James Franklin’s arrival was supposed to signal a new era for Virginia Tech, but an old problem – conference scheduling – is already creating his first major hurdle.

The ACC will move to 9 conference games from next year, to be on par with the other P4 conferences. Plus, the conference now mandates that teams play 10 P4 games in a season to enhance their competitiveness and playoff outlook. The shift has sent some schools scrambling to make schedule changes, like Pittsburgh. However, Virginia Tech is yet to make that change.

According to the official 2026 schedule, the Hokies still play 8 conference games and 9 P4 games.

The change will inevitably come in the non-conference schedule. The Hokies play VMI Keydets, Old Dominion, Maryland, and JMU in this lot. One of them will have to be axed to make way for another P4 school to come in.

It is a dilemma for Virginia Tech because they realistically have to choose between 3 of the opponents (Maryland is from the Big 10). Plus, the ACC already has a rule of scheduling at least one P4 non-conference game, which is why the Terps will not get the cut.

VMI makes for an in-state clash with an FCS opponent, which should serve as the first look of the Hokies under James Franklin.

Old Dominion is a wild card here, because the last time it faced the VT, it outsmarted the Hokies with a 45-26 blowout win. James Madison will have Billy Napier leading the charge instead of Bob Chesney, who has made the program so efficient in recent years. All of them provide different reasons for their inclusion in the schedule.

But Virginia Tech will have to follow the 10 P4 games rule for next season, which means one of them will be rescheduled or canceled.

While Franklin’s staff navigates the scheduling dilemma, they’ll do so with unprecedented financial backing, as a recent development has supercharged the program’s resources.

Virginia Tech football gets a massive boost with a $20 million donation

Virginia Tech athletics received an anonymous donation of a whopping $20 million, which is an immense boost to James Franklin’s team. The donation is widely seen as a direct result of Franklin’s arrival and the potential he brings to the VT football program.

“This historic gift is a transformative moment for Virginia Tech and builds on our growing momentum to ‘Invest to Win.’ It empowers our student-athletes and coaches, enhances the resources needed to compete and succeed at the highest level, and reinforces our commitment to building championship-caliber programs and memorable experiences,” shared Virginia Tech’s Director of Athletics, Whit Babcock.

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Hiring Franklin was a step in the right direction, and he is already working to build a strong team for 2026, while being grateful for the generous investment.

“There’s a clear sense of excitement from our fans about where we’re headed. This unprecedented level of support is critical and creates powerful momentum for everything we’re building,” remarked Franklin.

The million-dollar donation came after the university announced an ‘ambiguous budget plan’ to improve its team’s position for competing at a higher level.

The sum broke the record of the largest one-time donation to the program ($15.2 million) back in 2017. It was the year after VT began transitioning into an era without Frank Beamer at the helm. At that time, Justin Fuente sparked hope for the program by finishing 10-4 in 2016. But after that, the Hokies began to fall off the radar.

In the 9 seasons after the Beamer’s tenure, VT hauled in 5 losing seasons.

James Franklin coming to Virginia Tech flips the script for the program’s future and himself. Leading the Hokies through 10 P4 games is different than doing the same for the Nittany Lions. Losing to such programs ultimately became an unshakeable curse for him at Happy Valley.

Now, even though the environment is not as competitive, Virginia Tech still has to pick one more P4 team to level the playing field.