Virginia Tech football opens its season against VMI today, ushering in the James Franklin era and looking to wash away last season's 3-9 result. Read below for a game thread, organized in reverse chronological order.FINAL | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3Virginia Tech is officially 1-0 in the James Franklin era. Six hundred and nineteen yards for the program is the fifth-most in a single game since at least 1987. Virginia Tech will next host Old Dominion on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 12 p.m. ET (TV: The CW).Q4 0:21 | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3Bryce Baker is 10-for-12 for 127 yards and a touchdownQ4 3:58 | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3VMI takes over on downs after Baker throws an incomplete pass intended for Keylen "Brodie" Adams.Q4 5:20 | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3VMI sustained an illegal substitution penalty that enabled Virginia Tech to eventually work its way into enemy territory. Pierce Petersohn also caught his first pass: a three-yarder from Baker.Q4 7:45 | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3Virginia Tech will not notch the shutout. VMI kicker Jack Joyce nailed a 50-yard kick to prevent the Hokies from securing their first shutout since 2019.Q4 10:38 | Virginia Tech 73, VMI 0This is the first time since 1995 that Virginia Tech has cleared the 70-point barrier. In Wildcat formation, AJ Brand punched it in for a one-yard touchdown.Q4 11:07 | Virginia Tech 66, VMI 0The Hokies are at the one-yard line. On a Wildcat play, Brand made a nine-yard gain down the middle.Q4 12:00 | Virginia Tech 66, VMI 0Bryce Baker still in the game. Baker completed a pass to Ja'Ricous Hairston that went for 33 yards.Q3 END | Virginia Tech 66, VMI 0Virginia Tech has 479 net yards. VMI has 28.Q3 0:33 | Virginia Tech 66, VMI 0Keylen "Brodie" Adams just took a 35-yarder to the house around the right, though it got called off for ineligible man downfield. No matter. Bryce Baker found Chanz Wiggins for a 40-yarder. 66 to nothing.Q3 2:56 | Virginia Tech 59, VMI 0Baker completed another pass, a five-yarder to quarterback-turned-wideout A.J. Brand. Was on a third-and-18, though, so the Hokies will punt for the first time today.Q3 3:35 | Virginia Tech 59, VMI 0True freshman Messiah Mickens is into the game. His first rush went for a four-yard gain.Q3 3:55 | Virginia Tech 59, VMI 0Thomas Williams just picked off VMI. The Hokies have their first interception of the year, and they'll take over at midfield. First career INT for Williams.Q3 6:52 | Virginia Tech 59, VMI 0Two-yard touchdown, Marcellous Hawkins. That's his third touchdown of the game and the fifth for the Hokies' running backs. Virginia Tech leads by nearly 60.Q3 8:00 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0First-and-goal for the Hokies. Jeffrey Overton Jr. has passed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career. He's at 102 yards and counting.Q3 10:30 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0Hawkins makes a four-yard gain, then Baker completes his first collegiate pass — a toss to Que'Sean Brown that goes for 14 yards.Q3 11:10 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0Ethan Grunkemeyer's day is done. In comes UNC transfer Bryce Baker. Grunkemeyer's line: 17-for-20, 224 yards, two TDs, no sacks.Q3 11:11 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0Predictably, VMI punts again. Virginia Tech takes over on its 45 with a chance to stretch this lead even further.Q3 12:25 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0Another touchdown. Grunkemeyer found Reynolds for a 21-yard gain on a wheel route. Virginia Tech's lead has reached beyond seven TDs.Q3 12:33 | Virginia Tech 52, VMI 0The Hokies now lead by 52. 