CFB Expert Explains Why Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina Will Be a Must-Watch Game in Week One
The opening week of college football is shaping up to be packed with exciting matchups. Texas will visit Ohio State, Clemson hosts LSU, Alabama takes on Florida State, and Notre Dame faces off against Miami in a primetime Sunday night game. Among the weekend’s highlights is the showdown between Virginia Tech and South Carolina in Atlanta. The Gamecocks are bringing back a strong roster this season, and with Shane Beamer—son of legendary Hokies head coach Frank Beamer—leading South Carolina, this game has all the makings of a thrilling start to the season. CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford recently discussed why this game will be a must-watch:
“Why you should tune in: Shane Beamer faces off against his father’s former team in this exciting ACC-SEC clash.”
South Carolina nearly made the playoffs in 2024, falling just short after a six-game win streak to end the season, which included victories over three top-25 teams. While half of their defensive starters from last season have moved on to the NFL, all eyes will be on redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who will need to step up. Meanwhile, former five-star EDGE prospect Dylan Stewart will be aiming to disrupt Virginia Tech’s offense. The Hokies, meanwhile, are a team to watch, with potential to contend in the ACC.
In his early prediction for the game, 247Sports’ Brad Crawford sees South Carolina as the favorite, but not by as much as some might expect:
Early Prediction: South Carolina 29, Virginia Tech 24
“Sellers led the Gamecocks to a six-game win streak to end his first year as a starter, but South Carolina fell just short of a playoff spot. What can he do for an encore? It all starts in Atlanta against Virginia Tech, which also has a talented quarterback in Kyron Drones returning. This is an underrated opening-week matchup, the last of four contests pitting the SEC against the ACC.”
If Drones is healthy, this could be one of the best quarterback matchups of the week. Sellers showed flashes of elite play last season but was also inconsistent at times. Virginia Tech will be a completely revamped team in 2025, making it tough to predict how they’ll perform in their first game against a strong SEC opponent.
When ranking the top non-conference games of next season, FootballScoops’ Zach Barnett placed the Virginia Tech-South Carolina game 13th on the list:
13. No. 10 South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta, Aug. 31): “It’s Shane Beamer vs. the program his father built. South Carolina is in its strongest position since the early 2010s under Steve Spurrier, which should result in a Gamecock victory. If not, the 2025 SEC schedule will be brutal.”
The headline for this game is undoubtedly Shane Beamer coaching against his father’s former team. Frank Beamer is Virginia Tech’s all-time greatest coach, and his son’s role as head coach of South Carolina will be a major talking point leading up to the game.
While Virginia Tech might not have the same hype entering the 2025 season as it did in 2024, South Carolina is certainly a team to watch. The Gamecocks finished strong last season, making a case for the College Football Playoff, and they return key players like quarterback LaNorris Sellers and standout defensive end Dylan Stewart. South Carolina could even start the season ranked in the top 10.
On the other hand, Virginia Tech has been hit hard by the transfer portal, and their roster will look quite different when they face South Carolina in the season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Head coach Brent Pry has done well to bring in talent from the portal after a rough start, but the Hokies will be underdogs in this matchup.
South Carolina leads the all-time series 11-7, but the teams haven’t met since 1991. Virginia Tech hasn’t defeated South Carolina since 1974.
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