The James Franklin era officially begins in 12 days under the lights at Lane Stadium against VMI on Sept. 5. It is a long-awaited beginning for Franklin, who has brought a lot of excitement to a program that is waiting to wake up as a sleeping giant.
However, just how will the season play out? That's the big question, as the schedule is a good one in terms of home games but a tough one in terms of away games, including a non-conference game at Maryland. What is the floor and ceiling for the 2026 Hokies? Let's dive in.
Virginia Tech 2026 football schedule
Sept. 5: vs. VMI
Sept. 12: vs. Old Dominion
Sept. 19: at Maryland
Sept. 26: at Boston College
Oct. 2: vs. Pittsburgh
Oct. 10: at California
Oct. 17: vs. Georgia Tech
Oct. 24: at Clemson
Nov. 6: at SMU
Nov. 14: vs. Stanford
Nov. 21: at Miami
Nov. 28: vs. Virginia
Virginia Tech football's 2026 ceiling
What is Virginia Tech's ceiling in 2026? That's a great question. It starts with quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Can he build on what he did at Penn State last season when he finished out the season after Drew Allar was injured? He played well down the stretch to get the Nittany Lions bowl-eligible. He has some talented weapons at the skill position, but it all will depend on how the offensive line plays. If they protect Grunkemeyer and allow the running game to get going, it could be a fun fall.
As for the defensive side of the ball, Brent Pry is back as defensive coordinator after getting fired as head coach. He thrived in that position under Franklin at Penn State, and if they can find that magic once again, this could be a team that gets to 9-3 with some road upsets.
Virginia Tech football's 2026 floor
This will depend on everything mentioned above, on both sides of the ball and on health. The Hokies have already lost key players on both sides of the ball: Johnny Garrett along the offensive line and Gabe Williams at linebacker. Depth will be tested early and hopefully not often. If it is tested often, then it could be a long fall.
If Grunkmeyer doesn't take the next step in 2026 and build off his 2025 season at Penn State, then the offense could struggle to put up points. That would be less than ideal on the back end of the schedule, which has road games at Clemson, SMU, and Miami. Those three games could be season-defining games late in the season. It's hard not to see this team becoming bowl-eligible, so we'll go with a floor of 6-6.
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