Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

The Hokies have experienced it all since the start of the season, from the devastating loss of leading rusher Darren Evans to the emergence of a new star, Ryan Williams, and the No. 4 ranking in the country. Virginia Tech entered this season with hopes of contending for the national championship, but after the season opening loss to Alabama, title talk simmered. It resurfaced, though, as the Hokies continued to win and climb in the polls and the Crimson Tide solidified its place among the nation’s elite. With back-to-back wins over ranked teams Nebraska and Miami, Virginia Tech asserted itself as the most consistent team in the conference and the one to beat. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor and his receivers have shown dramatic improvement this year, and have made defenses respect their passing game. Last weekend, though, the Hokies failed to make the defensive adjustments needed in the second half and fell victim to Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense. The second loss dropped the Hokies out of contention for the national title and opened the door for anyone to win the Coastal Division.

Offensive MVP: Ryan Williams. He is No. 8 in the country with 119.14 points per game, and has helped the Hokies make a seamless transition without the injured Evans. His five 100-yard rushing performances eclipsed Evans’ mark for the most by a Hokie freshman tailback in a season. He’s been named Rookie of the Week five times by the ACC, and even when he was sick and receiving IV fluids and missed practice time, Williams still rushed for 100 yards at Georgia Tech, including a 66-yard touchdown.

Defensive MVP: Cody Grimm. He’s in the midst of his best season, and the former walk-on who was deemed too small to play at many schools has proven otherwise. He is second on the team and third in the conference with 57 tackles (9.2 per game), and has forced three fumbles this year. He also has 5.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.