that sink in for a while.

It also helps when you don't play anybody, and are in a crappy G5 conference and will probably have 9 wins minimum every year do to these factors.

happened before, even with what you mentioned pretty much always being the situation in the past. It certainly doesn’t help recruiting.

strength of schedule against "ranked" opponents that have yet to play a snap. It helps the "brands" to be ranked high, even when they lose games. They should start the rankings when teams start the conference schedules in earnest. Allow the winners of the tough OOC games benefit, and those that schedule cupcakes, take the hit.

"marquee" games which are typically out of conference (OOC) games. The same principle may be true for the early regular season games since majority of those games are typically OOC games. From a ratings standpoint, which game is likely to generate higher ratings when you factor in the amount of money spent to promote the game? Game A: Toledo vs. Minnesota at Soldier's Field Game B: #10 Toledo vs. #5 Minnesota at Soldier's Field Note: Both teams have a QB predicted to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

with their preseason picks, but i can not tell you how many times (every year?) that in the old Big 12, Texas was ranked, and ended the season Unranked. I just don't think you will ever get the bias out of the process, and with the recent ranking in basketball last year, the SEC dominated by playing themselves, as it seemed they were all ranked.

your proposal for generating interest in games when the networks can't use poll rankings to promote games until the CFB Playoff Poll comes out late in the season? I realize early season rankings is a double-edged sword because it can make it easier to lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, I do think more people will watch (and bet) on the VT-SC game simply because SC is ranked #13 going into the game. Even though SC has a QB that is projected to be a Heisman candidate, I don't think that would be enough to generate the level of interest (and action) if SC was also unranked going into the game. Heck it is possible SC being unranked would be enough to quiet the Heisman talk.

would be extremely easy to match OOC rivalries, as many of those have fallen to the wayside. You don't need rankings for an Ohio State ND game, nor a Washington - Washington state game, or a backyard brawl, or Nebraska Oklahoma. Id would actually be easier today than it was 10 years ago to have compelling matchups without rankings. People will watch the K-State Iowa State game because of the location this year. Pretty sure the rankings have nothing to do with it.

to gain the exposure that typically comes with being ranked. Schools like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oklahoma, UDub, etc. have the benefit of either being a blue blood program or in that next tier right below the blue blood programs. For the other programs, what will entice someone living in Why, AZ to watch the Backyard Brawl or the K-State vs. IA State game on TV if the rankings isn't an option and the person is unfamiliar with the history of the rivalry? For some of the rivalries that have been on an indefinite pause, enough time has passed where people may not know the history of the rivalry unless they are connected to either school or at least live in the area to be able to interact with fans from either school. Then there are some rivalries (i.e. the Border War - KU vs. Mizzou or Colorado St vs. Wyoming) that were overshadowed during the "glory days" of college football rivalry games because attention was given to bigger rivalries on a national stage. Rankings is one way to increase the exposure for those rivalries. I suspect more people watched the Border War on TV during the few years when KU and Mizzou were ranked in the Top 10-15 for that reason alone. If the rankings went away, then what tools to do the networks have to entice viewers to watch that game than another game going on at the the time that involves at least 1 team with a slightly higher profile? The other thought that crossed my mind is if rankings went away and/or teams aren't penalized for OOC games, then at some point a HC will try to game the system. For example, play all the conference games at the beginning of the season and save all the OOC games for the end of the season. Since the team at the end of the season isn't the same team at the beginning of the season, then it shouldn't matter when a team plays its OOC games because it won't impact a FBS Playoff bid or bowl bid. If anything, playing OOC games late in the regular season may help a winning team because the game is more fresh in the voters mind when trying to compare how 2 conferences stack up to each other for voting purposes.

