After the Virginia Tech and Maryland football teams opened the 2026 season with two routs in non-conference games, both schools are facing a very telling Week 3 matchup in College Park on Saturday night.
It'll be an early-season test for both schools in a season that is a big one on multiple levels for each program. For Maryland and head coach Mike Locksley, it's about coaching for his job. For James Franklin and Virginia Tech, it's about grabbing an early-season statement win in his first season in Blacksburg.
Both coaches have a history going back to when Franklin was at Penn State. This week, both coaches met with the media to discuss the upcoming matchup, and you can say that both press conferences had their cringy moments.
Maryland awkward press conference adds to circus atmosphere leading into showdown with Virginia Tech
On Monday, Franklin had what was considered a bizarre moment at his press conference during an interaction with a Baltimore Sun reporter, Michael Howes. You know the interaction by now, as it has blown up all over social media. On Tuesday, Locksley met with the media, and to no fault of his own, that press conference took a bizarre turn as well. Take a listen, if you dare, to the question asked by a Terrapins pom-pom waver.
Mike Locksley takes the high road when asked a question about the way James Franklin left Maryland and the disparaging comments he’s made about the university in the past.
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) September 15, 2026
Take a listen ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/AoemzBCSJL
What in the world was that? How does he have credentials to attend a press conference? That is completely embarrassing, fan-like behavior. It seems like the James Franklin obsession goes beyond the Penn State fanbase.
So, what was he trying to reference? Good luck if you can figure it out if you listened to nonsense rambling. You have to give Locksley a lot of credit for listening to the question and giving the answer he did. You get the feeling that the person asking the question didn't get the answer he was looking for, as a fanboy.
Anyway, if you thought that Franklin's press conference was bizarre, Maryland said, just wait a minute. Many believe that he was referring to the last time Franklin and Locksley matched up two years ago at Penn State. The Nittany Lions rolled to a 44-7 win, and Locksley took exception to a touchdown pass from Penn State QB Beau Pribula to current Hokies wide receiver Tyseer Denmark in the regular-season final. Locksley voiced his displeasure after the game, calling it bulls--, and Franklin responded.
"Your 1s [starters] are in the game; you were trying to score; we're trying to score," Franklin said. "On top of that, you're playing Cover 0. Play Cover 2. And on top of that, there's also a change in college football. We are trying to play as long as we can, make the playoffs, and be seeded as high as possible, and scoring as many points and a point differential matters. All that matters. If you don't get that, it's really not my problem."
If that is what triggered the rambling at Tuesday's press conference, then it is pretty straightforward as to what Franklin was saying. If the rambling was in reference to when Franklin left after working under Ralph Friedgen, then so be it. However, I don't think Locksley knows what the question was supposed to be.
Again, to Locksley's credit, he answered the question and moved on. Truth be told, it'll be about Mike Locksley and James Franklin until the game begins; then it'll be about Maryland and Virginia Tech. Both teams have had cringy press conferences leading into the game, so now it's time to just play the game. There will likely be no shortage of comments made after the game, no matter who wins. Expect another bizarre moment or two late on Saturday night.
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