Huddle up! Here’s a look back at this weekend on the gridiron, with three key takeaways from the state’s football scene -- and a glimpse at what’s to come next week.
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Was heartbreaking loss for Hokies a moral victory?
Virginia Tech’s 22-21 loss last Thursday at N.C. State created futile facts the program doesn’t want to hear, but is reality.
The Hokies have now lost five games in a row for the first time since 1992 and had a winless October for the first time since the early 1950s.
Still, it could be argued Virginia Tech showed some signs of progress in the loss at now No. 21 N.C. State.
Virginia Tech played some of its best football of the season in the second half, scoring three straight touchdowns to take a 21-3 lead in the third quarter.
N.C. State took charge from there and rallied, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 7:38 remaining.
But after a season full of frustration and historic futility for the program, giving a ranked opponent all it could handle on the road might have at least represented a bright light going forward.
How bad was the Virginia-Miami game?
If you thought you could never see a football game go into overtime and feature zero touchdowns, then Saturday’s Miami-Virginia game erased that notion.
In a game of stunning offensive ineptitude, Miami and Virginia went to overtime tied 6-6, and then the extra period featured more field goals.
Finally, with each team having to run a 2-point play in the fourth overtime by rule, Miami converted on its try to take a 14-12 win.
Even more remarkable, there were no turnovers in the game.
The offenses simply couldn’t get in the end zone and the teams combined for 14 punts.
Heinicke rallies Commanders to win in Indianapolis
Don’t look now, but the Washington Commanders are all of a sudden a .500 football team nearly halfway through the season.
Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke came through again, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds left to lead Washington to a 17-16 win.
The play finished off a 9-play, 89-yard drive conducted by Heinicke and highlighted by an incredible leaping catch by wideout Terry McLaurin at the Indianapolis 1-yard line.
It was Washington’s third straight win and instead of talk about NFL Draft positioning, the Commanders can still at the moment be in the playoff conversation.