The ACC Releases Projected Order of Finish: Where Did The Hokies Land?

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) released its full projected finishing order from the media that was conducted at the ACC Kickoff in downtown Charlotte from July 15-16. Here's the full list of how each school panned out, with the total votes listed first, then first place votes in parenthesis:

No. 1: Miami Hurricanes: 3,159 points (165 first-place votes)
No. 2: SMU Mustangs: 2,794 points (six first-place votes)
No. 3: Louisville Cardinals: 2,569 points (four first-place votes)
No. 4: Clemson Tigers: 2,520 points (seven first-place votes)
No. 5: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 2,006 points (two first-place votes)
No. 6: Virginia Cavaliers: 1,981 points
No. 7: NC State Wolfpack: 1,964 points
No. 8: Virginia Tech Hokies: 1,962 points
No. 9: Pittsburgh Panthers: 1,740 points
No. 10: Duke Blue Devils: 1,452 points
No. 11: Florida State Seminoles: 1,439 points (three first-place votes)
No. 12: California Golden Bears: 1,392 points
No. 13: Wake Forest Demon Deacons: 1,103 points
No. 14: Syracuse Orange: 878 points
No. 15: North Carolina Tar Heels: 831 points
No. 16: Boston College Eagles: 491 points
No. 17: Stanford Cardinal: 483 points (one first-place vote)

Virginia Tech finished 19 points behind Virginia in sixth and two behind NC State in seventh. The Hokies finished 13th in the ACC last season.

Thomas' brief thoughts: I had Virginia Tech at No. 6, Virginia at No. 7 and NC State at No. 8 in my ballot. I do think the three teams will finish with similar or identical records, but I predict that the Hokies will beat Virginia in the regular-season finale and thus hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

2026 season notes

The Hokies enter the 2026 campaign looking to rebuild from a disappointing 3-9 season in 2025 that prompted the firing of then-head coach Brent Pry three games into the season. Virginia Tech's record was its worst by winning percentage since 1992, while its 0-3 start was its first such beginning to a season since 1987. Still, the media was optimistic about Virginia Tech's prospects in part due to its transfers — it brought in over 50 newcomers for this year's team, and it retained playmakers in wide receiver Ayden Greene, running backs Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton Jr., and defensive lineman Kemari Copeland — and due to its quarterback situation.

Virginia Tech's previous starter Kyron Drones went 178-for-315 in his final season of eligibility, compiling 1,919 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. However, he produced only a 52.4 quarterback rating, and he threw for 150-plus yards just once in his final seven games of the season. After a 181-yard output against Georgia Tech, he did not eclipse 125 yards for the rest of the season and in the season finale against Virginia, he went 4-for-16 for 78 yards, 57 of which came from a completion to Shamarius Peterkin in the final quarter with the Hokies trailing 27-0.

Virginia Tech now brings in Ethan Grunkemeyer to be the presumptive starter under center; the Penn State import threw for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions last season in Happy Valley. In the final four games of the season, he threw for 777 yards, six touchdowns and no picks, including a 260-yard, two-touchdown effort against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Virginia Tech opens the 2026 season at home against VMI on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: ACC Network). The Hokies' first ACC game is on the road in Chestnut Hill, Mass., against Boston College, which finished second-to-last in the ACC preseason poll. Virginia Tech's game against the Eagles is set for Saturday, Sept. 26.

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