Virginia Tech football's FPI surprisingly rises after Miami loss

After sputtering through the first four weeks, the Virginia Tech football team put together their best all-around performance last Friday night at Miami. They led for the majority of the game and most of the second half until the Hurricanes scored on the first play after the two-minute timeout in the fourth quarter for what turned out to be a 38-34 victory.

By now, you know the chaos that happened on the final play of the game for the Hokies when they had a game-winning touchdown, called a touchdown on the field, overturned by video review. It was a rough loss for Virginia Tech to absorb. Was it the right call on the field? Maybe, maybe not, but there was not enough indisputable video evidence to overturn the call.

Regardless, the four-point loss for Virginia Tech dropped them to 2-3, but their Football Power Index (FPI) at ESPN climbed following the loss.

Virginia Tech football FPI slides up seven spots

Following the loss to the Hurricanes, Virginia Tech’s FPI rose up seven spots to No. 42 at ESPN. A lot of that had to do with Miami at No. 10. Imagine if the Hokies had won where they would have gone up to?

Virginia Tech has seven ACC games remaining on its schedule and there is only one team that will play that is currently ranked ahead of them in this week’s FPI. Clemson, which visits Blacksburg on Nov. 9, comes in at No. 13. I know, a lot of people don’t read too much into ESPN’s FPI, but seeing it rise seven spots after Friday is a little surprising.

For what’s worth, ESPN’s predictor has the Hokies favored in most of their remaining games, with the one big underdog being at home against Clemson. As we have learned this season, all of those games could go any way with this team.