21-yard touchdown pass from Grunkemeyer to Luke Reynolds. Grunkemeyer is now 17-for-20 for 224 yards and two scores; Reynolds has 50 yards off five catches.Q3 13:02 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Not a touchdown. Denmark's return TD is nullified. Virginia Tech will start on VMI's 24-yard line. Aycen Stevens logged his first career sack on that last drive.Q3 13:02 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0#Hokies forced another fumble. VMI will punt... and then Tyseer Denmark took it to the house (flag pending...).Q3 START | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Most of the defensive starters are still out there to start the third quarter. VMI started at the 25-yard line, and Quentin Reddish stopped Halim Hardnett two yards behind the line of scrimmage to usher in the second half.HALFTIME | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Reynolds caught a nine-yard pass from Grunkemeyer right before the end of the half. Head coach James Franklin was clamoring that there was a second left on the clock. On the ensuing play, Virginia Tech fumbled on a hook-and-ladder.Q2 0:57 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Fumble. VMI picked it up, but it resulted in a 13-yard loss. The Keydets are now 1-for-8 on third-down conversions.Q2 1:13 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Boehling rushed for a two-yard gain before being stopped by Elhadj Fall and George Ballance. Third-and-8 coming up as we're inching towards the end of the first half. #Hokies up big, as expected. Not expected by this much, this early, though.Q2 1:18 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0VMI has punted on each of its last six drives. This one could be better. JoJo Crump is 2-for-3 for 30 yards as the Keydets are at Virginia Tech's 37 (second-and-10).Q2 2:48 | Virginia Tech 45, VMI 0Cortez Harris blocked the punt — and safety Knahlij Harrell picked it up in the endzone to push the Hokies' advantage past seven touchdowns.Q2 3:00 | Virginia Tech 38, VMI 0Noah Chambers kept Crump from making too major a gain. Crump gained two when he needed eight. VMI will punt again.Q2 3:57 | Virginia Tech 38, VMI 011-yard completion from VMI quarterback JoJo Crump to Cole Vamer. Not a first down since VMI took that delay of game penalty. Is instead third-and-3.]Q2 5:14 | Virginia Tech 38, VMI 0Que'Sean Brown. 51-yard house call after scything through several defenders. That's his first touchdown for Virginia Tech. The Hokies' lead is nearly 40 points.Q2 5:44 | Virginia Tech 31, VMI 0Holding penalty to Virginia Tech's Layth Ghannam. That is the Hokies' fourth penalty of the half. It is now first-and-20 on Virginia Tech's 48. Wiped out a 14-yard gain for Hawkins.Q2 6:30 | Virginia Tech 31, VMI 0Grunkemeyer muscles it out for the first down. They're running with two tight ends right now. The Penn State transfer QB found tight end Luke Reynolds for a seven-yard gain.Q2 7:51 | Virginia Tech 31, VMI 0Virginia Tech still has Grunkemeyer in the game. Hawkins made a nine-yard gain. Then, Grunkemeyer's potential deep-ball throw to Que'Sean Brown was wide.Q2 7:51 | Virginia Tech 31, VMI 0Virginia Tech sustains its third offsides penalty of the evening. This one was on Gerard Johnson III. Keon Wylie then took down JoJo Crump for a two-yard loss. VMI will punt again.Q2 9:58 | Virginia Tech 31, VMI 0Grunkemeyer's pass to Greene was dropped, and Overton was stuffed for a four-yard loss. Virginia Tech doesn't reach paydirt, but John Love's try from 32 yards out was money. Just over 20 minutes of game time in, the Hokies lead by 31.Q2 12:13 | Virginia Tech 28, VMI 0Que'Sean Brown took the VMI punt into enemy territory, and he was stopped at the VMI 47. Brown returned it for a 29-yard gain.Q2 13:29 | Virginia Tech 28, VMI 0Boehling with a one-yard loss. And then... another Virginia Tech sack. That's the fourth of the day. Mylachi Williams and Randy Adirika were the ones to lay down the blow.Q2 14:37 | Virginia Tech 28, VMI 028-point lead for the Hokies. Hawkins gained 12 yards on his first rush, then found the extra one on his next. Virginia Tech now leads by four scores. 