Justin Fuente said last week that he’s not a fan of opening the season with a big conference game like last night’s contest with Florida State.  Quite frankly, I was in agreement with him.  I’ve changed my mind on that, for this year at least, and I bet Fuente has as well.  The Hokies are 1-0, with a big 24-3 thumping of the Seminoles.

For the second year in a row, there are positive vibes around the program after an early season big game.  That’s a big difference from some past seasons, and that’s the topic we’ll begin with in today’s article.

Early Big Game Struggles Are Gone

Heading into the start of the 2017 season, Virginia Tech was 0-10 all-time in season opening games against ranked teams.  Justin Fuente is now 2-0 in such games after defeating West Virginia last year, and Florida State this year.

To be fair, past Tech teams opened against the likes of Alabama in Atlanta, which just wasn’t fair, and a dominant USC team back in 2004.  But they also laid an egg in a game they should have won against Boise State, and those early season setbacks were very frustrating to Hokie fans throughout the years.  Those past disappointments have made the last two season openers even better. 

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