Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Virginia Tech Hokies fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
After months of waiting and dramatic changes in course, it’s finally game week for the Big Ten. But not everyone is starting from the same spot. And much like the preseason brand recognition and hype play a lot into rankings ahead of actual results.
In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey fans around the country were asked if they thought it was fair for Big Ten teams to be ranked in the Top 25 this week, before playing their first game, while more than half of the rest of the Power Five are already well into the season.
Two-thirds of the country believe that the conference shouldn’t have ranked teams yet. However, fans still acknowledge how good Ohio State is expected to be. When asked who is the third best team in the country, Ohio State took the lead, behind the presumption 1 and 2 in Alabama and Clemson. The Buckeyes earned the most votes with 43%. Well ahead of Georgia at 27% and Notre Dame at 17%.
Big Ten teams aren’t the only ones making a surprise appearance in the latest Top 25. After topping Kansas in their opening game of the season and pulling an upset victory over Louisiana this past weekend, Coastal Carolina slid into the rankings at No. 25. The Chanticleers get the well-earned recognition, even some across the country have no idea what the school’s mascot actually is.
Now on to the Hokies
Virginia Tech bounced back from the UNC defeat in impressive fashion with the win over Boston College this past weekend. The win pushed the Hokies to 3-1 on the season and pushed fan confidence to the ceiling. A full 100 percent of Virginia Tech fans said they believe the team is headed in the right direction.
The Hokies have another chance to prove their place in the top 25 this weekend as they travel to North Carolina once again to take on Wake Forest. As a fun side note, following another loss for UVA, their fan confidence dipped to 53% in the latest survey - their lowest mark of the season. To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.