Virginia Tech Football: National CFB writer has interesting take through two weeks

Going into the season, the Virginia Tech football team was a darling team to be in the hunt for a berth in the new 12-team College Football Playoff field. That bubble felt like it burst in Week 1 when the Hokies went to Vanderbilt, a team picked to finish last in the SEC this fall, and lost in overtime, 34-27. It was a result that sent shock waves through college football.

While it feels like the Hokies' chances to get into the CFP took a major hit, and they likely did, one national college football writer thinks that there is still a chance, albeit, a small one. Virginia Tech is in the same group as some other teams that have had losses, but not as bad on paper as what the Hokies suffered.

Virginia Tech “Walking a tightrope” when it comes to the CFP

Scott Dochterman of The Athletic ranked the teams that are still alive in the CFP race and the Hokies came in on the second group on his list as a team “Walking a tightrope.’’

“Perhaps no team is more surprised to wind up in this spot than the Hokies. With a manageable ACC schedule and some offseason improvements, Virginia Tech gained serious traction as an ACC contender or even an at-large dark horse. But losing to Vanderbilt in Week 1 will get held against the Hokies in the court of public opinion all the way through Selection Sunday.”

There is no doubt that the Week 1 loss to the Commodores will be held against the Hokies, as it should be. Unless Vandy goes out and wins the SEC, which is not completely out of the question after they got one preseason vote to win the SEC, then it will be a really ugly loss for Brent Pry and his team. It feels like the margin of error is very thin for Virginia Tech after their loss against the Commodores.

Virginia Tech will likely have to win the ACC to get a CFP berth unless major chaos happens and after the first two weeks of the season (three if you include Week 0), it may. From here on out, it’s one week at a time for the Hokies, and beating Rutgers, Miami, and Clemson will go a long way toward trying to do the impossible, lose in Week 1 to Vanderbilt and still get a College Football Playoff berth. The takeaway, the door is not completely shut just yet.