Virginia Tech football: Hokies set to face Shane Beamer and South Carolina

Shane Beamer, a former Virginia Tech player and assistant coach and, the son of legendary former coach Frank Beamer, was named head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks last month.

It was a bittersweet moment for Tech fans as everyone wants Beamer to succeed, yet wanted it to happen in Blacksburg. For many, it was especially painful this offseason, with Justin Fuente retained and Beamer receiving his first opportunity at an SEC school.

Now, we know when Beamer will face his alma mater for the first time. On Friday, it was announced that South Carolina would face Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

This is Virginia Tech’s third appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game as the Hokies faced Alabama in both 2009 and 2013. The 2025 meeting will be the first time the two schools have met on the gridiron since 1991.

The game is over four years away, meaning a lot can happen during that time. Will Justin Fuente still be in Blacksburg? If Beamer doesn’t win early, will South Carolina do to him what it did to Will Muschamp?

Of course, the two teams could meet in a bowl game before 2025, which would create an interesting dynamic for the elder Beamer.