3 College Football Playoff contenders who give Virginia Tech zero excuse not to be one

When the season started, the Virginia Tech football team was seen as a dark horse contender for the 12-team College Football Playoff, but things have not gone as planned. Eleven weeks through the 2024 season and the Hokies sit at 5-5, which is very disappointing. This was supposed to be the year with all the retainment and transfer portal additions.

Outside of Blacksburg, some programs are in a dogfight to get into the expanded CFP field as both a conference champion and an at-large team. Three schools were in the first official release last week and those three teams are likely to remain in there this week. All three teams give Virginia Tech zero excuse to not be in the field, or even in the conversation for the new 12-team field this season.

Miami

The Hurricanes suffered their first loss on the scoreboard this past weekend at Georgia Tech and now are in a battle with Clemson for the second spot in the ACC Championship Game behind undefeated SMU. The Mustangs have plenty of work to do, but they are leading the 17-team conference as the lone unbeaten with three weeks left.

Virginia Tech lost by four points at Miami in September and we all remember why. Yes, the overturned Hail Mary touchdown pass on the final play. However, they would have never been in that spot if it had not been for a few questionable calls by the coaching staff. Don't tell me that Miami is head and shoulder better than the Hokies on paper. It's concerning when Mario Cristobal outcoaches you and makes fewer clock management mistakes.

Indiana

Curt Cignetti is in his first season with the Hoosiers and he has them on pace to be an at-large team, at worse this season. Indiana has been the biggest surprise this season, but they have done what teams who have an eye on the postseason do, they take care of the business in front of them.

Has their schedule been difficult? No, but Cignetti and his staff have them ready to play on a weekly basis and they win the close games, something we can't say Virginia Tech does. No need to look much further than Indiana as a team and the Hokies should have no excuses not to be in at least the conversation at this point in the season.

BYU

See above. The Cougars do what good teams do, they find a way to win games at home and on the road. No more evidence than Saturday night, trailing Utah on the road, they took advantage of a holding penalty on fourth down (yes, it was a penalty) to keep the drive alive and drive for the game-winning field goal.

As a reference point, Virginia Tech is the one that is letting teams drive down the field late in games to win or force overtime (Vanderbilt and Syracuse) and then win the extra session. BYU closes out games and the Hokies do not. If they did, they would be in the conversation or better yet, in the field as all five losses were winnable in the second half. Yes, Clemson was winnable in the second half.