Photo Credit: Harley Taylor
After barely earning a spot in the initial Coaches Poll at #24 and just missing the AP top 25, Virginia Tech jumped in the top 20 of both polls this week as they removed Big 10 and Pac-12 teams not playing this fall.
#Hokies jump in the top 25 at #20 in the AP Poll https://t.co/Kh0Y2iv3qt
— Tim Thomas (@TimThomasTLP) September 13, 2020
#Hokies also 19th in the Coaches Poll this week https://t.co/JCyx88HeCP
— Tim Thomas (@TimThomasTLP) September 13, 2020
The Hokies are ranked 20th in the AP Poll and 19th in the Coaches Poll. This is the first time that the Hokies have been ranked in the top 20 of both polls since Week 4 of 2018 when Tech was ranked 13th in the AP Poll and 10th in the Coaches Poll.
Virginia Tech is one of seven ACC teams ranked in this week's AP top 25 along with #1 Clemson, #7 Notre Dame, #12 North Carolina, #17 Miami, #18 Louisville, and #25 Pittsburgh. Additionally, the Hokies are among six ACC teams ranked in the Coaches Poll alongside #1 Clemson, #7 Notre Dame, #11 North Carolina, #16 Louisville, and #18 Miami. Additionally, four other ACC teams are receiving votes in at least one of the two polls (Georgia Tech, Virginia, Duke, and Florida State).
While these rankings are definitely unique this season given how only 6 of the 10 FBS conferences are playing this fall, the fact that the ACC has 6 teams in both is still a strong sign that they are the second best Power 5 league this fall behind the SEC only, especially after the Big 12's struggles with the Sun Belt over the weekend.
The Hokies have made their jump into the polls with their first chance to push higher coming in two weeks against N.C. State.