Just about everyone has us ranked.
I'm looking at way too early top 25's for 2026 and the Hokies are mentioned in about 80% of these stories. Rankings anywhere between 20th to 25th are the norm it seems. One service has us winning 10 games.
I don't get it. We won 3 games last year. Who in their right mind thinks our '26 edition will challenge for the ACC Title, I certainly don't. Our offense will improve, it can't go any lower than last year. Our defense worries me a lot.
I can get on board with 7 wins. 8 wins, IMHO, is our ceiling.
Looking past 2026 is where I see higher ceilings and championship possibilities.
50 Replies
5mo
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
Has started
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
O
ombandit
5mo
Indiana, Texas Tech, Arizona Stste all went from worst to first
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
F
Fatman
5mo
in the country. I was impressed with the kid at PSU....and VaTech QB was not P4 level. So there is that.
I think people are are jumping the gun by 1-2 years, most of our talent upgrade is young.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
If they are wrong - no one will remember.
Sometimes you got to make a splash to get big time.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
to feed to sports addicted consumers. I give them precisely zero weight. In fact, they should be denounced. From a team prospective, this falls into what Nick Saban calls "rat poison."
Notice that none of these talking heads ever go back to their preseason polls after the fact to show you how right they were.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
They’ll qualify it in the last sentence of their summary with “I won’t be surprised if they finish.500 either”. Pretty sure a reasonably informed VT will shrug those off as premature.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
Did they lose coaches, or starters, or a lot of seniors?
Did they add new coaches/players who are better or worse or unknown compared to last year?
You can’t just look at VT in a vacuum. Some rosters are turning over by 50% each year so you can’t just har win predictions based on the program name or past season.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
On paper, we've probably made more improvements than they did. That's just on paper, of course. But it's certainly possible in the portal era.
But in general I agree, the roster is set up for more success in 2027 and 2028.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
Much prefer building a program and maintaining that excellence for a while
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
5mo
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
M
MKD
5mo
The O line and linebackers are my two biggest concerns. Safeties are also another position that needs significant improvement.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
5mo
a defense that can make a stop would make this team a tough out.
(In response to this post by MKD)
M
MKD
5mo
(In response to this post by proudhokie2001)
5mo
starts of experience or 60 starts more across the board. Adding a good player or two. This oline is going to be a little better.
(In response to this post by MKD)
M
MKD
5mo
(In response to this post by proudhokie2001)
5mo
Can the guy have at least one season to establish a new baseline?
(In response to this post by proudhokie2001)
5mo
is. Franklin will get 8 or more, just watch.
(In response to this post by MP4VT2004)
5mo
And not look hapless in the games we lose
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
N
NOFX
5mo
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
You must leave the Hokie Hype Train immediately.
:)
Go HOKIES!!
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
2027 will be more predictable as far as wins and losses. I hope not what the offense does.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
be slow to trust. Of course, most of their opinions about the team in that period were based on false narratives. How anyone could think we could be a competitive program while recruiting essentially G5 players is beyond me, but I guess hope springs eternal. Now we are actually bringing in real, P2 level players. You will see the physical difference on the field.
I agree with your assessment. I think 7 wins can be expected next season, with 8 wins possible. In 2027 and moving forward we will consistently compete for ACC championships and playoff births.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
V
VTCALS72
5mo
over the last 7 years or so years. They were the "In Bud we trust" mindset that diminished every asset needed except coaching assuming Bud was the magic and not what the players actually did. Seems to be the last time we were really "burned" was 2018. But every year some element of posters "assume" VT has had more resources including simple street cred than we had. Every year they assume VT just should get the majority of breaks and not have crushing injuries or maybe more correctly that the coaches just should be able to make up any difference in players.
(In response to this post by VT ChemE 1986)
5mo
They'll just say VT and James Franklin didn't live up to expectations...not that they were lazy and didn't do any real research.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
IMO as devoid of talent and depth as we were this year, I think we could have won five or six with better QB play.
(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
5mo
Having said that, I don’t think VT’s floor is 7-5.
(In response to this post by TekkNerd)
5mo
I won't waste my time responding to your posts anymore, because you're pretty much a condescending jerk. Feel free to put me on ignore.
(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
5mo
** Edited by marcbvtgm at 2/25/2026, 1:12:27 PM
(In response to this post by TekkNerd)
5mo
(In response to this post by AirborneHokie96)
5mo
At some point, whether accurate or not, the talent or "predicted talent" matters some in future predictions. We on paper at least, probably have a top 25ish "predicted-on paper" talented team. Keywords that dont always play out but sometimes do is..."predicted/on paper talent." We will see, but 1995 and 2005 have came and gone. With today's College Football world, you can drastically improve or drastically remove the talent from the previous year in short time. You couldn't really do that 10 years ago.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
A lot more talented than the one from last year, especially a quarterback. We actually have a quarterback that can pass the football and I think the offensive line will be improved enough to help in that area along with the change in offensive scheme, including the tight end more in the offense. Good tight ends that can block and catch the football and are utilized properly. Can make a huge difference in the offense.
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
low expectations for 2026 with the hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised.
(In response to this post by SCHokie1103)
5mo
Keep those expectations high and enjoy when it works out.
(In response to this post by Brown Water)
V
V333T
5mo
10 is a stretch, but far be it from me to complain.
Half the team’s talent (almost) was ranked in the top 25 (both 2026 recruits and 2026 transfers) plus there some talent on the returnees (Hawkins, Overton and so on). On paper 20-25 sounds reasonable. On emotion and Pavlovian response, not so much.
** Edited by V333T at 2/23/2026, 8:41:40 AM
(In response to this post by Coattail Hokie)
5mo
It's not uncommon in the portal age to see WILD swings in outcomes over one offseason. Where before you could look at results + returning starters and get a pretty good idea of what to expect.
It is doubly difficult in this situation because not only is the entire roster turned over, but so is the staff. Its a real crap shoot.
I'm
expecting: 5-7 wins
not surprised by: 4-8 wins.
surprised by: anything else.
** Edited by Techsupport at 2/23/2026, 9:04:04 AM
(In response to this post by V333T)