Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) -- The Virginia Tech Hokies open the 2026 season against VMI on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m., welcoming a sold-out crowd to Lane Stadium for their annual Orange Effect game. It is the debut of James Franklin as Virginia Tech head football coach.
The matchup between the Hokies and the Keydets on Sept. 5 marks the 80th head-to-head showdown between the two squads, an in-state rivalry that has not been revisited since 1984. The series itself, however, dates even further, as both teams began squaring off in 1894. “The original Military Classic of the South” - which found itself being played on Thanksgiving Day almost exclusively in Roanoke, Va. from 1913 to 1971 – represents a shared respect for deep-rooted military tradition between the two universities.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) -- The Virginia Tech Hokies open the 2026 season against VMI on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m., welcoming a sold-out crowd to Lane Stadium for their annual Orange Effect game. It is the debut of James Franklin as Virginia Tech head football coach.
The matchup between the Hokies and the Keydets on Sept. 5 marks the 80th head-to-head showdown between the two squads, an in-state rivalry that has not been revisited since 1984. The series itself, however, dates even further, as both teams began squaring off in 1894. “The original Military Classic of the South” - which found itself being played on Thanksgiving Day almost exclusively in Roanoke, Va. from 1913 to 1971 – represents a shared respect for deep-rooted military tradition between the two universities.
