Predicting the 2026 Hokie Football Season

We are just days away from the start of football for Virginia Tech, and the excitement across Hokie Nation is palpable. So much has happened since the Hokies last played a game at the end of November – the athletic budget increased dramatically, James Franklin was hired, a record donation was received, a new athletic director was hired – it all has Virginia Tech trending in the right direction. So now that it is time to actually take the field, what do we think will happen? What do the Hokies need to do in order for this first season under Franklin to be successful? Long term, Tech fans want their team to return to national relevancy. In order to get back into the rankings – and stay there - Virginia Tech will need to win the games it is “supposed” to win and be victorious in two of every three 50-50 games. It would help to win as an underdog. As our Sons of Saturday co-founder Billy Ray Mitchell likes to say, Tech needs “to punch above its weight class.” Can the Hokies do that in 2026? The schedule is favorable early, but the back half is loaded with challenging games that present an opportunity for Tech to make a statement. Will they make that statement this year? Here is what I think, game by game:

Virginia Military Institute at Virginia Tech

For the first time since 1984, VMI and VPI will meet in what was once a glorious rivalry known as the Military Classic of the South. (For a more detailed history of this series, read this great article by my peer Paul Petera (https://sonsofsaturday.com/content/whenvmi-was-virginia-techs-biggest-game). There is a reason, though, that these two schools separated by a mere 86 miles have not played in 42 years, as the programs went in different directions since the last competition. This next meeting is the home opener for the James Franklin era. It will be a Saturday night game in Lane Stadium, and the crowd will be raucous. Franklin’s teams score a lot of points in games against FCS and G6 opponents, so it should be a long night for the Keydets, who are predicted to finish at the bottom of their own FCS conference. Expect the Franklin Era to begin with a bang louder than Skipper’s blast.

Virginia Tech 55 – VMI 3

Virginia Military Institute
@VMI1839

A rivalry renewed. VMI and Virginia Tech share a football history that stretches back generations, and on Sept. 5, the Keydets and Hokies meet again. The game is sold out, but there are still plenty of ways to be part of the excitement. Explore the history of the series, find

Old Dominion at Virginia Tech

This should be two blowouts in two weeks. I know, I know, ODU fans would like a word. And rightfully so, since the Monarchs have three wins in the seven games of this series, and last year they absolutely embarrassed Tech – in Lane Stadium on a Saturday night, no less! But ODU lost a ton on offense, especially dynamic quarterback Colton Joseph. However, they kept a lot from a good defense, so this will not be a cakewalk. Like I said above though, Franklin tends to beat G6 teams handily.

Virginia Tech 31 – ODU 13

Virginia Tech at Maryland

Much has been said about Franklin’s track record against Maryland, a school where he coached for eight years, his last three as associate head coach. Franklin is 9-2 against his former team, with a narrow one-point loss in his first year at Penn State and a defeat in the Mickey Mouse COVID year. In the last eight of his nine victories, however, Franklin has pounded the Twerps by a combined score of 357-56, which is an average win of 45-7. I do not think that the Hokies continue this kind of dominance for Franklin this year, as this game scares me a little. The experts who are predicting a Big Ten bottom finish for Maryland are the same ones who are sleeping on a defense that returns seven starters, including two disruptive edge rushers and most of the secondary. UM also has a big, strong quarterback with a year under his belt. But do they have enough pieces around him? I don’t think so. It’s the Turkeys over the Turtles as the Hokies win the Battle in the Capital, finally ending that God-awful 16-game losing streak against power conference teams outside the ACC.

Virginia Tech 20 – Maryland 17

Virginia Tech at Boston College

I hate this game. I always have.

There is absolutely zero juice to this matchup. BC plays in a small stadium that won’t be full. They are not expected to be much better than last year's 2-10 record, and Tech has had some really bad performances up in Chestnut Hill. I do think Franklin is the type of coach who will prepare his team well, but these are kids after all, and, well, sometimes they don’t perform to expectations, especially on the road in a lackluster venue against a lesser opponent. I see a slow burn here, but the Hokies pull away late, setting up a huge ACC showdown with Pitt the following week.

Virginia Tech 27 – Boston College 10

Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech

It’s a Friday night ACC showdown, and with their team still undefeated and probably ranked, Hokie Nation will be hyped for this one. This should be another great matchup in a series where Tech holds a slim all-time lead, 12-11. Pitt is always physical, and they bring back their starting quarterback and four offensive linemen from a team that went 8-4 last season, finishing second in the conference. However, the Panthers have struggled in Lane Stadium, only winning three of their eleven contests in Blacksburg, two of them by a single score. I see another slugfest, but the Panthers continue their losing ways in Lane.

Virginia Tech 31 – Pitt 28

Virginia Tech at California

The Hokies make the cross country trip to play the Golden Bears in Berkeley. It will be Tech’s first visit to Memorial Stadium, which interestingly sits directly on the Hayward seismic fault. So technically, this will be a matchup between the two ACC schools whose stadiums are regularly triggering the Richter Scale.

All eyes will be on Cal’s sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and rightfully so. JKS threw for 3454 yards last year, while compiling 18 touchdowns through the air and another 4 on the ground. While the Golden Bears lost key players, they also worked the other side of the portal and brought in players to suit the new coaching staff’s system. This will be quite a challenge for Tech’s defense, which allowed 225 passing yards per game last year (81st nationally) and gave up 30 points per game (106th in scoring defense). JKS and the Golden Bears will match or exceed those numbers in Berkely as they avenge last year’s double-overtime loss.

