Virginia Tech football: The 2021 football schedule is here

The ACC announced the 2021 football schedule on Wednesday, and for the Virginia Tech Hokies, it features some exciting games.

First off, the Hokies open the season on either Sept. 8 or 9 (Thursday of Friday) at Lane Stadium against the North Carolina Tar Heels. While this is certainly a tough way to open the season, the Hokies have been good in season-openers under head coach Justin Fuente.

Also, UNC is losing a lot of offensive talent to the NFL. Running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams and wide receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome are all gone. The Heels do return future NFL quarterback Sam Howell. The timing of his game could work in VT’s favor.

The Hokies host Middle Tennessee State the next week before traveling to Morgantown to face West Virginia in Week 3. WVU leads the all-time series, 28-23-1; however, the Hokies have won the previous three meetings, including the season-opener in 2017.

The Hokies will face their former offensive lineman, Doug Nester, who will start for the Mountaineers.

The Hokies host Richmond in Week 4 and then have an open date before Notre Dame returns to Blacksburg. The Fighting Irish are always really talented but will be replacing quarterback Ian Book.

After the Irish, the Hokies get back-to-back home games against ACC foes Pittsburgh and Syracuse before they finish the season with four of their final five games on the road.

The Hokies travel to Atlanta to face an improving Georgia Tech squad and then head to Boston College to face a fast-rising Eagles’ team led by second-year coach Jeff Hafley. BC is a program on the rise, at least as long as Hafley is in town.

Tech gets Duke at home before finishing with back-to-back road games at Miami and Virginia.

This is certainly a strange schedule in the aspect that the front end is loaded with home games and the back end is loaded with road games. It would be nice if there was more of a balance.

We are certainly going to find out a lot about this team by early October with three tough contests against UNC, WVU and Notre Dame. If the Hokies do not start strong, it could be another long November in Blacksburg.

One thing is certain, we need fans back in Lane this fall. Hopefully, we are on our way to that happening.