Virginia Tech News: ESPN FPI paints a disappointing outlook for 2024

Virginia Tech Football: ESPN’s FPI Predicts a Disappointing 2024 Season

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the outlook for Virginia Tech’s 2024 season is less than encouraging, with the Hokies expected to secure around seven wins—a result that would likely disappoint many fans. With just 10 days remaining before Virginia Tech kicks off the 2024 season, optimism is high in Blacksburg. The team has retained many key players from the 2023 squad and added impactful transfers on both offense and defense, fueling hopes for a strong season.

However, ESPN’s FPI doesn’t share this optimism, projecting only six wins for the Hokies, with little expectation of surpassing that mark. The FPI gives Virginia Tech a 69.1% chance of reaching six wins, but if that’s where they end up, it would be widely considered an underwhelming season. Let’s examine ESPN’s win predictions for each game to see how the Hokies might perform.

Virginia Tech’s Win Projections According to ESPN

The FPI doesn’t have the Hokies as overwhelming favorites in any of their games. Here are five matchups where ESPN gives Virginia Tech a 60% or higher chance of winning:

• Sept. 14: at Old Dominion – 75.0% win probability
• Sept. 7: vs. Marshall – 74.6% win probability
• Nov. 30: vs. Virginia – 66.9% win probability
• Oct. 17: vs. Boston College – 63.0% win probability
• Oct. 26: vs. Georgia Tech – 60.1% win probability

ESPN also gives the Hokies a better than 50% chance of winning two additional games:

• Aug. 31: at Vanderbilt – 57.7% win probability
• Nov. 2: at Syracuse – 55.5% win probability

For the remaining five games on the schedule, ESPN predicts less than a 50% chance of a Hokies victory:

• Sept. 21: vs. Rutgers – 48.9% win probability
• Nov. 23: at Duke – 48.4% win probability
• Oct. 5: at Stanford – 44.4% win probability
• Nov. 9: vs. Clemson – 31.0% win probability
• Sept. 27: at Miami – 27.5% win probability

Based on these projections, a seven-win season is anticipated, which many would find disappointing. A more optimistic outcome would see the Hokies finishing with eight to nine wins. Head coach Brent Pry undoubtedly aims for more than seven wins, and it’s important to remember that these projections will be updated weekly as the season progresses. Football season is almost here!