Edward Finan-Imagn Images
Sep 26, 2026; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach James Franklin in the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium.
The honeymoon between fans of the Virginia Tech Hokies and first-year head coach James Franklin appears to be over after a brutal loss on Saturday to the Cal Golden Bears.
Franklin, who came to Virginia Tech after he was controversially fired by Penn State last season, got off to a 4-0 start in Blacksburg and appeared to have the program rolling, aided by a light schedule.
He then hit a stumbling block a week ago when kicker John Love missed a 36-yard field goal as time expired, sealing a Hokies home loss to Pitt, which played most of the game with its backup quarterback.
Franklin and company had a chance to get back on track against a Golden Bears team that entered the game with a 2-3 record and without star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
However, that wasn’t the case. Cal kept Virginia Tech within touching distance for much of the game and took a 19-14 lead with 4:06 left in the fourth quarter.
The Hokies answered back with a quick touchdown drive of their own, retaking the lead at 20-19 with 1:15 remaining.
But Golden Bears backup quarterback Jackson Broussea led his team 73 yards in just 57 seconds to go back ahead, 25-20. Virginia Tech somehow found a way down inside the Cal 10-yard line for one final play, but quarterback Ethan Grunekemeyer’s pass to tight end Luke Reynolds fell incomplete, giving the Golden Bears the upset win.
Virginia Tech Fans Have Seen Enough Of James Franklin
In Franklin’s 12 years at Penn State, he had some significant success, including multiple New Year’s Six bowl wins and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance.
His biggest issues, however, were losses in big games and then allowing those losses to linger into the following weeks
Well, it appears a change of scenery hasn’t eliminated those flaws. Franklin’s Hokies lost a home, night game to Pitt that likely would have gotten them ranked with a win, and then followed it up with a road loss as a fairly sizable favorite to an inferior team.
The James Franklin Special.
Virginia Tech fans were not happy…
James Franklin is the most overrated coach in college football.
Pathetic.
Dude will never win a big game.
— Chris (@CPark_1985) October 10, 2026
Two James Franklin specials in a row, absolutely horrific
— Jeff Parles (@jeffparles) October 10, 2026
So James Franklin is 1 – 2 in 1 score games.
— Airborne Hokie (@Louthanjr) October 10, 2026
Yikes…Penn State may not have found the right replacement for Franklin in Matt Campbell, but it’s now plain for all to see why the Nittany Lions felt it was time for something new.