After Virginia Tech football faces VMI in its season opener, it remains in Blacksburg to host Old Dominion in a potential trap game Sept. 12. The Hokies hold a 4-3 record over Old Dominion, though last year’s matchup marked a critical point in the last half-decade — or perhaps further — of Virginia Tech football.
The Hokies fell behind the 8-ball quickly and never recovered, letting the Monarchs run and throw amok to a 28-0 halftime lead. Virginia Tech trailed by as many as 31 and thinned the margin to 19 with as many points in the fourth quarter, losing 45-26. The next day, the Hokies fired head coach Brent Pry. Just under tow months later, Virginia Tech hired new head whistle James Franklin from Penn State.
The truth, however, is that both teams look radically different. The Hokies will start a new signal-caller — almost certainly redshirt sophomore Ethan Grunkemeyer, who followed Franklin from Penn State — though they return several experienced options at wideout and running back in senior WR Ayden Greene, redshirt senior RB Marcellous Hawkins and redshirt freshman RB Jeffrey Overton Jr.
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Old Dominion, however, returns a scant total from its 2025 roster. Gone is ODU’s starting quarterback in 2025, Colton Joseph, who was whisked away to the Big Ten to join the Wisconsin Badgers for this upcoming season. Joseph threw for 2,624 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The dual-threat signal-caller, who was named the Sun Belt offensive Player of the Year, also rushed for 1,007 rushing yards on 158 carries, scoring 13 times on the ground.
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In his stead, Old Dominion does not yet have a definitive answer. Sophomore Quinn Henicle returns after logging 184 passing yards on a 17-for-40 rate in 2025. He served more as a pure runner, logging 209 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns on 44 carries.
Old Dominion also lost its top running back: Trequan Jones. The 5-foot-9 tailback raced off for 792 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 105 totes. He initially committed to Maryland — the school the Hokies will play in Week 3 (Sept. 19) in their first road game of the season — on Jan. 4, but pulled his commitment 11 days later, per 247Sports. On Jan. 26, Jones committed to Tulsa.
Running back Devin Roche is the lone returner from last year’s starting lineup; the then-redshirt sophomore tabbed 630 rushing yards and four scores for 5.7 yards a carry. Roche rolled up yard totals of 145 and 137 agaisnt Troy and Georgia State, respectively.
Like quarterback and running back, the wide receiver room saw a plethora of turnover. Leading receiver Tre’ Brown III (762 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns on 38 receptions) left for LSU, while Ja’Cory Thomas went to Vanderbilt and Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding ventured to Maryland, where he’ll play the Hokies a week after Old Dominion does.
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It’s a telling note that Old Dominion’s top returning receiving production comes from wideout Sidney Mbanasor, who logged 68 receiving yards on six catches. Getting to Mbanasor means passing four wideouts who all left, plus a running back and tight end who are no longer with the program. Those six players — Brown III, Thomas, Abdul-Rahim Gladding, running back Ketravion Hargrove and tight end Dawson Johnson — accounted for a whopping 2,523 receiving yards out of ODU’s total of 2,813.
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As aforementioned, Old Dominion returns only one of its 11 offensive starters, resulting in an aura of mystique but also trepidation. The Monarchs will not feature a signal-caller with extended experience, but neither will the Hokies. Grunkemeyer has only started seven games in his college career (all from last season), while UNC transfer Bryce Baker, redshirt freshman returnee Kelden Ryan and true freshman Troy Huhn all have never seen game action.
VirginiaTech can, and should, take care of business, but the pitfall of facing Old Dominion has been a historical road block. In then-head coach Brent Pry’s first year at the helm of the Hokies, Virginia Tech lost 20-17 to the Monarchs, conceding 10 fourth-quarter points to fall in Norfolk.
This time around, Virginia Tech should have enough to outlast the Monarchs, though things could get chippy.
Virginia Tech’s game against Old Dominion is set to be on Saturday, September 12, at noon ET. The game is currently set to be shown on The CW.
MIDDLEBURG, Va. – Vice President J.D. Vance is eyeing a multimillion-dollar estate in Middleburg, Virginia, to serve as a part-time home for his family, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.
