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Virginia Tech Hokies

ACC·2-0·
Elo
1421#85
SP+
12.4#25
FPI
9.3
AP
NR
Next@ Maryland · Wk 3Win prob 35%Model +6.1
Talent #27 (769.1)Recruiting class #3037% production returning

Roster · 122 players

FR 49SO 33JR 18SR 22
#PlayerPosClHtWt
12Kelden RyanQBFR6'1"197
14Troy HuhnQBFR6'4"222
17Ethan GrunkemeyerQBSO6'2"218
22Bryce BakerQBFR6'2"212
16Jeffrey Overton Jr.RBFR5'9"205
23Tyler MasonRBSO5'10"211
26Messiah MickensRBFR5'10"212
27Marcellous HawkinsRBSR5'10"223
32Bill DavisRBJR5'9"230
35John BuetowRBSO5'8"213
46Darius TaylorRBJR5'11"243
49Gray PetersonRBSO6'3"220
0Ayden GreeneWRSR6'1"194
2Takye HeathWRJR5'9"172
3Que'Sean BrownWRJR5'8"170
5Marlion JacksonWRSR6'2"207
6Keylen AdamsWRSO6'0"192
7Chanz WigginsWRSO6'3"202
15Shamarius PeterkinWRSO6'2"183
18A.J. BrandWRFR6'1"210
19Tyseer DenmarkWRSO5'10"183
20Jeff Exinor Jr.WRFR6'1"218
28Drew HubeWRFR6'0"207
80L.J. BookerWRFR6'2"200
81Israel HairstonWRSO5'8"181
83Luke StueweWRFR6'2"195
86Joseph HobbsWRFR5'11"189
Davion BrownWRFR6'1"202
Hudson ZellWRFR5'11"190
13Ja'Ricous HairstonTEJR6'2"251
36Brody JonesTEJR6'3"242
44Matt HendersonTEFR6'5"243
82Benji GosnellTESR6'4"250
85Luke ReynoldsTEJR6'4"250
87Harrison Saint GermainTESR6'4"246
99Cole ReemsnyderTESR6'5"238
Pierce PetersohnTEFR6'4"220
50Nathaniel WrightOLFR6'4"308
51Elijah HaughawoutOLSO6'3"315
53Tommy RicardOLSO6'3"307
54Michael Troutman IIIOLFR6'2"316
56Layth GhannamOLJR6'4"314
57Lucas AustinOLSO6'5"305
58Roseby LubintusOLFR6'5"374
61Justin BellOLFR6'6"327
62Kyle AltunerOLSO6'3"302
65Tyrell SimpsonOLFR6'7"354
66Montavious CunninghamOLSR6'3"318
70Logan HowlandOLJR6'6"325
71Gavin CrawfordOLFR6'0"320
72Justin TerryOLSO6'5"358
74Marlen BrightOLFR6'6"310
75Benjamin EziukaOLFR6'2"324
76Aidan LynchOLSO6'6"319
77Brody MeadowsOLSR6'7"342
79Johnny GarrettOLSR6'5"323
Thomas WilderOLFR6'6"313
Maddox CochraneOLFR6'6"284
Buddy WegdamOLFR6'5"296
13Kemari CopelandDLSR6'2"290
31Jason AbbeyDLJR6'3"256
32Deric DandyDLSO6'2"255
34Cortez HarrisDLFR6'2"247
36Randy AdirikaDLFR6'2"316
37Mylachi WilliamsDLSO6'3"253
40Javion HilsonDLFR6'3"245
42Aycen StevensDLJR6'5"260
44Brett ClatterbaughDLFR6'1"250
45Eric MensahDLSO6'2"322
51Samuel OkunlolaDLSR6'3"249
52Sherrod HendersonDLFR6'2"242
54Grant KarczewskiDLJR6'7"292
55Gerard Johnson IIIDLSO6'4"293
56Daniel JenningsDLFR6'1"248
58Zeke ChinwikeDLFR6'5"258
63Kamren JohnsonDLFR6'3"243
88Christian EvansDLFR6'2"298
90Andrew HanchukDLSO6'5"294
91Garrett WitheringtonDLFR6'3"305
94Elhadj FallDLSR6'3"301
95T-Ron Richardson Jr.DLFR6'2"289
99Emmett LawsDLSO6'0"302
Tyson HarleyDLFR6'2"243
3Kaleb SpencerLBSR6'1"229
12Gabe WilliamsLBSO6'4"235
16Noah ChambersLBSO6'1"228
19Mathieu LamahLBFR6'3"231
26Antwone SantiagoLBSR6'2"233
30Curtis Jones Jr.LBJR6'1"234
33Keon WylieLBJR6'2"231
38John-Patrick OatesLBFR6'1"223
39Terry WigginsLBFR6'3"213
41George BallanceLBJR5'11"233
2Jaquez WhiteCBSR5'11"190
5Joshua ClarkeCBSO6'1"187
9Isaiah Brown-MurrayCBSR5'9"198
18Amauri PolydorCBFR6'0"187
20Cam Chadwick Jr.CBJR5'11"201
22Kenny Woseley Jr.CBSO5'11"187
23Thomas WilliamsCBJR5'11"187
29Jahmari DeLoatchCBFR5'9"180
35Jojo CrimCBSO5'11"178
43Josh JonesCBSO5'10"194
47Daniel GarvinCBFR6'0"185
Zaevion ClevelandCBFR6'2"193
1DQ SmithDBSR6'1"219
0Quentin ReddishSSO6'2"193
6Jordan BassSSR6'3"212
7Sherrod Covil Jr.SSR5'10"202
11Tyson FlowersSSR5'11"213
14Sheldon RobinsonSSO6'2"211
15Brennan JohnsonSSO5'11"198
24Tyrell Grant Jr.SFR6'0"200
28Knahlij HarrellSSO5'11"189
17John LovePKSR5'11"192
92Aiden DaughertyPKSO5'11"185
98Will LovePKFR6'1"197
93Cole ByrdPFR6'1"200
95Nathan TottenPJR6'1"231
Luke JonesPFR6'1"221
49Deed CapperLSSO6'2"223
96Christian EplingLSSR6'1"222

