ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 12: Virginia Tech makes noise

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BLACKSBURG, VA – NOVEMBER 9: Defensive coordinator and associate head coach Bud Foster of the Virginia Tech Hokies kisses his wife Jessie following the victory against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Lane Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /

It wasn’t difficult to underestimate the Hokies going into their game against Wake Forest. Three of Virginia Tech’s five wins were against Old Dominion, Rhode Island and Furman — not exactly a murder’s row of opponents.

Here at headquarters, we thought the one-point loss said more about Notre Dame’s post Michigan hangover than Virginia Tech’s improvement offensively and defensively.

We might have been mistaken.

The Hokies ran the ball a lot against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on their way to a 36-17 win at home. Here at headquarters, we also underestimated the Hokies. See, they left our invitation for Bud Foster lunch pail night in the-okay we didn’t get an invitation. The Hokies did their ol’ defensive coach proud, too.

Break out the Hokies, they control their own fate in the Coastal. The showdown between the Cavaliers and the Hokies could be for the division.

The Cardinals played their worst game of the season last week against the Miami Hurricanes. They didn’t execute well offensively, and were dominated in the trenches. Their depth — or lack thereof — was exposed in this game.

They’ve been struggling defensively all season, and the Hurricanes put it together and exposed the job head coach Scott Satterfield still has to do on that side of the ball.

The Cardinals have exceeded expectations this season sitting at 5-4 with NC State and Syracuse on the schedule. Looks like someone’s going bowling.

The Pitt Panthers have a big game Thursday against the North Carolina Tar Heels. The loser is all but out of the Coastal race. It should be a good one at Heinz Field. We know the Panthers will keep it interesting because that’s what they do. They will jump out to a lead, and usher the Tar Heels back into the game, and it will be a thriller in the fourth quarter.

By the way, this type of game is just fine by the Tar Heels. They love a game they can muck up, and let the living legend Sam Howell win it for them in the fourth quarter — or will it be a Pitt Special?

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