Sports

Five biggest hurdles Virginia Tech faces in making an ACC championship run

Virginia Tech Hokies On SI · Jul 20, 2026 22:00 · 3 min read

Five Biggest Hurdles Virginia Tech Faces In Making An ACC Championship Run — Jul 16, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin speaks to the media during Media Day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Virginia Tech has the talent to contend in the ACC, but these five hurdles could determine whether the Hokies reach the conference championship game in 2026.

Virginia Tech football enters the 2026 season with high aspirations under first-year head coach James Franklin. The Hokies addressed several glaring needs through the transfer portal, return a solid core of contributors and appear much deeper than the team that finished 3-9 a season ago. That said, the climb from the bottom of the standings to the top of the ACC is steep.

Here are the five biggest hurdles standing between Virginia Tech and a trip to Charlotte.

No. 1: Replacing the production lost on defense.

The Hokies have talent returning, but replacing veteran production is rarely seamless. Virginia Tech must account for departures at multiple positions — particularly defensive tackle, where it lost All-ACC Honorable mention Kody Huisman to graduation — while integrating transfers such as Jaquez White (cornerback, Troy) and others into significant roles. If the defense takes a step back early in the season, it could put additional pressure on an offense that is also breaking in new pieces.

No. 2: Establishing consistency at quarterback.

Ethan Grunkemeyer arrived from Penn State State as one of the marquee additions of Virginia Tech's offseason, but potential and production are two different things. Winning the ACC typically requires efficient decision-making, limiting turnovers and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Virginia Tech doesn't necessarily need an All-American under center, but it does need consistency. Grunkemeyer will need to be sound in his first (presumably) full season as the starter; he threw for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions last year for the Nittany Lions, making seven starts after incumbent starter Drew Allar went down with a season-ending ankle injury.

3. Developing reliable playmakers at wide receiver

Ayden Greene returns after leading the Hokies in every major receiving category last season (516 receiving yards, 31 receptions, three receiving touchdowns), and Duke transfer Que'Sean Brown brings proven ACC production with 846 receiving yards and five touchdowns with the Blue Devils last season. Beyond those two, however, there are still questions. Takye Heath, Tyseer Denmark, Shamarius Peterkin and several other receivers have flashed potential either with the Hokies or at other stops, but Virginia Tech needs more than flashes if it hopes to compete with the conference's best defenses. Creating explosive plays has to become a strength rather than an occasional bonus.

No. 4: Surviving a difficult conference schedule.

The ACC rarely provides an easy path to the championship game. Even if Virginia Tech is significantly improved, navigating a schedule filled with talented conference opponents is a different challenge altogether. Contenders cannot afford multiple slip-ups, especially in a league where several teams are expected to be in the title race deep into November. Taking care of business against the middle tier of the conference will be just as important as winning marquee matchups. Virginia Tech will play SMU, Clemson and Miami in the latter half of the season — and it'll play all three away from the friendly confines of Lane Stadium.

No. 5: Turning optimism into results.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle is simply turning optimism into production on the field. Offseason rankings, transfer classes and coaching hires generate excitement, but they don't count in the standings. Franklin has energized the program, and expectations are understandably higher than they were entering last season. The next step is translating that optimism into wins. Until Virginia Tech consistently beats quality opponents and shows it can close out games in pressure situations, ACC Championship talk remains projection rather than reality.

The pieces are in place for Virginia Tech to take a significant step forward in 2026. Whether that leap is enough to reach Charlotte will depend on how quickly a revamped roster comes together, how the conference stacks up relative to its other Power Four brethren and how effectively Franklin's first team handles the inevitable challenges of an ACC schedule.