Virginia Tech is back under the lights at Lane Stadium, and James Franklin’s first night on the sideline comes with all the usual opening-game buzz - plus a matchup that, on paper, tilts heavily toward the Hokies.
VMI is the opponent for Franklin’s debut, and the two programs meet for the 80th time. Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 49-25-5, and Saturday night’s game in Blacksburg carries the kind of lopsided expectations that make the focus shift quickly from the scoreboard to the shape of the new Hokies.
The setting is 7:30 PM EST at Lane Stadium, with the game set for the ACC Network and fuboTV. Virginia Tech has spent months rebuilding, recruiting, modernizing Lane Stadium and making the financial commitment to keep pace in college football’s expensive new era. Now the real thing starts.
The staff at VTSCOOP offered a wide range of score picks, but the common thread was clear: Virginia Tech should be in control from the start, and likely deep into its roster by halftime or shortly after.
Evan G. Watkins saw a blowout and expected the Hokies to get style points in front of fans and recruits alike, predicting, “Prediction: Virginia Tech 60, VMI 6”
Matej Sis leaned the same direction, though with a little more caution about VMI’s triple-option approach and the Hokies’ need to manage the clock and protect bodies. His pick: “Prediction: Virginia Tech 54, VMI 6”
Doug Bowman kept it simple: “Prediction: Virginia Tech 62, VMI 7”
Amber Marie called it “an old-fashioned beatdown” and said VMI’s triple option could create a few problems, though she still expected Virginia Tech to rotate heavily and get out healthy. Her prediction: “Prediction: Virginia Tech 56, VMI 3”
Andrew Alix didn’t see much suspense either, saying the FCS matchup should present no issue for the Hokies. He closed with: “Prediction: Virginia Tech 48, VMI 3”
Jacob Maggard pointed out that VMI lost 38-10 to Idaho State last week and believed this one would be even tougher for the Keydets. He expected Ethan Grunkemeyer to have a strong day and Virginia Tech’s rushing attack to pile up numbers, while also noting the Hokies’ goal of getting out cleanly before next week’s game against ODU. His pick: “Prediction: Virginia Tech 63, VMI 0”
Haden Tolbert also forecast a one-sided result, describing VMI as one of the lowest-skilled teams Virginia Tech will face in the past decade and expecting the Hokies to handle business while keeping the starters on short snaps.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Still Has One Big Quarterback Decision Before Old Dominion
Virginia Tech heads into Week 2 with one of the more practical questions of the early season still hanging over it: who settles in as the backup quarterback behind the starter. James Franklin said Bryce Baker has put himself in the conversation, and that battle for QB2 has become part of the buildup to Old Dominion, even as the Hokies try to keep their focus on the larger shape of the season. Franklin also spent time praising the defense and talking through the value of how future games are scheduled, a reminder that the first few weeks can shape more than just the win-loss column.
Old Dominion brings a little extra edge because of what happened a year ago, but Franklin made clear the Hokies are treating this matchup as its own test rather than a chance to relive last seasons loss. The result is a familiar early-season mix of urgency and evaluation: Virginia Tech wants to clean up the details, keep building confidence on defense and, at the same time, sort out a quarterback depth chart that could matter later even if it does not decide Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Quarterback Battle Isnt Over Behind Ethan Grunkemeyer
Virginia Tech left its season-opening win over VMI with one part of the quarterback picture looking settled and another still very much in motion. Junior Ethan Grunkemeyer handled the job well enough in the opener, completing 17 of 20 passes for two touchdowns, and the Hokies got the kind of steady start they wanted from the top of the depth chart.
The more interesting question now sits behind him. Head coach discussed the quarterback situation after the game and made clear the backup role is still a competition among Bryce Baker, Kelden Ryan and Troy Huhn, with Baker getting into the opener but no definitive No. 2 yet named. For a team trying to build early-season rhythm, that kind of uncertainty matters, and it gives the next stretch of practice a little extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Gets A Charged Reunion With One Painful Opponent
Brent Prys return to Virginia Tech has already added an unusual layer to James Franklins first season in Blacksburg. Fired as the Hokies head coach in September 2025, Pry is back on the staff as defensive coordinator, and the schedule wasted little time in putting him in a spotlight game with extra meaning. Virginia Tech hosts Old Dominion on Sept. 12, 2026, with both teams off to 1-0 starts and the Hokies installed as the favorite.
The matchup carries an edge beyond the usual in-state intrigue because Old Dominion was the team whose victory helped trigger Prys dismissal. It is rare enough for a coach to return to the same program after getting let go, and even rarer for that reunion to come against the opponent most closely tied to the end of his first run. For Virginia Tech, it turns Saturday into more than an early-season test. It is also a charged reminder of how quickly the narrative around one program can turn. [Read more 🡒]