Ahead of this Saturday’s matchup between Virginia Tech and Clemson, Hokies head coach James Franklin expressed a “ton of respect” for Dabo Swinney, the Clemson football program and the university as a whole.

Speaking at his Monday press conference, Franklin sang the praises of Swinney and the Tigers.

“Obviously our attention shifts to Clemson. A program, a coach, a university that we’ve got a ton of respect for,” Franklin said. “Been doing it at a high level for a long time. Run a first-class operation, and obviously football has been successful and important and invested in the right way for a long time, and they’ve done a really, really good job.”

The primetime showdown between the Tigers and Hokies at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, set for 7 p.m. on ESPN, will mark the first time that Franklin and Swinney face each other as head coaches.

Franklin highlighted his longstanding relationship with Swinney, noting that the two have gotten to known each other well over the years, and their wives are also close friends.

“Obviously I’ve known Dabo for a long time,” Franklin said. “Obviously, I got history of playing at Clemson, from when I was at Maryland [as an assistant coach]. Dabo and myself have been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife, my wife are close. So, got a lot of respect for what he’s done in his career. Got a lot of respect for what he’s done for Clemson and the ACC.”

Virginia Tech is looking to build momentum after bouncing back from two straight losses with a 34-24 win over Georgia Tech last Saturday, while Clemson is coming off a 37-0 shutout of Charleston Southern.

Franklin emphasized the “challenge” that facing Clemson presents.

“This will be a challenge,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind, and probably anybody that really studies college football closely, it’s one of the more talented rosters. They always are, and it’s going to be a challenge.

“So, we’re looking forward to going there. Should be a great environment. Two teams battling that are both getting better.”

Saturday will mark Virginia Tech’s first trip to Clemson since 2012.

Clemson leads the all-time football series against Virginia Tech 24–12–1 across 37 meetings dating back to 1900. The Tigers have won seven straight games in the series, with all of those victories coming during Swinney’s tenure.

“Tremendous challenge,” Franklin added. “A bunch of athletes running all over the field. A lot of history, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity.”