Despite leading 17-0 at one point in the second quarter, State managed to slowly let their grip on the game slip away in agonizing fashion en route to a 41-30 loss to Virginia Tech, their first of the year.
State routinely struggled to generate significant yardage on first down in the second half, due in large part to VT nullifying State’s running game. As a result, State was often behind schedule in down and distance, limiting State’s flexibility on second and third downs. Here are the yards gained on the first down plays of the third and fourth quarter:
- 1-yard rush
- 3-yard rush
- 34-yard TD pass
- 18-yard rush
- 0-yard rush
- 9-yard pass
- 0-yard pass
- 0-yard pass
- 1-yard rush
- 9-yard rush
- 1-yard rush
- -1-yard rush
- 23-yard pass
- 0-yard rush
- 1-yard rush
- interception
- 17-yard pass to end the game
As you can see, it’s a moderate amount of feast and a lot of famine. Other than a few big gainers and the 34-yard touchdown strike, State had nine plays that gained one yard or less and the crippling interception at the end.
Give credit to the Hokies and particularly Bud Foster for making effective defensive adjustments after it looked like State might put the game away early. State managed only three points in the critical 4th quarter while the Hokies were scoring 20 to take the game over for good.
There’s no real shame in losing to Virginia Tech in my mind…I’ve been voting in the top 25 of my blog poll all year long for a reason. The stinker is that now State will lose that #23 ranking it earned oh so briefly and the added exposure that came with it. It’s also a shame to lose a tough game like that in front of so many recruits who were on hand. Winning would’ve meant capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the program.
But chin up, Pack fans. State gets to stay home another week to host a struggling Boston College team, then travel down 264 to Greenville for a winnable game against East Carolina. There’s a very good chance the Pack could be bowl eligible in two short weeks.
Still, this is yet another example of “one that got away.”
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