Virginia Tech football: Hokies enter both polls after win over North Carolina

After defeating the No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday, the Virginia Tech Hokies are now ranked.

The new AP Poll was released on Monday, and the Hokies came in at No. 19. Virginia Tech was unranked last week. The Tar Heels fell all the way to No. 24 after the loss.

Alabama remained at the top after a decisive win over the Miami Hurricanes. The ‘Canes fell from No. 14 to No. 22.

Clemson, which opened the season at No. 3, fell to No. 6 after its loss to Georgia.

Outside of Virginia Tech, it wasn’t a good week for the ACC.

As for the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, the Hokies are ranked No. 21. UNC is right behind them at No. 22, tumbling 13 spots after being ranked No. 9 initially.

The Hokies entering the top 25 after a big win to start the season is not surprising. Now, it’s just staying there. While some fans will grumble about being ranked, arguing they’d prefer the Hokies remain under the radar, but in the end, it’s just a ranking.

The Hokies need to play well each week, starting on Saturday against Middle Tennessee. It’s easy to overlook the opponent and be in the middle of a close game late. In previous seasons, Virginia Tech would follow up a big win with a dud. We should learn a lot about the Hokies these next two weeks.