14. Virginia Tech 2-10 (1-7)
Virginia Tech started the season off with a tough nonconference schedule. They had two home games against South Carolina and Vanderbilt, which they lost both. The Hokies have struggled to put up points outside of their recent game against Wofford. They allowed 89 points between Vanderbilt and Old Dominion. So, their defense has not been great either. The Hokies will miss out on a bowl game this year and have a rough time in ACC play. They also play most of the top-tier ACC teams. The combined poor play of the Hokies and the rough schedule is not a good recipe for them this season.
13. Pittsburgh 5-7 (3-5)
Pitt can be a good team, but their schedule is just unfortunate. They play all the top teams in the ACC, including Miami, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Louisville. That is not even counting their game against Notre Dame and Syracuse. The Panthers have the talent to make a bowl game, but they will likely miss out due to their challenging schedule. Even if they play better than most think throughout the season, it is hard to predict them beating multiple of the ACC contenders. The future may be bright at Pitt in the years to come, but this schedule will get the best of them.
12. Duke 5-7 (3-5)
Duke is a solid team, but that is where it ends. They can fight for a bowl game, but will fall just short. This could be a solid foundation season for their near future. They have a conference win over NC State that they gained last week. They have tough games left with Syracuse and Georgia Tech. The Blue Devils have a relatively easy end to their season. If they want a chance at a bowl game, then they will need to run the table at the end.