Rece Davis Predicts Winner of Virginia Tech vs. Maryland Amid James Franklin Feud

ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis picked Virginia Tech to beat Maryland on Saturday night, backing first-year Hokies coach James Franklin in a game against a program that once named him its head coach-in-waiting.

Davis made the pick on the College GameDay Podcast, where ESPN senior writers Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel both took Maryland. "I'm going to say Virginia Tech wins a close game, back and forth," Davis said. "Just to be a little different, I'll go with that."

Rece Davis picks Virginia Tech Hokies

Rece Davis Predicts Winner of Virginia Tech vs. Maryland Amid James Franklin Feud — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The GameDay host also joked that the pick could hurt his strong start. "I think just because I'm off to a great start and I'm probably dead set on self-sabotaging my great start in these picks, I'm going to go against you guys," Davis said.

Both teams are 2-0 ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at SECU Stadium in College Park, Md. Virginia Tech beat VMI 73-3 and Old Dominion 44-21 after going 3-9 last season.

Maryland beat Hampton 62-0 and then won 38-14 at UConn. That win gave the Terrapins 20 straight nonconference wins, the longest streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Still, the ESPN anchor said Maryland's fast starts haven't lasted. "They've been great in early seasons," Davis said. "Then the Big Ten schedule kicks in, and they've been less great."

Maryland went 4-8 in each of the last two seasons under coach Mike Locksley, who is in his eighth year leading the program.

Why is Franklin vs. Locksley personal?

Franklin and Locksley coached together as assistants under Ralph Friedgen at Maryland from 2000 to 2002. Franklin later came back as the Terrapins' offensive coordinator, and the school named him head coach-in-waiting in 2009. But Franklin never got the job after athletic director Debbie Yow left in 2010.

The coaches clashed in 2024 after Maryland's 44-7 loss at Penn State. Backup quarterback Beau Pribula threw a touchdown pass to Tyseer Denmark on the final play, and Locksley confronted Franklin during the handshake.

Penn State fired Franklin midseason in 2025 after he went 104-45 there, and Virginia Tech hired him 36 days later.

Locksley played down the history this week. "This won't be about James and Locks," the Terrapins coach said. "This will be about the players that he has and the players that I have that know a lot about each other."

Davis doubted the two coaches are on good terms. "So, apparently, he and Mike Locksley at least say things are relatively cordial," Davis said. "I'm not sure how cordial it ever is with James Franklin and Maryland."

Malik Washington, Ethan Grunkemeyer lead offenses

"Ethan Grunkemeyer has been really good in his first two games for Virginia Tech," Davis said. Grunkemeyer followed Franklin from Penn State and has completed 77.4% of his passes for 551 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

"Malik Washington is a rising star in college football," Davis said. The Terps quarterback threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns on 34-of-41 passing at UConn, and he completed 18 passes in a row during that game.

Saturday's game is just the second meeting between the schools in the last decade, and they won't play again until 2029.

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