The second family is leasing two of the four properties at Wolver Hill Farm, a sprawling, nearly 500-acre estate situated about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Washington, D.C.
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What we know:
The historic property was acquired five years ago for nearly $9 million by Chuck Kuhn, the owner of J.K. Moving.
According to Michael Neibauer with the Washington Business Journal, there are four homes on the 500-acre property which backs up to the Salamander Middleburg Resort and Spa.
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“I wouldn’t be shocked if the Vance family maybe takes advantage of some of those spa facilities that are celebrated out there,” Neibauer added.
Requests for comment regarding the lease agreements were sent to Kuhn’s company, which has not yet responded.
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The potential move comes at a busy time for the Vances, as Second Lady Usha Vance is currently expecting the couple’s fourth child.
The news has quickly traveled through the heart of Middleburg, a historic town known for its vibrant strip of mom-and-pop shops and popular resorts along East Washington Street.
What they’re saying:
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Business owners along the main thoroughfare were universally aware of their potential new neighbor, though several declined to talk on camera.
The reaction to the Vice President’s potential arrival has been mixed.
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“Well, I figure J.D. is going to—the vice president, excuse me— is going to want to play some golf, and I’m a member of Creighton Farms. So, Mr. Vice President, if you’re watching, you’re always welcome on my tee time,” Upperville resident Luke Mahoney said.
When asked if he has concerns about having a potential Secret Service presence in the community, Mahoney said, “No, it can’t be worse than the people that drive 35 miles an hour on Route 50 during commute times. I think they’re very professional; they do a great job. I’m not really that worried about it.”
The Source: This information is from the Washington Business Journal and FOX5 DC reporting.
Vice President JD Vance is leasing part of a sprawling, multimillion-dollar property in rural Virginia to serve as an additional residence for his family, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.
The new rental residence is part of the historic Wolver Hill Farm, which spans nearly 500 acres on the outskirts of Middleburg, Virginia, a wealthy enclave located a little more than an hour drive from Washington, DC.
Wolver Hill Farm is owned by a firm led by Charles Kuhn, the founder of a moving company that has moved several presidents into and out of the White House, including President Donald Trump. The company is also a longtime government contractor.
Kuhn in recent years has become one of the largest landholders in Virginia, as well as a major player in the development of data centers across the state. In one deal last November, Kuhn’s company reportedly sold a nearly 100-acre parcel of land to a data center investor for $615 million.
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Vance is renting part of the Middleburg property from Kuhn’s firm primarily for his wife and three kids, in what the people familiar described as an effort to provide them with a greater sense of normalcy away from the scrutiny of Washington. The vice president is expected to stay there on occasion, though he and his family are maintaining their official residence at the Naval Observatory.
In a statement, Vance’s personal attorney, Chris Ashby, said the vice president planned to pay market value for the property.
“The rent will be at fair market value, determined with reference to the rent for comparable properties in the area,” Ashby said.
Kuhn did not respond to a request for comment. The Washington Business Journal first reported that the vice president was leasing part of Kuhn’s Wolver Hill Farm.
Vance is the latest major political figure to establish a retreat near the small but well-heeled town of Middleburg, which has a population under 1,000 residents. Former President John F. Kennedy once owned an estate in the area, while former President Ronald Reagan once rented a home in the area to serve as a base of operations during his 1980 presidential campaign.
CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. (7News) — A rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks have been confirmed across four Virginia counties, according to the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District.
The rabid animals were found during the first quarter of 2026 in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.
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They included one bat and one skunk in Culpeper, three raccoons and one skunk in Fauquier, one skunk in Madison and one cat and one skunk in Orange. Officials said no human exposures have been reported.
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The health district said rabies is commonly found in Virginia wildlife, particularly raccoons, skunks and bats. Statewide, 117 animals tested positive for rabies during the first quarter of the year.
SEE ALSO | Flying bats reported near crowd at Maryland fireworks show, officials warn of health risk
Health officials are urging people to stay away from wild animals and unfamiliar pets, make sure dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and report animals acting strangely to local animal control.
