Another predictive ranking system has Virginia Tech in the 30s ahead of the 2019 season. ESPN FPI pegs the Hokies at No. 36. S&P+ ranked Tech No. 30.
FPI ratings are determined through four factors:
- Team performance over the past four seasons (most emphasis on last season)
- Returning starters at quarterback, on offense overall and on defense
- Whether a team has a returning head coach
- Recruiting rankings over the past four seasons
Six of the ACC Coastal squads are clustered within 24 spots of each other: #32 Miami, #36 Virginia Tech, #43 Virginia, #45 North Carolina, #49 Pittsburgh, and #56 Duke. Georgia Tech landed at No. 80.
The ACC is thin on upper-tier teams. In fact, after Clemson, it has basically ... nothing. Clemson is more than 17 points per game better than every other team in the ACC.
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For what it's worth, we finished 2018 ranked 55th in both S&P+ and FPI. Last year, we were ranked 21st preseason by S&P+ (last updated 2/9/18, does not account for losing Mook, Adonis, Webb, Hill, JJ) and 24th in FPI (not sure when this was last updated/what returning talent was included in that calculation.)