The ACC didn't really do James Franklin and Virginia Tech many favors with its 2026 conference schedule. The Hokies' backend of the schedule is daunting in November with road games against SMU and Miami, along with home games against Stanford and Virginia.
After opening conference play at Boston College and a home game against Pittsburgh, the Hokies will board a plane and fly to Northern California to face the Cal Golden Bears. It'll be a rematch of last season's Virginia Tech overtime victory over the Golden Bears in Blacksburg. It will be a tough trip for several reasons for the Hokies.
Virginia Tech will be walking into a difficult environment at Cal in 2026
Cal fired coach Justin Wilcox late last season and hired Tosh Lupoi, who is looking to turn the culture around. However, they will be heading West with a big target on their back after last season's overtime win. Lupoi is not happy with the results so far this offseason, with an eye toward the 2026 season.
"The results of the season, I truly believe those are going to be dictated by our daily transactions," Lupoi said. "That's ultimately what culture is. It's not about being clever or cliché, it's about living out what we want to represent every day.
"I'm pleased but absolutely not satisfied. We came here . . . to compete at the highest level. I wholeheartedly believe this is a place that can afford that opportunity. The goal is to win every opportunity, every moment."
Lupoi has a tremendous starting point with quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele back for another season with the Golden Bears. Sagapolutele passed for 3,454 yards with 18 touchdowns while starting every game as a freshman last season as the Golden Bears went 7-6. He is back for another season, under a new coach, and ready for an even better 2026 campaign.
It won't take much to get Sagapolutele and the rest of his teammates up for when the Hokies visit after last season's overtime win. Both teams are different-looking with new head coaches and new-look rosters. The tough part for Virginia Tech is that they are the ones who have to travel this upcoming season cross-country. As if the travel won't be enough, going up against a new Cal team is going to be walking into a hornet's nest, which is going to make it that much tougher. With a new culture, expect the unexpected.
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