ESPN Predicts 3-Win College Football Team to be Among the Most Improved in 2026

The Virginia Tech Hokies were once among the top programs in the ACC, building a consistent winner under longtime head coach Frank Beamer.

Beamer led the Hokies for 29 seasons, compiling a 238-121-2 record and producing 13 double-digit win seasons before retiring in 2015. His tenure established Virginia Tech as a national contender for nearly three decades.

Since his retirement, the program has struggled to maintain that level of success. Virginia Tech has gone through multiple coaching changes and has now hired its fifth head coach since 2015.

Over that span, the Hokies have recorded just one double-digit win season and six losing seasons, including each of the past two years. Those struggles led to the dismissal of Brent Pry, who spent four seasons with the program and posted three losing records.

Virginia Tech turned to James Franklin to lead its rebuild. Franklin recently completed a 12-year tenure with the Penn State Nittany Lions football, where he went 104-45 and guided the program to consistent national relevance.

He led Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinal in 2024, where the Nittany Lions lost in the final seconds to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football. Despite that success, a 3-3 start in 2025 led to his departure.

Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin and his wife Fumi enter press conference. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

One notable move following his hiring was Franklin’s decision to bring Pry back as defensive coordinator. Pry previously served on Franklin’s staff at Penn State from 2014 to 2021. That reunion adds familiarity and continuity to the defensive side of the ball.

The key question now is how quickly Virginia Tech can improve in 2026. Bill Connelly of ESPN projects the Hokies as one of the most improved teams in the country, ranking them second among programs with new head coaches behind the Oklahoma State Cowboys football.

"Nothing compares to OSU's underachievement, but ranking 106th after producing a 20-year average ranking of 35.8 still hints at progression, too, especially since Tech also hired one of the 2020s' better coaches (who also pulled off a pretty impressive and immediate roster upgrade)," Connelly wrote.

That projection reflects both Virginia Tech’s recent struggles and the potential impact of Franklin’s arrival. The Hokies have already seen movement on the recruiting trail, landing a top-20 transfer portal class and a top-30 recruiting class following the coaching change.

The schedule, however, will present immediate challenges. Virginia Tech is set to face road games against the Clemson Tigers, SMU Mustangs and Miami Hurricanes, while hosting conference opponents including the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

While expectations remain measured, the combination of an experienced head coach, improved roster talent, and a fresh start provides a path forward. How quickly that translates into wins will determine whether Virginia Tech can begin to resemble the program it once was.