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James Franklin calls Virginia Tech high-five penalty 'un-American' after VMI rout

9/6/2026

Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin walked off the field Saturday with a 70-point victory and a complaint.

The Hokies dismantled VMI 73-3 in Blacksburg, but Franklin's attention after the final whistle landed on a flag thrown against his own player for celebrating with military cadets, a call he described as "somewhat un-American." The play in question came with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Running back Marcellous Hawkins Jr. punched in his third touchdown of the game, then ran directly to a group of cadets in the front row and high-fived them.

An official near the end zone threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. Franklin's read on it was blunt: "We got a penalty for high-fiving one of our members of the core.

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