Virginia Tech football goes unranked in second major poll and that's just fine

One week ago, the Virginia Tech football team was snubbed in the Preseason Coaches Top 25 Poll, coming in as the third team out at No. 28 in the also receiving votes group. Fast forward one week later and Monday, the Associated Press Top 25 Poll was released and the Hokies were ranked as the second team out receiving votes.

That's the two biggest preseason polls to begin the season and neither has Virginia Tech ranked. For the first time in some time, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the program with a ton of retainment from the 2023 roster and some key transfer portal additions. Despite all of that, as usual, the SEC and Big Ten ruled the AP poll and in the bigger picture, that's just fine.

Virginia Tech to begin the season unranked and that's just fine

Is Brent Pry & Co. going to sneak up on people? No, most likely not, however, expect the Hokies, if they remain healthy of course, to have a say in the ACC race this fall and climb past their win total of six games in the regular-season from last year.

Virginia Tech plays its first four games against non-conference opponents before they begin ACC play in South Florida on Sept. 27 against Miami, which came in at No. 19 in the AP Top 25. Rutgers the weekend before will be a tough challenge and one that the Hokies are going to need before conference play begins, but there are plenty of chances in the first month for Pry's team to show that they were passed over before the season started.

Aside from the Hurricanes, Clemson was the only other team on Virginia Tech's schedule that is in the AP Top 25 coming in at No. 14. Florida State was the highest-ranked ACC school at No. 10, and North Carolina State was the fourth and final conference team ranked at No. 24. Louisville was one spot ahead of the Hokies in receiving votes.