The Virginia Tech Hokies and new head coach James Franklin want to get off to a fast start in 2026. Franklin has a lot to prove after he was shockingly fired by Penn State, only nine months after almost leading them to an appearance in the national championship game.
In an effort to make every game more important and align with the other power conferences, the ACC revealed a revised nine-game conference schedule for each member beginning next season. Virginia Tech’s new schedule looks difficult on paper.
Here are the Hokies’ four ACC home games in 2026:
- Georgia Tech
- Pittsburgh
- Stanford
- Virginia
Outside of Stanford, the other three teams were much better in 2025, with UVA playing in the ACC Championship. Georgia Tech had its best season in years, while Pitt always remains a tough out. Stanford has been terrible in recent years, but former star quarterback and current GM, Andrew Luck, believe things are turning around.
Now, here’s the road ACC schedule:
- Clemson
- Miami
- SMU
- California
- Boston College
That looks brutal on paper. While Clemson had a down year in 2025, don’t count on the Tigers being down again in 2026. Boston College is always tough, especially in Chestnut Hill. Miami remains the most talented team in the conference and will undoubtedly land the best quarterback available in the transfer portal. SMU has been outstanding since entering the ACC in 2024. Cal and the Hokies played a terrific game in October, with the Hokies winning late. The Golden Bears hope to have quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele back in 2026. He has the makings of a future top-5 pick in the NFL draft.
Additionally, it’s never easy for one team to travel across the country.
The Hokies just wrapped a top-25 recruiting class and have plenty of money to spend in the transfer portal. They’ll need to be busy to turn over the roster of a three-win team. Franklin is motivated, but it won’t be easy.
Virginia Tech currently has four non-conference games on the schedule: JMU (currently in the College Football Playoff), VMI and Old Dominion. The Hokies also have a trip to Maryland. It’s a safe bet that the VMI or ODU game will probably get canceled.
What do you think about Virginia Tech’s revised schedule? Let us know.
