Virginia Tech football: Could Hokies make the College Football Playoff in 2026?

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What a difference one year makes. One year ago, the Virginia Tech Hokies were coming off a 6-7 season, with expectations high after Tech retained most of its 2023 starters and was listed by many as a potential College Football Playoff dark horse.

Needless to say, the most exciting thing happening at Lane Stadium in 2025 was the Metallica concert last May. There were no expectations heading into 2025. There were questions about how much longer Brent Pry would keep his job.

Pry didn’t last long. After a 0-3 start, the Hokies fired Pry, installing offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery as the interim coach. Virginia Tech would finish 3-9. For once, the Hokies received some unexpected good fortune when Penn State shockingly fired head coach James Franklin after a slow start — only months after nearly leading the Nittany Lions to the national championship.

In November, it became official: the Hokies hired Franklin. The football gods were shining on Blacksburg. Shortly thereafter, Pry returned as Franklin’s defensive coordinator. Throughout the rest of November and December, Franklin worked tirelessly to take a bottom-tier recruiting class and finish with a top-25 class. When the transfer portal opened in January, Franklin and his newly assembled staff worked tirelessly to fill holes and build depth, mostly by adding players with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

The top incoming transfer is redshirt sophomore quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Expectations are high in Blacksburg. Not only did the Hokies sign Grunkemeyer, but also landed former four-star UNC quarterback Bryce Baker and signed Troy Huhn in the 2026 class. Just last week, Tech landed one of the nation’s top 100 players, quarterback Peter Bourque, in the 2027 class.

So, about 2026. How good can the Hokies be in Franklin’s first year? As he’s said, he’s not here for a long rebuild. Franklin is building for the long haul, but he’s trying to win in 2026.

ESPN recently named 10 college football teams that could make their first College Football Playoff in 2026. The Hokies were No. 9 on that list.

9. Virginia Tech: Coach James Franklin brought enough talent and continuity with him that the Hokies could be a surprise CFP team, but the schedule — particularly the back half — could make it difficult. Games at Clemson, SMU and Miami will define the season, and two of them — at SMU and at Miami — are on Friday nights.

Who knows what will happen? That’s why they play the games. But it sure is refreshing to see Virginia Tech on these kinds of lists.

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