Through his first seven games at Virginia Tech, James Franklin is 5-2, and really, they are a couple of field goals away from being 7-0. Losses to Pittsburgh and California are games the Hokies would love to have back.
Five games remain in the 2026 season, and three of the final five are away from Blacksburg. Those three road games are very difficult ones and the question must be asked: Can James Franklin pick up a signature win on the road in his first season at Virginia Tech?
James Franklin faces an opportunity to pick up a signature win in his first season at Virginia Tech
Part of the reason James Franklin was fired at Penn State, ok a big reason why James Franklin was fired at Penn State, was his inability to win the big games. Nittany Lions fans called him "Big Game James" for a reason. Of course, they want to ignore that he was less than a year away from taking the team to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff before suffering a loss to Notre Dame.
Now, after road games at Maryland, Boston College, and California, Franklin and the Hokies face their first "big" test this season away from Lane Stadium on Saturday night when they travel to Memorial Stadium at Clemson to face the Tigers in a primetime clash in South Carolina. As underdogs, Tech has an opportunity to give Franklin a signature win and silence the "Big Game James" doubters.
However, this is not going to be easy to do. The Tigers are 4-2, but it is a matchup of Clemson's struggling passing game in scoring touchdowns against a Brent Pry secondary that has been torched by Power 4 Conference opponents at times. If this is going to be typical Virginia Tech fashion, I'm sure Clemson's passing game will find its groove by late Saturday night.
Would it be surprising if the Hokies lose on Saturday night? No, but what a win it would be, no matter how they get it, for their head coach. I mean, you have to like their chances than say a year ago? This is Franklin's first game in Blacksburg, albeit Clemson, where he can put a signature feather in his cap and quiet the doubters for now.
If Virginia Tech loses, it won't be the end of the world. Truth be told, winning any of the three final road games would be considered an upset and a feather in his cap. After a bye week next weeeknd, which is much needed, the Hokies will head to Dallas on two weeks for a Friday night matchup with a very talented SMU squad and quarterback Kevin Jennings.
After a home game with Stanford, the final scheduled road game before a potential bowl game will be the weekend before Thanksgiving at No. 1 Miami. Will the Hurricanes still be the top-ranked team when the Hokies visit South Florida? That remains to be seen, as they do have an early November trip to Notre Dame. Regardless, a feather-in-the-cap win for James Franklin is certainly on the table over the final six weeks of the 2026 campaign.
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