129 rushing yards for VT.Q1 END | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Make that 9-of-10 for 83 yards for Ethan Grunkemeyer. Threw a 20-yard completion to Que'Sean Brown along the right sideline, followed by a down-the-seam throw to Greene for nine yards. Hawkins ended the quarter with a 14-yard rush.Q1 1:11 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0VMI punts. Grunkemeyer's first pass of the drive was a 18-yard completion to Que'Sean Brown. Grunkemeyer is now 7-for-8 for 56 yards.Q1 2:13 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Injury timeout. Third-and-5 when we come back. Boehling made gains of four, zero and zero yards, though the four-yard gain was helped by a five-yard offsides penalty on Javion Hilson.Q1 3:30 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Five-yard offsides penalty for Okunlola. VMI has its first first-down of the game.Q1 3:35 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Six-yard gain from Boehling. VMI is now at second-and-4. Thomas Williams is in at corner opposite Joshua Clarke. Samuel Okunlola and Eric Mensah also in at DT and DE, respectively.Q1 4:56 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Love's kick was good (he's now 117-for-117 all-time on PATs), and Virginia Tech has now accumulated 102 rushing yards off eight totes. Grunkemeyer, meanwhile, is 6-of-7 for 38 yards.Q1 4:57 | Virginia Tech 21, VMI 0Jeffrey Overton Jr. — 23-yard touchdown. He's scored two touchdowns today after tabbing one last year in the home finale vs. Miami.Q1 6:45 | Virginia Tech 14, VMI 0QB sneak gets Grunkemeyer the first down.Q1 6:57 | Virginia Tech 14, VMI 0Third-and-1 for the Hokies. Ayden Greene hauled in a nine-yard catch, though a deep ball for Que'Sean Brown was too far for the Duke transfer to corral.Q1 7:26 | Virginia Tech 14, VMI 0That's another sack. Wilson was stopped by Keon Wylie and Aycen Stevens this time. VMI punts. Virginia Tech takes over at its 44.Q1 8:42 | Virginia Tech 14, VMI 0Second sack of the game from the Hokies (Kaleb Spencer). VMI is at -6 rushing yards right now.Q1 9:30 | Virginia Tech 14, VMI 0Well, that was immediate. Marcellous Hawkins just went straight up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown, and the Hokies' lead is now 14. Decisive.Q1 9:35 | Virginia Tech 7, VMI 0Wow. Hokies safety Tyson Flowers just blocked the punt and Virginia Tech takes over at the nine-yard line.Q1 10:15 | Virginia Tech 7, VMI 0VMI tailback Leo Boehling tried to go up the middle, but he made no gain. Wilson was then sacked by Harris. (Wilson's first rush is now counted as a one-yard loss). Harris' first career sack.Q1 11:08 | Virginia Tech 7, VMI 0VMI's Chandler Wilson stuffed for no gain by Hokies DE Cortez Harris and DT Kemari Copeland. Second-and-10.Q1 11:41 | Virginia Tech 7, VMI 0Q1 11:41 | Virginia Tech 7, VMI 0That 50-yard burst from Overton was a career-high. 62 yards on four carries for the Hokies' backs on the opening drive. They lead by seven.Q1 12:00 | Virginia Tech 0, VMI 0The Hokies come up big. Hawkins got a one-yard gain.Q1 12:45 | Virginia Tech 0, VMI 0One-yard gain. Virginia Tech is going for it on fourth-and-1.Q1 13:30 | Virginia Tech 0, VMI 0Seven-yard haul by tight end Luke Reynolds. His first reception as a Hokie. Third-and-2 for Virginia Tech.Q1 START | Virginia Tech 0, VMI 0Grunkemeyer completed his first pass. Was a five-yarder to wide receiver Que'Sean Brown. Running back Marcellous Hawkins followed with a 10-yard dash for the Hokies' first first-down of the season.Q1 START | Virginia Tech 0, VMI 0VMI's kick goes into the endzone for a touchback. Virginia Tech starts on its own 25-yard line.Pre-Game NotesHere's the starters for the Hokies for the opener:OffenseQB: Ethan GrunkemeyerRB: Marcellous HawkinsWR: Davion "FatRat" Brown, Que'Sean Brown, Ayden GreeneTE: Luke Reynolds; Benji Gosnell OR Ja'Ricous HairstonOL (L-R): Justin Terry (LT), Layth Ghannam (LG), Kyle Altuner (C), Montavious Cunningham (RG), Aidan Lynch (RT)DefenseDL (L-R): Aycen Stevens, Kemari Copeland, Elhadj Fall, Cortez HarrisLB: Kaleb Spencer, Noah Chambers, Keon WylieNB: Isaiah Brown-MurrayCB: Jaquez White, Joshua ClarkeS: Quentin Reddish, Tyson FlowersAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow