Five Keys to Virginia Tech Being ACC Contenders in 2026
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Virginia Tech enters the 2026 college football season with much different expectations than in recent years. With James Franklin in charge, the Hokies look to return to compete at the top of the ACC and compete for the ACC Championship, something they have not done since 2016. Coach Franklin is off to a strong start with the upcoming freshman class he was able to sign, but there is still a lot of work to do to get back to the top of the conference. Here are five keys for Virginia Tech to be ACC contenders in 2026.
1. Be aggressive in the transfer portal.
If Virginia Tech wants to compete for an ACC title in 2026, the Hokies have to take full advantage of the transfer portal. While it is helpful that Virginia Tech has a strong incoming freshman class, it needs to be complemented with players who have already played college football.
It remains to be seen how many players on Penn State's current roster will follow Franklin to Blacksburg, but if the 2026 recruiting class is any indication, it appears several Nittany Lions will become Hokies.
At the same time, Franklin's portal strategy won't be limited to former Penn State players. He will also be targeting impact players across college football to fill specific needs.
2. Find a star quarterback.
If this season taught any lesson, it would be that every great team needs a great quarterback. While Kyron Drones was a great runner, his inability to throw the ball downfield consistently made it hard for the Hokies to compete in most of their games.
On the current roster, Pop Watson is the most experienced internal option. He has shown flashes whenever he is given playing time, showing off his ability to make plays with his arm and legs. But even with his upside, Watson has limited game experience, and he does not have the track record to be considered the full-time answer for Virginia Tech. Also, there is a chance Watson might not be on the roster next year by entering the transfer portal to find a place where he could be the starter.
It is unlikely that incoming freshman Troy Huhn will be the day-one starter, so Franklin will likely need to bring in someone through the transfer portal. Online speculation has connected Virginia Tech with Old Dominion's quarterback, Colton Joseph, who just entered his name in the transfer portal.
3. Rebuild the Hokies' defensive identity.
Contending in the ACC means being able to stop good offenses week in and week out. Traditionally, Virginia Tech has been known for its tough defensive football, but that has not been the case for quite a few years. This season, Virginia Tech ranked toward the bottom of the ACC in almost every significant defensive category. If the Hokies want to compete in the ACC, this has to change drastically.
Former head coach, now defensive coordinator, Brent Pry, will have his defense looked at under a microscope next season. Pry never called plays during his time as head coach, but this new role will give him a chance to return to something that he was really good at under Franklin at Penn State.
4. Win the close games.
One of the biggest criticisms of Pry was his inability to win one-score games. During his tenure as head coach at Virginia Tech, he went 1-12 in one-score games. Now that Franklin is in charge, this is a statistic that needs to improve.
Looking at the Hokies' 2026 ACC opponents, it includes teams like Miami, Clemson and Georgia Tech, three teams that are typically at the top of the ACC. It is unlikely that Virginia Tech will be able to beat any of these teams by a large margin. Coming out on top in close games against them could be crucial to earning a spot in the ACC title hunt.
5. Establish momentum with nonconference success.
Although Virginia Tech's nonconference schedule will not affect the ACC standings, coming out of the gate hot could be crucial to having confidence once ACC play starts. The Hokies' first four games are as follows: VMI, Old Dominion, Maryland and James Madison. All but the Maryland game will be played at home. These early matchups are opportunities for Virginia Tech to build confidence and find an identity on both sides of the football.
The games against VMI and Old Dominion should be very winnable for Virginia Tech. But if it can beat Maryland and James Madison, that will give the Hokies all the momentum in the world heading into conference play.
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James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.