Over before it started

It's hard to call a top-10 team underrated, but I really had a good feeling this year about Virginia Tech. The defense is always elite (finishing in the top 10 nationally in yardage and scoring four years in a row), and with Tyrod Taylor finally getting the starting QB job and Darren Evans returning at running back after a spectacular freshman year, it seemed that the perfect storm was forming in Blacksburg.

Until this:

Virginia Tech leading rusher Darren Evans, who set several school records as a freshman, will miss the entire season with a torn left ACL he suffered in practice on Tuesday, the school announced.

Ouch. Evans had legitimate All-America potential, and while Ryan Williams and Josh Oglesby were both highly touted recruits who should be able to fill in capably, an offense that was already overly reliant on its backfield talent just took a serious hit.

An ACC title is still within reach, as the Hokies' defense alone gives them a good shot against Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Miami, but hopes of anything bigger probably disappeared along with Evans' ACL.