Team Statistics · per game, with national FBS rank

Points / game
58.5
scoring offense
Points allowed
12.0
scoring defense
Differential
+46.5
per game
Offense
Total yards / game
517.5#20
Yards / play
6.6#46
Passing yards / game
339.0#11
Rushing yards / game
178.5#63
First downs / game
28.0#12
3rd down %
44.8%#56
4th down %
80.0%#27
Time of possession
33:29#27
Defense
Yards allowed / game
196.5#11
Yards / play allowed
3.6#14
Pass yards allowed / game
137.0#21
Rush yards allowed / game
59.5#9
3rd down % allowed
20.0%#10
Sacks
12#1
Tackles for loss
32#1
Turnovers & Discipline
Turnover margin
0#69
Takeaways
4#22
Giveaways
4#105
Penalties / game
8.5#114
Penalty yards / game
62.5#92

Rank is national among all FBS teams (#1 = best), oriented so higher rank = better even for defensive and discipline metrics. Bars show percentile.

Scouting Report · 2026 projection

balanced

Virginia Tech is in year 1 under James Franklin, whose offenses have been balanced. The strengths are offensive, led by 31st at staying out of the backfield. The way in is 122nd at closing out passing downs, and they are 120th at staying on schedule through the air.

On fourth down he goes for it about as often as his peers do from the same spots (+0.4%). Against what the expected-points model recommends he is −31.8% — the profession as a whole is negative on this.

Virginia Tech has not played an FBS opponent yet, so this is the projection: last season regressed toward the mean, plus returning production, recruiting, talent and whether the staff is the same one.

Projected strengths

  • Offensegetting stopped at the line
    #31
    projected

Projected soft spots

  • Defensesurviving second and twelve
    #122
    projected
  • Offensestaying on schedule through the air
    #120
    projected
  • Defensestaying on schedule through the air
    #119
    projected

Each bar is where this team sits in the country. Before the season has produced enough football these are PROJECTIONS — last season regressed to the mean, plus talent, returning production, recruiting and whether the staff is the same one — and the season replaces them as it is played. Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.

