Vanderbilt's matchup with Virginia Tech will be among its most important of the 2024 season. The margin for Vanderbilt will be small, but can get smaller if it wins some positional matchups and 1-on-1s.
Here's four things to watch on Saturday that will define how the game plays out.
Diego Pavia's performance
Vanderbilt will go as far as Pavia, who feels as if he has plenty to prove, will take it.
Pavia will have to run the show and take care of the ball against a Virginia Tech defense that's experienced and athletic.
Simply put, if Pavia goes out and looks like an SEC quarterback Vanderbilt's got a shot. If he doesn't, it will have to be carried by its defense.
Virginia Tech's receivers vs Vanderbilt's corners
Vanderbilt's shorthanded cornerback room will be tested right away against Virginia Tech's receiver room, which is considered by many around Blacksburg as the Hokies' strongest position group.
The Hokie receivers are old, they know the scheme and they've proven it before. It's hard to say the same of Vanderbilt's corners to this point.
Wyoming transfer Kolbey Taylor will likely start on one side for Vanderbilt opposite of senior Tyson Russell and sophomore Martel Hight, they'll match up with graduates Da'Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane. Both receivers caught over 35 balls for over 500 yards in 2023.
Vanderbilt's depth behind Taylor and Hight is relatively unproven and will be gone after by a room that's regarded as one of if not the deepest on Virginia Tech's roster. A lot will rest on what Tyson Russell, Trudell Berry and Jaylin Lackey can stabilize throughout the day.
If Vanderbilt's corners answer the call without transfers Marlon Jones and Mark Davis, who will both miss the 2024 season, it will provide some hope of a unit that can compete in the SEC. If it can't then that puts a speck in the eye of a defense that will need to be improved with Clark Lea at the helm.
Vanderbilt's offensive line vs Virginia Tech's defensive line
Virginia Tech loses some impactful pieces on the defensive line, but allocated around 25% of its total scholarships towards that unit this offseason and seems to have capable depth there.
"The front four are really good," Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia said. "They got guys coming back so they know the defense, they got familiar guys."
It's not all familiar faces for the Hokies, who will rotate in Oklahoma transfer Kelvin Gilliam and Iowa Western C.C. transfer Kemari Copeland in place of Norell Pollard. Pollard signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent this offseason.
Vanderbilt's offensive line will look different, as well. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Lea pinpointed the line as a place where he needed to invest this offseason, that was executed in the form of hiring position coach Chris Klenakis and landing four transfers. Two of those transfers, offensive tackle Chase Mitchell and center Steven Losoya, are projected to start there.
Besides quarterback, the offensive line may be the most pressing position group to track on August 31st. Vanderbilt's offense under new offensive coordinator Tim Beck can't operate without that unit working at a high level.
Questions remain how much its talent level is improved there and how cohesive it is as of week one.
If Vanderbilt gets pushed around up front like it did against opponents comparable to Virginia Tech last season it may not be time to hit the panic button yet, but it will be time to raise an eyebrow or two.
A poor performance on the offensive line will likely correlate to a number that Vanderbilt doesn't like on the scoreboard.
Kyron Drones' legs vs Vanderbilt's front seven
Vanderbilt is aware of Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drone's legs and how they can hurt it.
"He’s a dynamic playmaker," Lea said of Drones. "[He's a] Big, physical runner that has arm strength to get the ball down the field."
Drone has bail out ability for Virginia Tech, which is a scary thought for a Vanderbilt front seven that still has plenty to prove.
Vanderbilt seems to be suited well for the 11:00 start time because of its defensive line depth, but it will have to do some extra work to keep Drones in the pocket.
