Despite having to sneak past Duke Saturday, the Virginia Tech climbed in both major college football polls released Oct. 30. The Hokies are now No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The coaches poll, along with the Harris Interactive Poll, will be factored into the BCS standings which will be released at 8:15 p.m. EDT Sunday.
Virginia Tech was ranked No. 15 in both polls last week.
One of the more intriguing developments in the Week 10 polls is that the Hokies have actually moved ahead of Clemson in the coaches poll, which has the Tigers at No. 12. The teams are flip-flopped in the writers poll. This comes despite Clemson's 23-3 win at Virginia Tech Oct. 1. Both teams are 8-1.
While individual votes are not released for the coaches poll except for the final ballots, they are for the writers poll. According to the website Pollspeak, the Hokies ranged anywhere from No. 9 (four ballots) to No. 22 in this week's balloting.
The Hokies and Tigers are joined by a third ACC team in the Week 10 polls. Georgia Tech, which upset Clemson this week, is ranked No. 22 in the writers poll and No. 23 in the coaches poll. The Yellow Jackets and Hokies both have a bye this week before playing each other Thursday, Nov. 10 in Atlanta.
UPDATE (5:20 PM EDT 10/30/11): Virginia Tech comes in at No. 12 in the Harris Interactive Poll, one of two polls that are factored into the BCS standings along with the coaches poll. Clemson is No. 10, Georgia Tech is No. 22.
UPDATE (5:40 PM EDT 10/30/11): In terms of BCS points, the Hokies went up from .4942 last week to .5905 this week in the coaches poll and .4671 last week to .5544 this week in the Harris poll. In reality, though, it doesn't matter that much. The Hokies aren't going to get an at-large bid into the BCS with two or more losses, which they would have if they don't win the ACC. All that matters for Tech at this point is winning the ACC to get back to the Orange Bowl since they also have zero change of getting into the BCS National Championship Game.
BCS UPDATE: The Hokies are No. 12 in this week's BCS standings. Tech's computer points fell from .620 to .560.