Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina Week 1: Keys to the Game and Predictions

The fantastic college football Week 1 slate continues as the Virginia Tech Hokies faces No. 13-ranked University of South Carolina at a neutral site in Atlanta, Georgia.

Last season, the Gamecocks made serious noise in the SEC and were a potential playoff bubble team led by their electrifying then-freshman QB LaNorris Sellers. The Hokies, on the other hand, have had expectations tempered after losing both coordinators.

Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina 2025: Week 1 Matchup Preview

Hokies head coach Brent Pry will be under pressure all year after going 4-4 in the ACC last season. Although Coach Pry has led his team into back-to-back bowl games, Hokie fans are growing tired of the mediocre play in a conference they feel as if they can win. Coach Pry’s 1-12 record in one-score games also leaves fans uneasy. However, a win against No. 13 South Carolina would be a perfect way to cool down his seat.

Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer enters his fifth year after leading South Carolina to their best record in a long time (9-4). The team also has the best quarterback Gamecock fans feel they have ever had. Coach Beamer won SEC coach of the year last season. And in his first four years, he has only one season with a losing record in the SEC (2023). Expectations are high for Coach Beamer and the Gamecocks, but they should be.

Popular gambling sites, such as Fan Duel, currently have the Gamecocks as a 7.5-point favorite. This line opened at 9.5 in favor of the Gamecocks but has since dropped. That suggests Vegas thinks the Hokies will hang around, and that there is most likely more money on the Hokies than the Gamecocks (on the point spread).  The public steam suggests that college football bettors may not be so low on the Hokies.

Key Players for South Carolina

The Gamecocks harbor the most dangerous weapon on the field, LaNorris Sellers. Sellers captivated football fans across the nation last year with his athleticism and incredible come-from-behind victory against Clemson, who was the last team that earned a playoff berth. This understandably upset Gamecock fans but will only add fuel to their fire for this season.

Sellers is a legitimate Heisman contender. And, a dominant performance in Atlanta may help float his name to the top of that list. New offensive coordinator, Mike Shula, is expected to greatly aid in Sellers’ development because of his previous work with NFL Legends Eli Manning and Cam Newton.

South Carolina also went out and picked up running back Rahsul Faison from Utah State. Although eligibility drama kept Faison out of spring and summer camp, the NCAA finally granted Faison his eligibility. ESPN ranked him as the fifth-best RB in the portal and for good reason; this guy is a monster. Standing at 6-feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds, Faison rushed for just over 1100 yards, averaging 5.5 a carry, with an additional 150 yards receiving.

Key Players for Virginia Tech

Redshirt senior quarterback Kyron Drones is back for the Hokies after his season was cut short last year due to injury. Although Drones only saw nine games of action, he still put up just under 1900 yards and 16 touchdowns. While there are no questions surrounding his talent, there are plenty surrounding his accuracy.

Philip Montgomery, the new offensive coordinator, likes to run the spread offense. He will need Drones to be accurate in order to execute it properly.

The most exciting player for Virginia Tech is on the defensive side of the ball, and his name is Quentin Reddish. The sophomore safety wasted no time in his freshman campaign, recording 20 tackles, 15 of which were solo. Most fans will remember when Virginia Tech blocked Clemson’s field goal attempt and Reddish took it 77 yards for a touchdown. Reddish is a pure athlete with lightning speed and playmaking ability, expect him to be key in disrupting Sellers’ rhythm.

The biggest dark horse for the Hokies isn’t on offense or defense. Redshirt junior place kicker, John Love, put up an impressive 16-of-18 on field goal attempts last season. He also had a long of 60-yards, the second-longest in school history. Love was a perfect 42-for-42 in PATs and also perfect from 40-49 yards out. He was named to the 2025 Lou Groza Award watch list and could be a key difference against a Gamecocks team that lacks an experienced kicker.

How the Hokies Win in Week 1

There is so much hype surrounding this South Carolina team. However, Virginia Tech is more dangerous than they look.

Reddish will need to have a serious impact on the defensive side, both filling the run and reading the quarterback’s eyes. The Hokies need to keep Sellers out of rhythm as much as they can by staying disciplined on play-action and helping limit rushing gains.

The biggest key to victory for Virginia Tech in Week 1 against South Carolina will be how well Drones can mesh into Montgomery’s system. If Montgomery can build Drones confidence early with quick throws and efficient rushing to keep the defense disciplined, expect the Redshirt Senior’s experience to shine. But if Montgomery doesn’t ease Drones into his deep game scheme, accuracy problems could show back up.