2026 Season Projection

model win prob · 10 to play
6.06.0
projected final record (now 20)
Exp. wins left
4.0
of 10 games
Bowl odds
64%
reach 6 wins
Best odds
74%
vs Stanford
Toughest
9%
vs Miami

How the season could finish · 2026 · chance of each final win total · 10 games left

Every remaining game simulated from the model's win probability for it. Tallest bar is the single likeliest finish, not a prediction that it happens.

23456789101112
final winstallest bar = 28% chance
Likeliest finish 6-6 (28%)Bowl eligible 64% · marked on the axis at 6

Player Value

EPA contribution by position group + estimated NIL market value (derived from position rates and on-field production — not actual deal figures).

Unit Value — Total EPA
QBEthan Grunkemeyer
+30.2 EPA
TEBenji Gosnell, Luke Reynolds +1
+17.1 EPA
WRAyden Greene, Marlion Jackson +1
+12.0 EPA
RBJeffrey Overton Jr., Marcellous Hawkins
+3.2 EPA

Total EPA produced by each positional group this season. OL value is captured via the rush/pass efficiency of skill players; OL-specific EPA isn't separately reported.

Estimated NIL Market Value
ESTIMATED
EPA +30.20.530/play57 snaps

Estimated from position-group market rates and on-field EPA contribution. Actual NIL valuations depend on social media following, brand fit, and market negotiations — these figures are directional only.

The Five Factors

ranked vs. FBS · bar = better
Efficiency (PPA)
Off0.4691st#13
Def-0.1596th#7
Explosiveness
Off1.3979th#30
Def1.961st#138
Field position
Off63.79th#126
Def71.163rd#52
Finishing (pts/opp)
Off5.2484th#23
Def1.6094th#9
Turnovers
Won 4Lost 4
Margin 0

Opponent-adjusted efficiency

EPA/play vs. schedule
Offense
Defense
Off · pass
0.5377th#32
Off · rush
0.4292nd#12

Pass vs. rush (PPA)

Rushing
Off0.4291st#14
Def-0.1478th#31
Passing
Off0.5377th#33
Def0.2052nd#67

Trenches & disruption

Line yards (off)
2.68#110
2nd-level / open-field
1.40 / 1.73
Power / stuff (off)
63.6% / 25.0%
Havoc — total (def)
39.4%#1
Havoc — front 7 / DB
36.5% / 2.9%

Standard vs. passing downs

Pro
Std downs
Off0.33
Def-0.11
Pass downs
Off0.86
Def-0.19

PPA on each down type (off vs. def).

Opponent-adjusted by down

Pro
1st2nd3rd
Offense0.21#350.34#480.89#21
Defense-0.43#2-0.05#320.37#73

Elo Trajectory

VMIFinal
Elo rating 14211469+48 over season

Team Fingerprint · 2026 · 31 opponent-adjusted metrics · percentile vs 138 FBS teams

Plot these →
worst in FBSbest

Efficiency

  • Offense EPA/play0.5487th
  • Defense EPA/play allowed-0.4499th
  • Offense success rate65%96th
  • Defense success rate allowed9%99th

Downs

  • Offense success — standard downs70%96th
  • Offense success — passing downs14%6th
  • Defense success allowed — standard downs4%99th
  • Defense success allowed — passing downs13%92nd

Explosiveness

  • Offense explosiveness1.128th
  • Defense explosiveness allowed1.82nd
  • Offense explosiveness — standard downs1.167th
  • Offense explosiveness — passing downs0.581st

Trenches

  • Offense line yards4.190th
  • Defense line yards allowed-0.2599th
  • Offense highlight yards1.565th
  • Defense highlight yards allowed0.2872nd
  • Offense power success0.9075th
  • Defense power success allowed0.0099th
  • Offense stuff rate0.0299th
  • Defense stuff rate0.5999th

Third down

  • Third down conversion38%34th
  • Third down distance faced6.366th
  • Third down conversion allowed13%92nd
  • Third down distance forced10.196th

Halves

  • Net success rate — first half0.6499th
  • Net success rate — second half0.4998th

Roster

  • Returning usage28%30th
  • Returning EPA94.346th
  • Team talent composite76981st
  • Recruiting class rank30.079th
  • Recruiting class points22679th

Every metric is opponent-adjusted and ranked so that higher is always better — a defensive rate that is good when low is ranked accordingly. Sack and tackle-for-loss composition are deliberately absent: their relationship to team quality is a measured null, so they carry a style rather than a rank, and they appear in the pressure signature instead.

