Hokies sixth, Boise State fifth in USA Today coaches’ poll
Darryl Slater
Aug 06, 2010
The USA Today coaches poll was released this morning, and Virginia Tech was sixth—its highest preseason ranking ever.
The Hokies’ previous high: seventh, where they were ranked in both the coaches’ and Associated Press polls before last season. In 2005, they were seventh in both as well.
They didn’t last long at seventh last season. After losing the opener to No. 5 Alabama, they fell to 14th in the AP, 15th in the coaches’. (Remember that only the coaches’ and Harris polls factor into the Bowl Championship Series rankings. The AP does not.)
Of course, the Hokies face another high-profile opponent in this season’s opener: Boise State, which is ranked fifth by the coaches. (Tech’s Frank Beamer and Boise State’s Chris Petersen both have votes in the poll.)
Boise State at No. 5 is the highest preseason ranking for a team outside the six major conferences since the BCS system started in 1998. The previous high was 16th. Texas Christian, another school outside the “big six,” is ranked seventh in this year’s preseason poll.
According to USA Today, which does not reveal how specific coaches voted, Boise State was voted as high as second (by six coaches) and as low as 13th (by one). Of the six who voted Boise State 10th or lower, five are from “big six” leagues.