this is a significantly negative thing just based on that. JMU was FCS just a handful of years ago, and they lost their coach and many of their starters a year ago to Indiana, and they made the playoff. They have had more challenges and way less money than Virginia Tech, we can’t get better if we keep looking for excuses why we are not considered significantly better. PS I love JMU too, I have family and friends and been to their regular season, playoff games and even a National Championship game. This is about how Virginia Tech has way more resources/money and decades of FBS success than they do. The fact that we are having this conversation should be mind boggling, but the fact it is not is very disturbing. ** Edited by Stech at 8/14/2025, 1:22:33 PM

has been ranked higher that Ohio State a couple of time, but no one saw that as a negative for OSU. VT still has their brand and history - it's one of the reasons I ended up migrating here. K-State and Iowa state are going through the same things as VT with the money and settlement issues, and they have already been hung out to dry with the conference realignment stuff. In my opinion, VT football isn't going anywhere, and no matter how the conferences end up, VT will be there. I just hope it's in the B12, but I digress.....

to oranges comparison in this regard. Ohio State is THE university for the state. Whereas the same is not true for the Commonwealth because VT and UVA have always shared that spotlight. In terms of risk, VT and UVA have always been at risk of losing their place within the Commonwealth because they never had the monopoly on the spotlight like THE Ohio State has had since the dawn of time (metaphorically speaking).

the stands next to Godwin Hall. JMU continues to grow itself.

THis is apples and oranges.... VT (not Whit but the entire enterprise), put the foot off the accelerator for athletics. More I think about it, Whit hands were tied from day one. He got the message from BOV (who really guide the university and President) to do no wrong, keep a balance budget and say competitive (we are just fine int eh ACC). Very un inspiring goals... Our hires are based on pure limits in budget. Now we know why we dont have LED lights Now we know why we dont have a GM. Now we know why we took so long for Pry to hire coordinators. VT was not prepared to pay for top notch salaries and Burrss hall was uncomforatble about it. . Funny, if Whit and Pry is gone, where is the money to 1) pay off all the salray cotracts, where is the money to pay off whit's contract, where is the money to 1( hire a coach (we see the benchmark and 4 million is not even close, must less scoordinators who are making 1 miillion. Until now, BOV was not interested, or even cared what Whit and the atheletic dept needed. THey were culturally not interested in athletics taking away from VT endowment (used for other things). UNTIL now.... IF they are NOT decisive NOW, (even in the these tought times), the entire program can sink (and they will be supriised how quick that will happen. And the next staff, will be uncompetent Division 2 staffs, inexperienced or just passing though for punching the resume., Also the entire donor base (who dont want to invest in a group of 5 level program).. Much less the entire fan base. And while blame the changing business model of athletics, this would be TOTALLY SELF INFLICTED. and VT will be known as the simple small regional Sports program like Washington State.

SMFH

Finally he is putting pressure on the BOV, but it sure seems like 1953 again, where we are skating to where the puck used to be, and not where it’s going. Yes leadership takes courage, but better to die trying, than to die not trying!! ** Edited by Stech at 8/13/2025, 2:05:38 PM

Of course the BOV has other, more important things, on their mind. The AD has had every opportunity to get their attention over the last 5 yrs. Instead, he was happy to be an administrator (his natural inclination) and go with the flow. This presentation has two flaws. First it is many years too late. Second, it is placing the financial burden of the athletic dept on the BOV. If I am a BOV member my response is, “Yes, you have a problem. What are you going to do about it, because the taxpayers are sure as hell not going to bail you out!” ** Edited by VT ChemE 1986 at 8/13/2025, 12:44:04 PM

Group of 5 AD and a P4 AD in name only. He was an assistant AD level talent that VT took a chance that he could grow into the position. The problem with that strategy is it is dependent upon having an oversight and mentoring infrastructure with people capable and willing to serve in that capacity to guide until he was capable to go it alone.

Wow that oddly fits the VT mold quite well. It's both not surprising and also frustrating. I guess I should have researched Whit at some point. Agree with everything you say about oversight and mentoring. We really are just that small town remote program whose athletics got swept up into bigger things that we were not ready for and have struggled to adapt and modernize and grow.

he had been an AD at Cincinnati. I was characterizing my opinion of his actual skillset level at the time of his VT hire. An opinion that I believe that was accurate given his subsequent performance. He was very effective(better than most) at conducting efficient, effective and private coaching searches. He had challenges in other areas of administration, leadership and communication, again in my opinion.

IIRC got a lot of facility projects going before he left Cincy. One major project was announcing the renovation and upgrade of their football stadium LOL!!