Virginia Tech Football Surprisingly Hit with Major Significant Announcement

Virginia Tech Football Surprises with Strong Preseason Ranking in ESPN’s FPI

As the 2025 college football season quickly approaches, Virginia Tech finds itself as one of the more unpredictable teams in the ACC and nationwide. After being considered a potential dark horse for both the ACC title and College Football Playoff last year, the Hokies are not generating the same buzz heading into 2025. With five key players from the 2024 roster selected in the NFL Draft and several others transferring out, combined with a coaching staff overhaul, there isn’t much optimism surrounding head coach Brent Pry’s fourth season in Blacksburg.

However, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) seems to have a different outlook. The FPI, a prominent power rating system in college football, ranks the Hokies as the No. 26 team in the nation and No. 4 in the ACC heading into 2025. This comes as a surprise to those who have been tracking post-spring rankings in the ACC. Virginia Tech’s FPI rating stands at 9.2, with a projected record of 8-4, which would be the best under Pry’s leadership. The Hokies also have an 89% chance to win at least six games, a 7.3% chance of claiming the ACC title, and a 12.5% chance to make the College Football Playoff.

FPI is ESPN’s predictive model, designed to assess team strength and forecast outcomes. Its primary goal is not to rank teams from 1 to 128 but to accurately predict matchups and season results. According to ESPN, the FPI power rankings are similar to those used by Vegas to set betting lines.

Here’s how the FPI ranks the ACC for 2025:

1. Miami – No. 9

2. Clemson – No. 11

3. SMU – No. 20

4. Virginia Tech – No. 26

5. Georgia Tech – No. 28

6. Louisville – No. 41

7. Florida State – No. 48

8. Boston College – No. 50

9. North Carolina – No. 51

10. Duke – No. 54

11. NC State – No. 57

12. Pittsburgh – No. 58

13. California – No. 60

14. Syracuse – No. 62

15. Virginia – No. 63

16. Stanford – No. 64

17. Wake Forest – No. 89

Looking at Virginia Tech’s 2025 schedule from an FPI perspective, it appears favorable. The Hokies are only ranked below two of their opponents, South Carolina (No. 15) and Miami (No. 9). The schedule features several winnable matchups, with teams like Wake Forest, California, and Virginia ranked lower than the Hokies.

If FPI’s projections hold true, Virginia Tech could be poised for a solid season, ranking 20 spots higher than Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings. While the Hokies’ preseason ranking might surprise some, only time will tell whether ESPN’s optimism is well-placed or off the mark.