Three Keys to Victory for Virginia Tech Football vs. Maryland

Should Virginia Tech win Saturday's clash against Maryland, it'll move to 3-0 for the first time since 2017.

Sep 12, 2026; Blacksburg, Va.; Virginia Tech defensive end Cortez Harris (34) celebrates a sack. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech football has passed its first two tests of the James Franklin era. Saturday night should provide a considerably better indication of where the Hokies actually stand. Virginia Tech will travel to College Park for its first Power Four matchup of the season, challenging a Maryland team that has been similarly impressive through two weeks. The Terrapins followed a 62-0 win over Hampton with a 38-14 road victory over UConn, extending their nonconference winning streak to 20 games.

The Hokies, meanwhile, are searching for their first 3-0 start since 2017 — which also happens to be the last season in which Virginia Tech defeated a nonconference Power Four opponent.

Here are three keys for the Hokies to change that Saturday night.

No. 1: Keep Ethan Grunkemeyer upright.

Virginia Tech's passing attack flourished against Old Dominion. Its pass protection did not always follow suit. Grunkemeyer completed 31-of-42 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns in the 44-21 victory, but Old Dominion finished with four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Hokies also managed only 89 rushing yards on 42 attempts, providing the first real indication this season that Virginia Tech's offensive line still has questions to answer.

Maryland is equipped to ask them. The Terrapins have amassed 10 sacks through two games, a total that leads the Big Ten and ranks among the best in the country. DD Holmes has 2.5, while Dani Dennis-Sutton Thomas and Derrick LeBlanc have each recorded two.

No. 2: Make Malik Washington uncomfortable.

Virginia Tech's defensive front has been one of its biggest strengths through two games. Saturday provides another opportunity to prove that production can translate against stronger competition.

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington is coming off an excellent performance against UConn, completing 34-of-41 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. At one point, Washington completed 18 consecutive passes, while Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding and Chris Durr Jr. each surpassed 100 receiving yards.

Allowing Washington to settle into that same rhythm likely makes life difficult for Virginia Tech's secondary. The good news is that the Hokies have produced 12 sacks through their opening two games, including seven against Old Dominion. While Mylachi Williams, Cortez Harris and the rest of Virginia Tech's front don't need to replicate that seven-sack performance, they do need to prevent Washington from operating consistently from a clean pocket and having time to progress through his reads.

No. 3: Find more consistency on the ground.

The Hokies rushed for 268 yards against VMI before plummeting to 89 net yards on Saturday. Jeffrey Overton Jr. and Marcellous Hawkins Jr. combined for 90 yards on 25 attempts, with Hawkins' 20-yard touchdown accounting for a significant chunk of that production.

Virginia Tech will need enough success to prevent Maryland's pass rush from teeing off on Grunkemeyer and putting the offense into obvious passing situations, though its run game does not need to be dominant. Saturday represents Virginia Tech's first genuine measuring stick of 2026. Winning up front on both sides of the football would go a long way toward ensuring the Hokies pass it.