Intelligence Report

Offensive DNA

Balanced attack — top 10 nationally by EPA/play
EPA/play
+0.457#13 · top 20%
Pass EPA/play
+0.528#33
Rush EPA/play
+0.419#14
Explosiveness
1.393#30
Pts/opportunity
5.24#23
Success rate
52.6%

Pass efficiency edge: 0.109 EPA/play

🛡

Defensive Identity

High-pressure defense — top 5 nationally in EPA/play allowed
EPA/play allowed
-0.147#7 · elite
Havoc rate (total)
39.4%#1
Front-7 havoc
36.5%
DB havoc
2.9%
Big play rate allowed
1.965#138
Success rate allowed
24.0%

Disruption comes primarily from the front seven.

📊

Season Signature

58.5 PPG offense, 12.0 allowed — +46.5 margin/game
Points per game
58.5
Points allowed/game
12.0
Scoring margin/game
+46.5
Turnover margin
+0won 4 · lost 4
Production returning
37%
Talent rank (247)
#27

2-0 record through 2 games.

Team Shape · percentile vs. FBS · dashed = 50th

OFFENSE91thEXPLOSIVENESS79thFINISHING84thFIELD POS9thDEFENSE96thHAVOC100th50th100th
Offense
91th
Explosiveness
79th
Finishing
84th
Field Pos
9th
Defense
96th
Havoc
100th

Each axis = national percentile rank. 100th = best in FBS, 0th = worst. Defense and Havoc are oriented so higher = better.

CORE efficiency · situation and opponent removed

Points per 100 plays above average, after the game state is regressed out of every snap and the schedule is solved out across the whole league. The version of this team’s efficiency that can be compared to a team it never played.

Overall
-0.8
#73
Offense
+0.9
#56
Defense
+1.6
#87
Full CORE ratings →

National Landscape · 2026 FBS · offense vs. defense EPA/play

Each dot = one FBS team. Virginia Tech is highlighted. Tap or hover a dot for details.

ELITEDEF. FORTRESSOFF. POWERHOUSEREBUILDING-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.30-0.050.00+0.10+0.20Offensive EPA/play← worsebetter →Defensive EPA allowed/play← worsebetter →

Similar Programs

Teams with the closest offense + defense efficiency profile to Virginia Tech in 2026

by EPA/play distance
VirginiaSP+ +11.5
Off EPA/play +0.430Def EPA/play -0.107Elo 1652
Match
97%
Notre DameSP+ +26.8
Off EPA/play +0.464Def EPA/play -0.225Elo 2021
Match
96%
TennesseeSP+ +19.9
Off EPA/play +0.406Def EPA/play -0.059Elo 1691
Match
94%
Mississippi StateSP+ +9.4
Off EPA/play +0.586Def EPA/play -0.125Elo 1584
Match
92%
MarylandSP+ +9.1
Off EPA/play +0.348Def EPA/play -0.059Elo 1424
Match
92%
South CarolinaSP+ +16.7
Off EPA/play +0.347Def EPA/play -0.047Elo 1742
Match
91%

Similarity = normalized Euclidean distance on season offensive and defensive EPA/play. Teams within ±0.02 EPA/play on both units score >90%.

