Virginia Tech Hokies 2015 Football Schedule

The ACC announced its football schedule today—in January (golf clap). It's the first reminder of the year that college football will be played, but fall is too damn far away.

Virginia Tech's 2015 football schedule is both challenging and decidedly meh. The Hokies squandered a manageable schedule last season to the tune of six regular season wins. This time around, Tech plays three of its four most challenging conference games on the road (at Georgia Tech, at Miami and at Virginia (LOL) at Boston College), upgrades its rotating Atlantic division opponent (NC State > Wake Forest), and opens with defending national champion, Ohio State. Tech plays 9 games from September through October without an off week. There's plenty of quirkiness too.

The complete ACC helmet schedule.

There's no Thursday night game in Lane Stadium. Even though Athletics director Whit Babcock reportedly asked the ACC and ESPN for a Thursday night Blacksburg tilt, which is the opposite of what his predecessor Jim Weaver did in 2013, it didn't happen. However, for the second season in a row Tech will play a Friday night game. Tech's played 29 games on ESPN's Thursday night football, built that brand for ESPN and has been relegated to a football day reserved for high school and Big East ball.

By virtue of being the only show in town, the Friday night game against North Carolina State will certainly provide Tech some national television exposure. However, it's a double-blow to recruiting. Coaches will be earning their paycheck in Lane, and not at high school games recruiting. Recruits will be playing in said high school games and not experiencing the ambiance of Lane Stadium.

Who knows why the ACC or ESPN didn't slot Tech on Thursday night. (Babcock released a statement as to why, the following Thursday night strategy is still valid.) The program is far removed from the class of the conference, but it usually draws solid TV ratings, and has a full(-ish) stadium as a backdrop for games.

In any event, it's a negative for: 1) The fans who enjoy a full day of tailgating, 2) Virginia Tech which loses the marketability of a Thursday night contest when advertising season tickets, 3) the players who know how unique Thursday night in Lane is, and 4) Beamer Co. which forgoes an important recruiting tool.

ESPN Thursday night football is no longer an exclusive event. Both the NFL and other networks broadcasting college football games are competitors to the time slot. It may not be as special as it once was, but that doesn't make it any less important to Virginia Tech for the aforementioned reasons.

Ideally, Tech would not play a marquee opponent on Thursday night, rather than a name-brand program / rival. Keep Florida State, Miami, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville and any Power 5 non-conference opponent on Saturday to push for a 3:30-or-later kickoff. Play a Duke, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, etc... on Thursday (or Friday) night. That strategy increases the odds for more television exposure and later kickoffs.

Gut reactions to each game:

Ohio State

Revenge motivated defending national champion Buckeyes, at home, at night—this season's main course served as an appetizer.

Furman

I-AA team, not much to say...oh no, Tech plays JMU the Paladins on just five days rest.

at Purdue

Why is this even a thing? Do we blame Dr. Sands for this? I tried to think of one good reason for playing a game at Purdue. All I could come up with was it could help establish more of a recruiting foothold in the greater Indianapolis area. Unfortunately, the coach who owned that territory is now employed at Texas A&M.

at East Carolina

Both quarterback Shane Carden and offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley have moved on to better things. That's good news. The fact this series will be played 10 more time between 2015-2025, is not.

Pittsburgh

(Pat) Narduzzi–Foster should be one of the better defensive matchups of the season.

NC State

The Wolfpack won four of its five final games in 2014 and has made an appearance at the bottom of some preseason top-25 polls. Tech's second-most challenging home game will be played on a short week.

at Miami

Duke

Duke's returning just 12 starters (two of which are the kicker and punter), that stacks up 7th in the ACC and 79th nationally according to Phil Steele.

at Boston College

The Eagles got the better of the Hokies in one-score games each of the last two seasons. If Tech wants to contend for Coastal Division crowns once more, it needs to beat middle-of-the-pack ACC clubs.

at Georgia Tech

Virginia Tech has a bye before traveling to Atlanta. It's the bee's knees. Unfortunately, Georgia Tech also has an extra week to prepare for the Hokies. Thursday night book club in Bobby Dodd Stadium is always a blast.

North Carolina

There's nothing like playing a Larry Fedora team in November, you know, after the Tar Heels has gotten all of its losses out of the way.

at Virginia

Mike London's final game as Virginia's head football coach?