Chris Dufresne’s preseason college football top 25: No. 7 Virginia Tech

The Times’ Chris Dufresne unveils his preseason college football top 25, one day (and team) at a time.

No. 7 Virginia Tech

There’s a reason Virginia Tech is ranked this high despite having more question marks than MSN.com’s home page.

Is the sun emitting a mystery particle?

Would the Beatles be ignored today?

Want a mini-makeover?

It doesn’t matter.

We’re going to find out about the Hokies on Labor Day night when they take on Boise State at FedEx Field in Maryland.

Victory will mean having to move the Hokies up a few notches, while a loss will signify they were slightly Landover-rated.

This market correction will have been completed by Sept. 7, and we can all move on.

For now, hyping the opener is the important thing, as it was circus barker P.T. Barnum who once said, “Without promotion something terrible happens … nothing.” (We could not find a decent quote from Bailey.)

This is an odd Virginia Tech group to figure out. The Hokies, coming off a 10-3 year, have long been built on defense and special teams — the two weaknesses entering the 2010 season.

The team is loaded at the skill positions, though, with senior Tyrod Taylor returning at quarterback along with his three top receivers and a Hokie-load of running backs that includes two former 1,000-yard rushers in Darren Evans and Ryan Williams. Evans was the freshman star two years ago but blew his knee out last summer and missed the season, with the freshman Williams filling in with no production loss.

There are some in Blacksburg who think Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring needs to go a little more high tech. The Hokies threw the ball only 249 times last year, with their 70-to-30 ratio of run vs. pass the highest for a non-option team.

Yet, do you throw the ball more with the risk of three-and-outs and overextending an inexperienced defense?

The defense has only five returning starters — six if you count Bud Foster, maybe the best defensive coordinator in the point-stop business. There is little doubt Foster will work the defense into shape, but MSN.com wants to know:

Will it be in time to stop a Boise State offense that has 11 returning starters?

This is the dynamic that separates the amateurs from the professionals — no exhibition games.

Virginia Tech fans are loyal yet frustrated. Ever since Michael Vick took the Hokies to the national title game in 1999, and lost, the expectation has been to get back and win. Virginia Tech has stumbled at critical program moments. Last year, an opening loss against Alabama took the Hokies off the national radar screen even though the team ended up with 10 wins.

The ingredients are in place for Virginia Tech to win big: right coach, commitment, fan base, defensive coordinator.

One of these days, though, the Hokies have to push over the top.

“I think the next thing to separate us is to win a national championship,” Coach Frank Beamer said this summer at Atlantic Coast Conference media day. “We’ve won a lot, had some big ballgames, won conference championships, played for a national championship…”

Is this the year?

The countdown so far: 25. Washington; 24. Navy; 23. Utah; 22. Houston; 21. Pittsburgh; 20. USC; 19. Stanford; 18. Auburn; 17. Arkansas; 16. Oregon State; 15. Florida State; 14. Georgia Tech; 13. Wisconsin; 12. Oklahoma; 11. Miami; 10. Iowa; 9. Oregon; 8. Texas; 7. Virginia Tech.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com