Virginia Tech football underwent a plethora of changes during and after the 2025 season. The Hokies stumbled to an 0-3 start, fired head coach Brent Pry a day after a 45-26 blowout loss to Old Dominion, hired James Franklin just under two months later and ended the season with a 3-9 (2-6 ACC) record — their lowest winning percentage since the 1992 season.
With that in mind, here are my top three individual performances from the 2025 season, which still saw its fair share of highlights amid an often dim season:
No. 3 — Kemari Copeland vs. California — Oct. 24, 2025
On the first play of the game, Copeland took down California signal-caller Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. That set the tone for Copeland’s dominant night. The defensive tackle logged four solo tackles (seven total) and stuffed Sagapolutele three times, notching Virginia Tech’s first three-sack game. Ironically, Copeland’s position coach last year was J.C. Price, who was the last player to do so.
Virginia Tech eventually claimed a 42-34 victory in double overtime, its lone win in the final seven games of the 2025 season.
No. 2 — Marcellous Hawkins vs. California — Oct. 24, 2025
Hawkins played in all but one game and started in all but three, thriving as the Hokies’ main three-down running back. Like Copeland, his strongest performance of the season came in Virginia Tech’s Friday night showdown with the Golden Bears Oct. 24.
Hawkins logged 167 rushing yards on 21 carries with a long of 34. Hawkins spread his damage across first, second and third down, logging 62 rushing yards (10 carries) on first-down plays, 54 yards (eight carries) on second-down plays and 51 rushing yards (three carries) on third-down plays. Combined with 137 rushing yards from quarterback Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech totaled a season-high 357 rushing yards, and as aforementioned, persevered in double overtime.
No. 1 — Terion Stewart vs. NC State — Sept. 27, 2025
I can be argued into switching Hawkins and Stewart’s outings around, but Stewart’s felt a smidge more impactful. Virginia Tech’s rushing attack was more potent during the California game, with Drones operating as a secondary runner. In contrast, Stewart took the vast majority of the yardage in September’s clash in Raleigh.
On 15 carries, he toted the ball for a career-high 174 rushing yards, which included a 85-yard run that nearly went the full distance. Virginia Tech ultimately claimed a cathartic 23-21 victory over the Wolfpack, which represented only their second one-score win since the start of the 2022 season.
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