BREAKING: Virginia Tech Picked To Finish 6th In Preseason ACC Poll
The preseason ACC Football Poll has just been released and Virginia Tech is being picked to finish 6th in the conference, as well as picking up five first-place votes. Florida State is being picked as the champion once again and Clemson, Miami, NC State, and Louisville were picked ahead of the Hokies.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 ⭐️
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) July 31, 2024
The 2024 ACC Preseason Poll has arrived.
📰 https://t.co/otqscuOeSD pic.twitter.com/j9eUB3UZi0
From our own RJ Schafer:
"Virginia Tech has fallen under the flag of the underrated ACC team in the media, which is a very fair assessment of the season to come. In episode 529 of the Late Kick with Josh Pate, he went through teams that he would list as 12-team playoff contenders in the ACC:
"Virginia Tech? Yes, playoff contender in the ACC. One of the best defenses in the conference. Their identity makes so much sense: play rock solid defense, they can run the ball, and may have the best rushing in the conference. That's especially true if Kyron [Drones] gives them what we hear, think we give them at quarterback. So, you got [an] elite run game, a high level defense, they're hungry, they've got a very manageable schedule... But, what if Virginia Tech welcomes Clemson to town, and it's a top-10, top-15 showdown? It's not hard to envision really, because until that point Virginia Tech's toughest game is at Miami. That is week five, and then they go to Stanford, they go to Stan-, they go to-. Why are we doing this? I live in Blacksburg, Virginia, I'm [going to] have to fly to Miami, and then come home, and then I'm [going to] have to fly to Palo Alto, California with no bye week? I have to do that, really? Be that as it may, they should still win the game. Then, they come home, bye week, Boston College, Georgia Tech at home, at [Syracuse], and then Clemson. They may be favored in all of those games, or at least have a really good shot to win all of 'em. So, yeah that game against Clemson, November 9th, the point I'm making to you is they could split the Miami and Clemson games, and be in the ACC title game. This is a playoff contender."
Virginia Tech truly has a shot at the new 12-team playoff. It's still a question to how many ACC teams will be in the playoff, due to the SEC and Big 10 likely taking most at large bids. However, it's not ridiculous to think that two ACC teams could make it to the playoff, and if Virginia Tech can simply get to the ACC title game, they surely give themselves a large chance.
JACKSON CAUDELL
Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell