The first Virginia Tech spring game under James Franklin is less than two weeks away at Lane Stadium. It is one of the bigger spring games in a long time in Blacksburg after Franklin was hired in November to lead the program after Brent Pry was fired.
Speaking of Pry, he is returning as the defensive coordinator for the Hokies under Franklin, a position that he held at Penn State before he was hired to lead Virginia Tech. The 2026 season is a big one as Franklin looks to put his fingerprints on the program he has been tabbed to lead and wake up, which is considered a sleeping giant. Here are the three biggest games on Tech's schedule in the fall.
Sept. 19: at Maryland
After opening with home games against VMI and Old Dominion, things get harder with the Hokies' first road game at Maryland. It has been a long time since Virginia Tech won a non-conference Power 4 opponent. It is due to happen at some point, and why not against a Big Ten opponent? Franklin has a lot of familiarity with the Terrapins from his Penn State days. This is a big game before the nine-game ACC slate begins the following week at Boston College.
Nov. 6 or 7: at SMU
Now that each ACC school must play nine power conference teams a season, the Hokies had to drop James Madison from their schedule and picked up a ninth ACC game. The conference replaced the Dukes with SMU on the road in Dallas. This is about as difficult a game as the ACC could have added for the Hokies. The Mustangs are going to be very good again, and a November trip to Texas is not going to be an easy game for Tech.
Nov. 28: vs. Virginia
This one goes without saying. The Cavaliers' second win in 21 years, and Little Brother all of a sudden thinks that the history of the rivalry began in 2025. That's what happens when you don't want to admit that you are, in fact, the Little Brother. Anyway, Franklin will get this year's game in Blacksburg, and shifting the power back to the Hokies will be must-see TV.
Virginia beating the worst Virginia Tech team in decades, only to go out and lay an egg a week later in the ACC Championship Game, is peak Virginia football. They had their chance to win the ACC and go to the College Football Playoff; instead, beating the undermanned Hokies was their season.