On College GameDay, Pete Thamel gave an update on where former Penn State head coach James Franklin is headed.
Top candidates for Penn State's next head coach as another name is wiped off the list
“Resolution on his candidacy at Virginia Tech is expected in the upcoming days," Thamel said. "Look, Tech is still running a full search. They’re engaged with other candidates, but I can confirm mutual interest right now in the potential resolution early next week, and we’ll see if James Franklin is coaching in the ACC next season.”
The Hokies fired Brent Pry after an 0-3 start to the 2025 season and three weeks later, Franklin was booted out of Happy Valley.
Pete Thamel says James Franklin to Virginia Tech is a likely match soon to be announced
Talks of Franklin headed to Virginia Tech isn't new. ESPN analyst Joey Galloway said on a podcast with Kirk Herbstreit that it's likely for Franklin to take up a head coaching position soon.
Galloway said that the former Nittany Lions head coach could bring the Hokies to a double digit-win season, something they haven't had since 2016. Franklin turned Vanderbilt and Penn State into winning teams, and he would immediately spark an upgrade at Virginia Tech as well.
James Franklin and Virginia Tech are engaged in the early stages of talks about him becoming the football program's next head coach, per @PeteThamel. pic.twitter.com/qbCkHnWSgC
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 15, 2025
Even though his buyout is significant, Franklin is itching to get back to a College Football Playoff and win a national championship. He said on his College GameDay appearance that he plans on winning a national title, even if it's not with Penn State. He can't do that unless he's on the sidelines at the helm with another team. It would be shocking if he didn't find his new home before the CFP is underway.
Since Franklin is the hottest name on the market in terms of available coaches, getting him locked down early on is a smart move. Coaches are inking extensions left and right, taking their names off the table, and there might be SEC spots that start to target Franklin hard. If the Hokies put their eggs in Franklin's basket, that would be their "home run hire" that the Nittany Lions are still on the hunt for.