Program Trajectory · CORE rating · 20152026 · points per game vs an average FBS team

2015: -0.1, #69 of 1282016: +13.9, #17 of 1282017: +12.1, #25 of 1302018: -3.4, #84 of 1302019: +5.4, #43 of 1302020: +5.6, #43 of 1242021: -4.3, #85 of 1302022: -6.9, #88 of 1312023: +8.6, #35 of 1332024: +5.4, #48 of 1342025: -9.5, #94 of 1362026: -0.8, #73 of 138
20152026
Now -0.8 · #73 of 138Best +13.9 in 2016Worst -9.5 in 2025

Program History

recent seasons
YearOverallConfWin %xWLuck
20262-00-0
100%
1.9+0.1
20253-92-6
25%
3.5-0.5
20246-74-4
46%
7.2-1.2
20237-65-3
54%
7.1-0.1
20223-81-6
27%
5.0-2.0
20216-74-5
46%
6.9-0.9
20205-65-5
45%
6.8-1.8
20198-55-3
62%
8.6-0.6
20186-74-4
46%
4.6+1.4
20179-45-3
69%
8.9+0.1

xW = expected wins from per-game dominance. Luck = actual − expected (positive = won close games).

7.8%of 50,000 simulated 2026 seasons end with them in the field

0-0 so far, projected to finish 7.2-4.9. Top-four bye in 1.6%. Wins the ACC in 3.8%.

If they finish with…

100%
0 losses
99%
1 loss
43%
2 losses
2.6%
3 losses
0.1%
4 losses

Their chance of making it at each final loss count. Better than even up to 1.

Win out and it is 100%. Running the table settles it.

down 1.3 points since preseason.

  • At 1 loss they are 99% where the average ACC team is 98%.
  • The ACC takes 1.54 bids in an average season, and four or more in 0.7%.

Virginia Tech’s own turning points

Points of playoff probability between winning and losing.

  • wk12at Miami27.2
  • wk10at SMU14.8
  • wk13vs Virginia13.1
  • wk5vs Pittsburgh12.7
  • wk8at Clemson12.6
  • wk3at Maryland10.8

Who to root for

Games Virginia Tech is not in that move its odds most. Same units, much smaller scale.

  • wk3Wake Forest over Miami2.3
  • wk7Florida State over Miami1.8
  • wk11Duke over Miami1.6
  • wk9North Carolina over Miami1.3
  • wk8Pittsburgh over Miami1.2
  • wk6Maryland over Ohio State1.1
The full playoff picture →

ACC

0-0 in league play, projected 4.8-4.26 of 17 by title odds
3.8%
Wins the ACC
9.8%
Reaches the title game

The ACC sends its top two by conference winning percentage, head-to-head breaking a tie. The last berth is level on percentage in 37% of simulated seasons, so a tiebreaker decides it about that often.

  • wk12Virginia Tech at Miami16.6
  • wk10Virginia Tech at SMU7.5
  • wk5Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech6.5
  • wk13Virginia at Virginia Tech6.4

Points of title probability riding on each result. The whole ACC race →

If not the playoff, then

76%
Bowl eligible
67%
Placed in a bowl
7.8%
In the playoff
25%
Season over in November

Virginia Tech is 1-0 and needs 5 more wins from 11 games to reach the six that make a team eligible — at most one of which may come against an FCS opponent. In 1.6% of seasons they get there and still go nowhere: there are more eligible teams than seats.

  • Holiday Bowl7.8%
  • Pop-Tarts Bowl7.6%
  • Sun Bowl7.6%
  • Gator Bowl7.6%
  • Duke's Mayo Bowl7.4%
  • Pinstripe Bowl7.2%

Every bowl, and how each one picks →

Recruiting Pipelines

since 2010

Of the 170 high-school programs with a pipeline page here, 6 have sent Virginia Tech a player since 2010 — 26 signees between them. Where they signed, not where they were offered, and not a complete list of Virginia Tech's feeder schools: only these 170 have the outcome history to measure.

High schoolSignedDrafted
Highland SpringsVA80
DeMatha CatholicMD50
Fork Union Military AcademyVA50
St. Frances AcademyMD40
Trinity Christian AcademyFL22
Paramus CatholicNJ20
All 170 high-school pipelines →
✓/✗ = whether our pregame model picked the winner. Win % & projections from the Gridpex model. Data: CollegeFootballData.