Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech opened the James Franklin era with four straight wins, the program's best start since 2017. The Hokies dominated inferior competition at home, scoring 73 points against VMI and 44 against Old Dominion, then went on the road to beat Maryland and Boston College. The offense averaged 58.5 points in the first two games and the defense racked up 12 sacks and 32 tackles for loss in that span. The 4-0 start generated optimism, but the schedule was back-loaded, and the true tests were still ahead.

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who followed Franklin from Penn State, has been the catalyst for the offense. He opened the season with consecutive efficient performances, completing 48 of 62 passes for 551 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the first two games. He set career highs with 31 completions and 42 attempts against Old Dominion, and threw for a career-high 434 yards in a loss to Pittsburgh. His favorite targets are Que'Sean Brown, who had a career day with 182 receiving yards against Georgia Tech, and tight end Luke Reynolds, who had 108 yards and two scores against Old Dominion. Grunkemeyer's decision-making and accuracy have been impressive, but he has also shown he can be pressured into mistakes, throwing a costly interception against Pittsburgh.

The Hokies' defense, coordinated by former head coach Brent Pry, was dominant in the first two weeks, recording 18 tackles for loss against VMI (most in program history since 1987) and seven sacks against Old Dominion. However, against Power Four opponents, the pass rush has not been as effective. Maryland and Pittsburgh both moved the ball well, and California, starting a backup quarterback, threw for 321 yards and drove 75 yards for the game-winning score in the final minute. The secondary, rebuilt with transfers Jaquez White, Kenny Woseley Jr., and Joshua Clarke, along with returning safety Quentin Reddish, has been solid but has yet to face an elite passing attack. The front seven, led by Kemari Copeland, needs to generate pressure without extra blitzers to help the secondary.

Placekicker John Love, a two-time All-ACC honorable mention, entered the season with an 84.4% career field goal rate and five makes from 50-plus yards. However, he has struggled in critical moments recently, missing a 36-yard game-winner against Pittsburgh and then going 0 for 2 on field goals at California, including a 55-yard attempt and a 39-yarder. Those misses contributed to two straight one-score losses. On the positive side, Que'Sean Brown has provided a spark in the return game, with a 63-yard punt return against Georgia Tech that set up a field goal. The special teams unit also blocked two punts in the opener, recovering one for a touchdown.

After starting 4-0, the Hokies dropped two straight one-score games to Pittsburgh and California, both of which came down to the final play. They rebounded with a 34-24 win over Georgia Tech to improve to 5-2 and 2-2 in ACC play. However, the schedule remains challenging: three of their next four games are on the road, including trips to Clemson, SMU, and Miami. The Hokies have shown they can compete with anyone, but they must clean up mistakes and find consistency to contend in the ACC. The offense needs to start faster on the road, and the defense must generate pressure against stronger offensive lines. If they can do that, Virginia Tech could be a dangerous team down the stretch.