Virginia Tech's early hopes of a national title were frittered away even before summer turned to fall.
It didn't stop the Hokies from moving close to achieving an unusual ACC first.
Virginia Tech (8-2, 6-0 ACC) can lock up the Coastal Division with a victory Saturday at Miami. But with two more victories to close out the regular season, the Hokies would become the first school in conference history to follow up two opening losses with 10 straight victories.
Only one ACC school --- 2003 Maryland --- has ever managed a 10-win season after losing its first two games.
Virginia Tech's rally perhaps shouldn't be too stunning. It was the overwhelming favorite to win the league. But after consecutive losses to Boise State and James Madison, it didn't seem probable in mid-September.
"I think the concern was a lot of good things had been written in [the] preseason, you had some hopes there," coach Frank Beamer said. "You had a quarterback that you really felt like could carry you. Those guys only come along ever so often."
Indeed, Virginia Tech had Tyrod Taylor, and even in the Hokies' losses it was clear he would drive their offense. But they also were breaking in a plethora of new defensive players, and the offensive line was slow to coalesce.
Taylor emerged as the likely conference player of the year, and the Hokies enter the final weeks of the regular season with some wiggle room. Even with a loss to the Hurricanes --- who will start true freshman Stephen Morris at quarterback for the third straight game --- Virginia Tech can still clinch the division with a victory over Virginia next weekend.
That would lead to a Dec. 4 trip to Charlotte, with an Orange Bowl berth at stake. Not bad for a team labeled as one of the season's early flops.
"They came right back and we went right back to work, probably worked harder than ever," Beamer said. "It's a credit to them that we fought through this thing and we're in the position we are now."
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