James Franklin Era Begins With Virginia Tech’s 73-3 Domination

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The James Franklin era at Virginia Tech couldn’t have started much better.

The Hokies absolutely destroyed VMI 73-3 Saturday night at Lane Stadium, putting together a dominant performance in all three phases and immediately giving Virginia Tech fans a reason to believe this program could be headed in a completely different direction.

Hokies Come Out Firing

Virginia Tech wasted no time making its presence felt.

The Hokies jumped all over VMI from the opening possession, eventually taking a 45-0 lead into halftime. The offense was explosive, the defense was suffocating and special teams repeatedly created problems for the Keydets.

The 73 points marked Virginia Tech’s highest-scoring game since 1995 and just the seventh time in program history the Hokies have reached 70 points.

Grunkemeyer Shines in His Debut

One of the biggest storylines entering the season was the quarterback position.

Franklin ultimately turned to former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, and the transfer delivered in his first start as a Hokie.

Grunkemeyer completed 17 of 20 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns, providing Virginia Tech with an efficient and confident performance. He looked comfortable running Franklin’s offense and immediately gave the Hokies another reason for optimism.

The Ground Game Takes Over

Virginia Tech’s rushing attack was just as impressive.

Jeffrey Overton Jr. and Marcellous Hawkins combined for five rushing touchdowns, with Overton breaking loose for a 50-yard touchdown early in the game. Overton later added another score from 23 yards out.

The Hokies continued attacking even after building a massive lead, eventually giving younger players opportunities as the game moved along.

Defense and Special Teams Make a Statement

This wasn’t just an offensive explosion.

Virginia Tech’s defense held VMI to only 32 yards on 28 first-half plays, while the Hokies recorded four sacks. Special teams also got involved, with Virginia Tech blocking punts and turning those plays into points.

That type of complete performance is exactly what Franklin wanted to see in his first game.

A New Era in Blacksburg

Franklin was hired last November after Virginia Tech went 3-9 in 2025, taking over a program looking to return to the level of success associated with the Frank Beamer era.

One game obviously doesn’t tell the entire story, but 73-3 is about as loud of an opening statement as Franklin could have made.

The Hokies dominated from the opening snap, and suddenly there is real excitement surrounding Virginia Tech football.

The James Franklin era is officially underway and after a 73-3 demolition of VMI, the Hokies have already announced that this isn’t the same Virginia Tech team from a year ago.

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