Three Key Games for the Development of Virginia Tech Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer

What three games stick out as inflection points for Grunkemeyer in his first season with the Hokies?

Virginia Tech Athletics

Just over three months separate Virginia Tech football from the start of its 2026 campaign, the first under new head coach James Franklin. The Hokies, coming off a 3-9 season, will start a new quarterback this coming season, which will presumably be Ethan Grunkemeyer. The Penn State transfer posted 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions last season with the Nittany Lions. With seven collegiate starts, Grunkemeyer serves as the only quarterback on the Hokies' roster with any true-game experience at the college level. Still, 2026 will be his first full year as a starter if all goes as according to plan. Here are three games that stick out to me as likely inflection points for Grunkemeyer's first season at the helm of the Hokies:

[Editor's note: These games are not arranged in order of importance.]

No. 1: Maryland (Sept. 19)

I think an argument can be made for placing the Old Dominion or Pitt game ahead of Maryland, but Virginia Tech also has not won an out-of-conference Power Four game in nine seasons. The Terrapins — fresh off a 4-8 (1-8 Big Ten) campaign where they lost their last eight games of the season — offer a prime opportunity for the Hokies to stamp their mark on the first portion of the Franklin era. Maryland will be sticking with its quarterback, Malik Washington, who was twice named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. The somewhat solid Washington offers a good measuring stick for Grunkemeyer to compare against ahead of Grunkemeyer's first taste against ACC competition.

No. 2: Clemson (Oct. 24)

Virginia Tech has lost its last seven games to the Tigers, and moreover, it hasn’t won at Memorial Stadium since the 2007 season. For Grunkemeyer, it represents a crucial test for his trajectory and a chance to prove he can steady the Hokies in one of the ACC’s toughest road environments. While one game will not define his future, a strong showing against Clemson should go a long way in showing that he can handle high-pressure moments.

No. 3: Miami (Nov. 21)

By this point in the season, how Grunkemeyer compares to the rest of the ACCshould be evident, making the clash against Miami more a pure look at how Grunkemeyer fares against the ACC's best. The Hurricanes lost some of their best defensive linemen — specifically, Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor — to the NFL, but Miami is also the top recruiting school in the ACC. The Hurricanes should be at, or near, the top of the ACC this year as is typical, and a clash like this offers Grunkemeyer — and Virginia Tech, if it undergoes a renaissance in Year 1 under Franklin — a chance to make a statement.