Virginia Tech coach James Franklin says Blacksburg travel is complicated
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The gist
Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin said Blacksburg's lack of a nearby international airport makes travel more complicated.
His 6-2 first season faces a ranked test at SMU.
Background
James Franklin is head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies, previously head coach at Penn State for 12 seasons and at Vanderbilt from 2011-13. Penn State fired him in October 2025 after a 3-3 start, and Virginia Tech hired him the following month. In his first season in Blacksburg he is 6-2 through eight games after a 3-9 season a year ago, but he lost a home night game to Pitt and a road game to Cal. His 16-37 career record against ranked opponents, including 4-21 against top-10 teams, has been raised as his team prepares for a ranked opponent.
How it unfolded
- Oct 12, 2025Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft fired James Franklin after a loss to Northwestern dropped the program to 3-3, following a three-game losing streak that included back-to-back defeats to unranked opponents.
- Nov 17, 2025Virginia Tech announced the hiring of James Franklin as head coach of the Hokies.
- Sep 26, 2026Franklin coached Virginia Tech in the first half against Boston College at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
- Nov 2, 2026Franklin said being in places like Blacksburg makes travel more complicated because there is no international airport within 45 minutes of campus.
- Nov 5, 2026Florida State fired head coach Mike Norvell after a disappointing start to the season; Seminoles fans linked Franklin to the job on social media.
- Nov 6, 2026Virginia Tech, in Week 10 of the 2026 season, was set to travel to face No. 24 SMU, ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll but dropped out of the AP Top 25 after a Week 9 loss to Syracuse.
Key terms
- ranked
- Having a position in an ordered list comparing items from higher to lower.
- US LBM Coaches Poll
- A weekly ranking of top NCAA Division I college football, basketball, and baseball teams, voted on by coaches.
- AP Top 25
- A weekly ranking of the top 25 American college teams in football or basketball, voted on by sportswriters and broadcasters.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said Franklin embodies the spirit, vision and relentless pursuit of excellence that will elevate Virginia Tech Football back on the national stage.
- Analysts
- USA Today reporting framed Franklin's 16-37 record against ranked opponents, including 4-21 against top-10 teams, as looming over his first ranked test at Virginia Tech.
- Caution
- CBS Sports framed Penn State's firing of Franklin and its subsequent coaching search under first-year coach Matt Campbell as a cautionary tale.
Still unverified
Social media linked Franklin to the Florida State job after Mike Norvell's firing; WDBJ reported such a move is not likely and that the university has reportedly not yet initiated formal outreach.