College Football AP Top 25, Week 4: Winners and losers

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GREENVILLE, NC – SEPTEMBER 16: Wide receiver Cam Phillips #5 of the Virginia Tech Hokies is pushed out of bound by defensive back Chris Love #35 of the East Carolina Pirates in the first half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Greenville, North Carolina. Virginia Tech defeated East Carolina 64-17. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /

Winner: Virginia Tech Hokies (No. 16 up to No. 13)

When the first quarter concluded, Virginia Tech fans everywhere were thinking one thing, “Why does East Carolina always play us tough?”

Outside of last year’s shellacking of the Pirates, 54-17, Virginia Tech has had to sweat out each of the previous four contests against East Carolina. In fact, East Carolina had won the previous two meetings, in 2014 and 2015, and Virginia Tech won the two prior to that, all by a touchdown or less. The 2017 meeting got off to one of those starts.

East Carolina took a 17-7 lead into the second quarter, but something clicked in Justin Fuente’s squad. They scored the next 57 points to win, 64-17. If someone had turned the game off after the first quarter and ten checked the final, they would have thought the Pirates came out on top.

The Hokies were a completely different team from the second quarter on and freshman quarterback Josh Jackson had the game of his young career. This kid is already 3-0 as a first-year starter and he put up 372 passing yards and five touchdowns on 24-of-31 completions. How is no one talking about the Hokies right now?

After moving up in the polls this week, there’s a good chance Jackson and Co. will receive more attention.

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