Going into the 2026 season, the first for James Franklin as head coach at Virginia Tech, there are a lot of questions as to just how things will go for the Hokies. The schedule has done Franklin no favors in terms of conference road games.
Talk about a gauntlet of conference games on the road, at California, Miami, SMU, and Clemson. Good luck finding a win there, but don't be surprised if Virginia Tech gets one. If they do, they'll have to earn it in some rather tough environments. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports predicted each ACC team's record, and he had a surprising record when the regular season ends Thanksgiving Weekend at Lane Stadium against Virginia.
CBS Sports predicts Virginia Tech football's 2026 record
Crawford has the Hokies finishing the season 8-4, which a lot of fans would sign up for right now. No doubt. Crawford at Virginia Tech, beating VMI, Old Dominion, Maryland, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Stanford, and Virginia. Their four losses are predicted at Miami, SMU, Clemson, and Cal.
"If James Franklin gets to eight wins with a chance at nine in the postseason to open Year 1, the Hokies are in business. Possible losses on the road at California, Clemson, SMU, and Miami would all come against teams capable of competing for the ACC's top honor. The bigger takeaway would be how quickly Franklin restores Virginia Tech's identity. Winning eight games would signal that Virginia Tech is once again playing disciplined, physical football while building the consistency the program has lacked,'' wrote Crawford.
Would it surprise anyone if the Hokies won eight games? No. Would it surprise anyone if they were six or seven? No. Would it surprise anyone if they won fewer than six games and missed out on a bowl game for a second straight season? Yes.
Franklin has done a nice job in retooling the roster with additions through the Transfer Portal and even some potential impact players in the Class of 2026. The schedule is a bear on the road for Franklin club, which makes winning their first two at the end of September at Maryland and BC a must.
Getting to the ACC title games might be a bit of a stretch for the Hokies in Franklin's first season, but if they win eight games in Year 1 of Franklin in Blacksburg, well, then the expectations are only going to go up in 2027. This is the type of hype Hokies fans have been waiting for surrounding a season where the future looks bright beyond 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google