Virginia Tech football will enter its Week 10 matchup against SMU in a relatively unfamiliar position this season: as the underdog.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Hokies enter as 6.5-point underdogs. Virginia Tech is 1-0 in its only game as an underdog, which was against Clemson on Oct. 24 in Clemson, S.C. The Hokies became bowl-eligible with their 20-16 win over the Tigers; quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer's fourth-and-1 throw to tight end Luke Reynolds gave Virginia Tech a lead with 1:44 left it never relinquished.

Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2 ACC) opened its season with four straight wins for the first time since 2017, defeating VMI (73-3), Old Dominion (44-21), Maryland (35-26), and Boston College (21-14) before its first loss came on Oct. 2 against Pitt. The Hokies got out to an early 14-0 lead over the Panthers but conceded a 35-10 run that left it in an 11-point hole.

Virginia Tech totaled nine points off a Davion "FatRat" Brown touchdown catch and a Noah Chambers safety, but fifth-year kicker John Love's 36-yard game-deciding field goal as time expired was ruled no good, resulting in a 35-33 loss to Pitt.

Virginia Tech lost to Cal in Berkeley, Calif., the next week, scoring a season-low 20 points as its defense was sliced by Golden Bears backup Jackson Brousseau for 321 yards. That 321-yard total was the second-highest of Brousseau's career. The Hokies yielded a 14-play, 79-yard drive that elapsed just over seven minutes to Cal in the fourth quarter, giving the Golden Bears a 19-14 lead.

And though Virginia Tech scored a go-ahead touchdown of its own with 1:15 left, Cal marched down the field in six plays and 75 yards — 30 of which arrived via penalty (roughing the passer, defensive pass interference). Virginia Tech drove down the field, setting up one final opportunity from Cal’s 7-yard line with three seconds remaining. However, Grunkemeyer’s pass intended for Reynolds in the back of the end zone fell incomplete.

Virginia Tech's Week 10 game against SMU is set for Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. ET, with coverage for the contest being carried on ESPN.

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