Virginia Tech Football Lands In 'Receiving Votes' Category of AP Top 25

The Hokies did not make the top-25, but they did land in the "receiving votes" category.

Virginia Tech Athletics

The AP Top-25 preseason poll released at 12 p.m. ET today on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. While Virginia Tech did not make the top-25, it did compile top-25 votes and landed in the "receiving votes" category.

BREAKING: Preseason College Football AP Poll🚨https://t.co/JL3USE6MnT pic.twitter.com/wImUOmUUg5

— On3 (@On3) August 17, 2026

Here's the full top-25, arranged by total points, then by first-place votes (if any):

1. Ohio State - 1,672 points (40 first-place votes)
2. Oregon - 1,597 points (14 first-place votes)
3. Georgia - 1,513 points
4. Notre Dame - 1,510 points (six first-place votes)
5. Texas - 1,483 points
6. Indiana - 1,440 points (eight first-place votes)
7. Miami - 1,379 points (one first-place vote)
8. Texas A&M - 1,131 points
9. Ole Miss - 1,102 points
10. Oklahoma - 1,047 points
11. LSU - 988 points
12. Texas Tech - 983 points
13. Alabama - 904 points
14. BYU - 839 points
15. USC - 839 points
16. Michigan - 718 points
17. Washington - 501 points
18. Penn State - 482 points
19. SMU - 434 points
20. Tennessee - 394 points
21. Utah - 304 points
22. Iowa - 260 points
23. Houston - 252 points
24. Louisville - 194 points
25. Missouri - 117 points

And here's the list of receiving votes schools:

• Clemson - 112 points
• Florida - 51 points
• Boise State - 43
• Arizona - 32
• TCU - 11
• Navy - 10
• South Carolina - 10
• Illinois - 9
• Oklahoma State - 8
• Vanderbilt - 8
• Pittsburgh - 7
• Virginia Tech - 6
• Minnesota - 5
• UNLV - 4
• New Mexico - 4
• Georgia Tech - 4
• Louisiana - 4
• James Madison - 3
• Auburn - 3
• Memphis - 2
• California - 2
• Liberty - 1
• Western Michigan - 1
• Tulane - 1
• Virginia - 1

Three ACC schools — Miami at No. 7, SMU at No. 19 and Louisville at No. 24 — were ranked in the AP's poll. Virginia Tech, which tied for 37th in total points, will play two of the AP top-25 schools; it will play both on the road, facing the Mustangs in Dallas on Friday, Nov. 6, then contesting Miami in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The Hokies will play Clemson, the de-facto No. 26 and first team outside the full poll, on Saturday, Oct. 24, looking to win their first road game against Clemson since 2007. The Hokies' other ACC "receiving votes" opponents include Pittsburgh (Oct. 2; seven points), Georgia Tech (Oct. 17; four points), California (Oct. 10; two votes) and Virginia (Nov. 28; one point).

Jon Wilner of San Jose Mercury News placed Virginia Tech at No. 24, while Bob Ballou of CBS Austin ranked the Hokies No. 22 in his poll.

Virginia Tech's 2026 season begins on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Hokies host VMI at Lane Stadium. The contest kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET; the TV broadcast will be on the ACC Network, and the showdown is the first between the two schools since the 1984 season.