Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - After claiming a second-straight home victory with a 44-21 win over Old Dominion this past Saturday, James Franklin and the Hokies will hit the road as they face the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The matchup serves as the first road matchup of the Hokies’ 2026 regular season campaign.
Behind program momentum and consecutive victories, the Hokies visit the Terrapins for what promises to be a game fans won’t want to miss. Read below for the First Look at this weekend’s road matchup.
How to Follow:
TV: The game will be televised on FS1 with Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman on the call.
Radio: The Virginia Tech Sports Network can be heard on 40+ radio stations across the Commonwealth including 105.3 FM in Blacksburg. Bill Roth will handle play-by-play duties while Mike Burnop provides color commentary and Evan Hughes reports from the sideline.
Streaming: Catch the game online on FS1 via FOX One or on the FS1 app.
Live Audio: Listen to live audio coverage of the matchup at HokieSports.com/listen or through the HokieSports mobile app.
Live Stats: Monitor the game through live stats on HokieSports.com, including play-by-play updates and full team and individual statistics.
Social Media: Stay connected with the Hokies on Twitter (@HokiesFB), Instagram (@hokiesfb), and Facebook (@VirginiaTechFB).
Storylines to Follow:
Tech’s matchup against Maryland serves as the first non-conference Power Four matchup with Franklin at the helm.
While the Hokies have already emerged victorious over two non-conference opponents in the 2026 regular season, Saturday’s game marks the first Power Four non-conference game Tech will play this year. The Terrapins, who were previously a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since its inception in 1953, departed for the Big Ten in 2014.
The two teams experienced a majority of their 32 head-to-head matchups as conference competitors, with the last regular season game being played in Blacksburg on Nov. 16, 2013. Maryland holds a narrow 17-15 regular-season advantage since the two teams began competing in 1919.
Saturday’s primetime contest will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Franklin, who coached with the Terrapins from 2000-04 and 2008-10.
Franklin, whose résumé speaks to excellence in leadership and coaching over multiple decades, will lead the Hokies into College Park on Saturday, a place where the Pennsylvania native spent multiple years throughout the 2000s.
From 2000-04, Franklin oversaw the Terrapins’ wide receiver room while also serving as a recruiting coordinator. The now-Tech coach’s first stint in College Park was punctuated by the role he played in the 2001 season that saw Maryland earn a 10-2 record and the ACC Championship. Further, Franklin’s work as an assistant head coach/offensive coordinator from 2008-10 led the team to winning seasons in 2008 and 2010.
Players to Watch:
Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer
Standing at 6-foot-2, 213 pounds and hailing from Lewis Center, Ohio, Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has turned heads in his first two starts of the 2026 campaign. The junior posted a career-high 327 passing yards against Old Dominion this past Saturday, doing so on a 73.8% completion percentage while accounting for three total touchdowns on the day.
Tech’s starting gunslinger found a staggering 10 different receivers through the air against the Monarchs, with tight end Luke Reynolds leading the charge behind eight receptions for 108 yards and two scores. Grunkemeyer’s performance was the first time a Tech starting quarterback posted over 325 passing yards in a win since quarterback Ryan Willis did so in 2018, upsetting then-No. 22 Duke in a road victory, 31-14.
Defensive Lineman Mylachi Williams
Philadelphia, Penn. native Mylachi Williams has been a pillar of a Tech defense that currently leads the country in total tackles for loss (32) and sacks (12) through two weeks of the 2026 college football season. The junior joined in on the fun Saturday, posting a team-high 3.5 TFLs for 21 yards and a pair of sacks for 13 yards.
Williams’ shining moment against the Monarchs, however, was when his defense turned into offense for the Hokies. After flying around the right side of Old Dominion’s offensive line and dropping a powerful hit onto quarterback Quinn Henicle, teammate Tyson Flowers corralled the forced fumble and dashed into the end zone for six. The play, which gave Tech a 17-0 lead, would be Williams’ first of two forced fumbles in the game.
Wide Receiver Que’Sean Brown
The elite speed and fast twitch of Hokies wideout and special teams weapon Que’Sean Brown was on full display against the Monarchs on Saturday. Brown hauled in seven receptions for 41 yards throughout the game, but a dazzling 79-yard punt return in the second quarter punctuated the true senior’s day. The return set up the Hokies in the red zone as the half crept to a close, and placekicker John Love split the upright to add to the lead.
Through two games this season, Brown has snagged 13 receptions for 150 yards and a score alongside three punt returns for 117 yards.