Virginia Tech

James Franklin arrives in Blacksburg with a massive transfer portal haul that transforms Virginia Tech from the bottom of the ACC into a legitimate contender. The Hokies added 114.6 points of PPA value through 27 portal arrivals, led by quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (48.1 PPA) who followed Franklin from Penn State, plus receivers Que'Sean Brown (32.1 PPA from Duke) and Marlion Jackson (17.9 PPA from Louisiana Tech). Franklin's offense rates 32nd nationally at +3.3 points above average after last year's 3-9 disaster, though the defense remains a question mark at just +0.3 points (#60). The Hokies lost key receivers Isaiah Spencer (13.7 PPA to Ole Miss), Cameron Seldon (8.9 PPA to South Florida), and Devin Alves (5.7 PPA to Hawaii), but the incoming talent more than compensates for those departures.

JP+ projects 7.3 wins for Virginia Tech, a dramatic improvement that reflects Franklin's ability to immediately upgrade talent through the portal. Road games at Miami, SMU, and Clemson will test whether this rebuilt roster can compete with the ACC's elite, while home contests against Stanford, Old Dominion, and VMI offer opportunities to build momentum. If Grunkemeyer can replicate his Penn State production and the defense improves beyond its middling rating, the Hokies could push for nine wins and an ACC Championship Game appearance. If not, seven or eight wins still represents a massive step forward from last season's wreckage.