There was excitement when the Virginia Tech Hokies scheduled the Maryland Terrapins for a four-game series on the gridiron, beginning in the 2026 season. After all, it only seemed natural that the former ACC rivals face one another again.
Maryland and Virginia Tech will play in 2026, Sept. 19 in College Park, to be exact. The Hokies and Terrapins were supposed to meet a total of four times over the next four seasons. However, that will not happen, as the two schools agreed to cancel the 2027 and 2028
games. The teams will meet again in 2029, with that game in Blacksburg.
The two canceled games are the 2027 game in Blacksburg and the 2028 game in College Park.
Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock released the following statement.
“These adjustments reflect our commitment to building a schedule that best serves Virginia Tech football and our fans,” said Babcock. “We look forward to two great matchups in 2026 and 2029.”
Head coach James Franklin also commented.
“We’re pleased to keep the 2026 and 2029 games with Maryland on the schedule,” said Franklin. “It’s a good regional matchup for our players and fans, and these adjustments give us valuable flexibility as we continue to position our program for long-term success.”
The two teams have met a total of 32 times, with Maryland holding a slight 17-15 edge. They last met in the 2021 Pinstripe Bowl, with the Terrapins blowing out a depleted Hokies squad. That was the year that the Hokies fired Justin Fuente. The Terps have won the last two meetings, but the Hokies won the previous five, including a 4-1 mark as ACC rivals.
It’s good to see these schools playing again. They often compete for similar players on the recruiting trail, and the Hokies have been busy in Maryland since Franklin arrived in November.
While Maryland fans immediately claimed the Hokies backed out because they were afraid of them, that’s not the case. With a nine-game ACC slate, Notre Dame and Liberty already on the 2027 and 2028 schedules, this result is not surprising. In case you were wondering, James Franklin loves to beat Maryland, with a 9-2 all-time mark vs. the Terps, with six of those wins coming by 30 or more points.
