any answer for Diego Pavia and company.
While last week was a stock up week for Sam Siefkes, this was a crashing down to earth week for the Hokies' new defensive coordinator.
The offensive issues were arguably worse as they had three 64+ yard drives in the first half, but they failed to record a single first down on their own merit in the second half. Tech ended the night averaging 3.9 yards per play with Kyron Drones going from 8-11 for 84 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter to 9-18 for 50 yards over the rest of the game.
Outside of Kyron Drones' carries, Virginia Tech's rushing attack didn't do much with Marcellous Hawkins and Terion Stewart both being held under four yards per carry.
The first half was good for the Hokies as Tech's defense generated a pair of turnovers while VT's offense was able to outgain Vanderbilt 227-169. Tech reached the red zone on four of their first five drives including one where they started well in Vanderbilt territory. Tech's run defense was a problem in the opening half with the Commodores averaging 6.3 yards per carry during the first 30 minutes, but it was still a solid half.
However, I'm not sure what happened during halftime for the Hokies, but they simply had no answers and imploded in every facet in a way that I've never seen before. This was the biggest embarrassment for Virginia Tech Football in the 21st Century at least, with the Hokies looking like a FCS JV program while Vanderbilt looked like the 1985 Chicago Bears.
The lack of any answer for the Hokies whatsoever is a complete embarrassment for a program that deserves so much better given the fan support that it receives and the history and reputation that was built under Frank Beamer.
To give absolutely dominated in one half of football like this when you're Virginia Tech Football is completely unacceptable. There was absolutely no response from the Hokies who simply rolled over in this game and got run over by 18-wheeler after 18-wheeler. This looked like a team that will have a hard time even making a bowl this year, which is already below the level of expectation anyway but is a further, disastrous low.
This wasn't just about not having Xs and Os answers, but this was a complete collapse from a mental and team standpoint. As my photographer relayed to me, she felt the sideline vibe go from flustered to angry to flat as the Hokies collapsed in about as profound of a way as I've ever seen a football team fall apart.
Brent Pry is now 16-23 as Virginia Tech's head coach and 10-21 against Power 4 competition during his just over three seasons at the helm. To lose like this to Vanderbilt in year 4 of your tenure when your record is already what it is says more than enough about the deep low that the Hokies have fallen to.
Pry has gotten the opportunity to struggle and make changes in search of turning his program around. He has failed to do that and at this point, it's clear that Virginia Tech must make sweeping changes including the dismissal of Pry prior to the 2026 season.
