College football is almost here. The Virginia Tech Hokies will begin fall camp in less than two weeks. And while there is excitement in and around Blacksburg for every season, this one is a bit different.
You can thank new head coach James Franklin. However, Virginia Tech’s financial commitment spearheaded everything, including Franklin’s hiring. The Hokies also have a new athletic director – Brian White — who has already made multiple impressive hires in revamping the entire athletic department.
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The Hokies finished 3-9 last season, but there’s little doubt that they’ll be better in 2026. How much better? We shall see.
College Football News recently previewed the upcoming 2026 ACC season with 26 questions. CFN posed four questions about the 2026 Hokies. Let’s break down each one.
Just how fast can James Franklin make Virginia Tech an ACC powerhouse?
How CFN answered:
Soon. Go ahead and buy in, but it’ll take a year to get to ACC powerhouse level – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an 8-win season for the first time since 2019.
Franklin brought in a slew of Penn State transfers to go with a solid base to build on. The lines have to be way better, and they will be. The Hokies failed to score 24 points in ten of the 11 FBS games, and that’s about to change in a hurry.
Soon. We agree. And while CFN may not be optimistic about 8 wins in Year 1, we believe it’s highly possible. The key for Virginia Tech is a fast start. That road stretch over the final six weeks is brutal. If the Hokies somehow win one of those games, getting to 8 wins is very possible. Two games Virginia Tech must win are at Maryland on Sept. 19 and at home against Pittsburgh on Oct. 2. That would mean a 5-0 start. Why not?
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Who’s the best new ACC head coaching hire?
How CFN answered:
James Franklin is the easy and obvious answer – he’ll take Virginia Tech to a whole new level. There were only two other new hires – Tosh Lupoi at Cal, and Tavita Pritchard at Stanford. Both were excellent gets, but Lupoi will have far more instant success.
This one is obvious. I would go as far as to say it’s the best hire this offseason. Yeah, I know all about Lane Kiffin. But when you consider where Virginia Tech was as a program, the financial commitment to football, Franklin’s shocking availability and his recruiting prowess in the region, there was no better match between school and coach this offseason.
Which team could be this year’s Virginia?
How CFN answered:
The ACC team that could go from blah to boffo is …
Virginia Tech went 3-9 last season, but with all of the great transfers brought in by James Franklin, this should be more of a tweak than a total overhaul.
It won’t be a breeze with a tough ACC schedule, but there’s energy, motivation, and plenty of talent for a quick turnaround.
OK, Hokie fans, ignore the headline for a minute. No Virginia Tech fan wants to be compared to Virginia — in football. Well, in anything for that matter, but follow along here. The Cavaliers went from a bottom-feeder to first place last season. UVa’s success in the transfer portal was a primary reason for its fast success last season. So was luck and a soft schedule. But you can’t take anything away from the Hoos. It was an impressive turnaround. Is it sustainable? Who knows. You can’t expect the same type of hit rate from the portal and the same luck every year. You need to build a program. Of course, doing so in this era feels almost impossible. Franklin is a builder, though.
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So, when CFN asks who will be the next Virginia, it means an impressive one-year turnaround. Name a better candidate than Virginia Tech in 2026? You can’t.
Finally, there was one more question, and VT fans will love the answer.
Who are the three best teams in the ACC?
How CFN answered:
Miami – There’s a ton of rebuilding to do, but it’ll take something special for anyone in the ACC to touch this bunch.
Louisville – Can Lincoln Kienholz be up to the task at quarterback? If so, the Cardinals should have everything in place to play for the ACC title.
Virginia Tech – Let’s dive in headfirst. It’ll take a full offseason to get the defense and offensive line right, and Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer has to be great, but James Franklin has something big brewing.
Can Virginia Tech be a top-3 team in 2026? Sure. But, in this instance, I believe we’re missing something here: SMU. The Mustangs have won more games than any team in the ACC outside of Miami since entering the league in 2024. Rhett Lashlee is an excellent coach, and Kevin Jennings is one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks. It’s difficult not to see SMU finishing among the league’s top three teams. The Hokies will also be competing with Clemson to finish among the top teams.
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It’s a difficult road, but the mystery surrounding Virginia Tech, with its new roster and coaching staff, makes them the most intriguing team in the ACC for 2026.