California 30 - Virginia Tech 21

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech

This series has an interesting history. That barnburner in the first Tech vs Tech matchup in 1990 which ended in a 6-3 GT win as they kept their undefeated season alive and eventually claimed a share of the National Championship. The first ever “Enter Sandman” in the 2000 opener that wasn’t played because of the storm that sent a lightning bolt into Lee Corso’s car. The infamous 2007 “JerseyGate” game where four Hokies had their jerseys stolen and they had to borrow the whites from GT, taping over parts and hand-drawing the Nike swoosh.

Every year from 2005 to 2012, one of the Techs won the Coastal Division and played in the ACC championship game. While this series has lost the juice it had when it was Paul Johnson vs Bud Foster, it is still a tough, physical game each time they square off. The Yellow Jackets brought in great running backs from the portal, but their OLine is mostly new and so are their coordinators. Oh, yeah, and so is their quarterback who happens to be the younger brother of current Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion Fernando Mendoza. Don’t expect his name to be enough though.

Virginia Tech 19 – Georgia Tech 17

Virginia Tech at Clemson

his begins a rough stretch of road games, as the Hokies travel to Clemson, then SMU, then home before heading to Miami. A win here would be tremendous, but this will be a daunting spot. Death Valley is always a tough venue, and this is a young Tech team. How will they handle the environment? The Hokies could come into this game with a national ranking, and Clemson would like nothing more than to put a quality win on their resume as they try to climb back to the top of the ACC mountain. I don’t think Dabo and the Tigers do that this year, but they are not shy on athletes who can take over a game. The Clemson defense will be the star this year with new DC Tom Allen (against his former employer James Franklin) and 5-star linebacker Sammy Brown leading the way. Tigers get it done for Dabo.

Clemson 29 – Virginia Tech 16

Virginia Tech at Southern Methodist University

The Hokies head to Dallas in what will actually be the fourth ever contest between these two programs. SMU leads the series 2-1, but the teams have not played since meeting for the third consecutive year in 1974. SMU has made a meteoric rise to the top of the ACC, and the coach and quarterback who took them there are still leading the charge. QB Kevin Jennings will be a dual threat if he has fully recovered from an ankle injury, and even if he isn’t, he will be a handful having thrown for 7700 yards over the past two seasons. The Mustangs must replace key losses at receiver and on the D-Line, but I’m confident in their ability to fill those positions with all that oil money they have. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the margin of defeat.

SMU 36 – Virginia Tech 20

Stanford at Virginia Tech

The Hokies return to Lane Stadium to face a Stanford team that is picked by many to reside in the basement of the ACC this year with Boston College. Is this what the doctor ordered after a formidable two-game road trip? If the Hokies are not looking ahead, they should take care of business here. But don’t expect Stanford to roll over, unless they are tired from their own brutal schedule. This could be an opportunity for this spunky roster to gain a belt-notch kind of victory. The Cardinal will fight early but the Hokies will eventually put an axe to the fighting Christmas Trees.

Virginia Tech 36 – Stanford 24

DraftKings
@DraftKings

What college has the ugliest mascot? We’ll start: the Stanford Tree

Virginia Tech at Miami

The U is back. We have been hearing it for two decades. Yet the Miami Hurricanes still have not won the ACC. However, they did finish 10-2 each of the past two regular seasons and made an impressive run at the national title last year. This is a great rivalry and Virginia Tech often plays Miami tough, but it will be a tall order to stop Darian Mensah (3973 passing yards, 39 passing TD), Mark Fletcher Jr. (95 combined yards per game average), and Malachi Toney (76 receiving yards per game). Barring the annual brain-fart performance by the ‘Canes, I think this is the year that Miami finally wins the ACC.

Miami 34 – Virginia Tech 20

Virginia at Virginia Tech

After watching the ‘Hoos in week zero, I am suddenly uncomfortable with this game. I mean, their O-line will be getting AARP cards soon, so Tech’s front seven will be put to the test.

Former Franklin quarterback Beau Pribula looked good with his legs, and mobile quarterbacks have had success against Tech teams of the past. Pribula might have an ax to grind, too, if the story of his transfer portal recruitment is true. The Commonwealth rivalry is better when both teams are good, but I still hate losing to UVA. I fear that they finally break their Lane Stadium losing streak, getting their first win in the building since 1998 when they could celebrate with Zima.

Virginia 23 – Virginia Tech 21

Breton
@BretonPicks

UVA may be a problem in the ACC. Their schedule is not difficult, and they have the most experience in college football on the roster. Most of all, their offensive line looked fantastic today. Gashing lanes, and giving Beau Pribula tons of time. Team to look out for

So...how would that leave folks in Blacksburg feeling in December?

Some people may be disappointed with a 7-5 finish, especially if the season ends with four losses in five games. Especially with a home loss to the in-state rival. However, this is year-one of the James Franklin era, and this team is young. Franklin is building for the future, so even though there are some potentially disappointing losses in this schedule, 7-5 is still the best regular season record that Tech has posted since 2019. And as mentioned at the top, for the Hokies to return to the rankings, they will have to win the games they “should” win, split the 50-50 games, and steal a win from a team with a better record. If my projections above come true, then Virginia Tech would have almost done that: 4-0 in “should win” games (VMI, ODU, BC, and Stanford), 3-2 in toss-up games (MD, Pitt, GT wins, Cal, UVa losses), but no upset victories. That is still a decent first year. It is something to build on. Of course, knocking off a Clemson or SMU would be nice, but I’m thinking this year is more like the test run for next year’s assault on the ACC. Enjoy the season Hokie fans, it should be fun, and brighter days are ahead!