Duke-Virginia Tech in-game blog
POSTGAME
Hokies rally from 20 down to win it 41-20 — the largest comeback in the Frank Beamer era. Andy will have the offense well-covered in his game story, as the Hokie amassed 525 total yards and 183 rushing yards from J.C. Coleman.
I wrote about defense — big plays, etc. The Hokies forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks, showing big-play ability that they haven’t previously.
“Today was a really important day for that, especially for the secondary,” Tech defensive back Michael Cole said. “Bonner had a great day. Kyle and Antone locked it up on the outside. Kysheon has been really consistent all year long. So for us to all kind of come together and make some of these big plays that we needed to, it was important for us.”
That’s it for tonight. I’ll post links to our stuff when it’s up. As always, thanks for dropping by. See you next week from Death Valley.
Final: Hokies 41, Duke 20. Tech holds Blue Devils to 81 total yards in second half.
THIRD QUARTER
Well, Charley Wiles said he wanted to see his defensive line pitching a fit, and that’s what we saw in the third quarter, as Tech sacked Renfree on back-to-back snaps near the end of the period. Tech leads it 34-20 as we head to the fourth.
Tech took the lead only four plays into the half on a 45-yard run by J.C. Coleman. They added to it with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Davis, then tacked on a field goal as the defense pitched a shutout.
Obviously a complete reversal from what we saw in the first quarter and a lot more like what we expected the Hokies to look like this season — particularly on defense.
SECOND QUARTER
The Hokies leave the field to a big ovation, as a potential game-changing moment unfolds in the final minute of the half to cut Duke’s lead to 20-17. The program with the most interceptions in the nation since 2000 got its eighth of the year (and second of the game) at a critical time, as Detrick Bonner picked off a deflected pass and returned it 39 yards into Duke territory.
On the next play, Thomas hooked up with a wide-open Marcus Davis for a 42-yard touchdown that put the score where it is.
A few positives we saw in that quarter: The Hokies got their running game going, led by Thomas, who rushed for 44 yards on four carries during the drive prior to the Duke interception (Tech got a field goal out of it). It’s almost as if the Tech coaches said, “Screw it. We’re desperate. Unleash the Logan.” Don’t know why it took them so long, but better late than never.
The Hokies are averaging 4.9 yards per rush (including the negative yardage of a sack) — way better than their 3.9 average coming into today. That’s the kind of thing that sets up 42-yard touchdown passes.
Tech actually has a slight edge in total offense, leading 248 to 236.
There have been some missed tackles, and the coverage of the secondary hasn’t inspired confidence. But we saw a semblance of a pass rush and a semblance of a running game in that period, and we have a ballgame.
Tech will get the ball to start the second half.
FIRST QUARTER
Another disastrous start for the Hokies, who fall behind 20-0 before a seven-play touchdown drive near the end of the period. Duke leads 20-7 and looks like it can do what it wants on offense regardless of who plays quarterback.
The yardage discrepancy isn’t as wide as you might think — 150 to 92 in favor of Duke — but the pick-6 obviously made a big difference in where this game stands. Once again no pass rush from the D-line. Duke’s QBs have as much time as they need to throw so far.
Duke’s average drive has started at the 42-yard line, while the Hokies have started at the 21.
FIRST QUARTER
DU—Crowder 62 pass from Renfree (Martin kick), 12:16. Drive: Five plays, 81 yards, 2:44. Key play: Crowder 11 pass from Renfree to VT 31. Duke 7, Virginia Tech 0.
DU—FG Martin 40, 7:31. Drive: Six plays, 43 yards, 3:01. Key play: Bonner 15 pass interference plus D. Hopkins unnecessary roughness to VT 26. Duke 10, Virginia Tech 0.
DU—FG Martin 28, 4:05. Drive: Five plays, 46 yards, 1:50. Key play: Vernon 39 pass from Boone to VT 18. Duke 13, Virginia Tech 0.
DU—Byas 20 interception return (Martin kick), 3:12. Key play: Gregory bobbled and dropped pass at VT 18. Duke 20, Virginia Tech 0.
VT—Scales 4 run (Journell kick), :41. Drive: Seven plays, 76 yards, 2:24. Key play: Davis 40 pass from Thomas to DU 4. Duke 20, Virginia Tech 7.
SECOND QUARTER
VT—FG Journell 37, 2:15. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 3:56. Key play: Thomas 20 run to VT 40. Duke 20, Virginia Tech 10.
VT—Davis 42 pass from Thomas (Journell kick), :19. Drive: One play, 42 yards, :06. Key play: Bonner 39 interception return to DU 42. Duke 20, Virginia Tech 17.
THIRD QUARTER
VT—Coleman 45 run (Journell kick), 13:03. Drive: Four plays, 78 yards, 1:50. Key play: Malleck 30 pass from Thomas to DU 45. Virginia Tech 24, Duke 20.
VT—Davis 47 pass from Thomas (Journell kick), 6:55. Drive: Nine plays, 83 yards, 4:38. Key play: Dunn 13 pass from Thomas on third-and-8 to VT 45. Virginia Tech 31, Duke 20.
VT—FG Journell 41, 1:50. Drive: Seven plays, 20 yards, 3:30. Key play: Thomas 11 run to DU 26. Virginia 34, Duke 20.
FOURTH QUARTER
VT—Coleman 86 run (Journell kick), 9:20. Drive: One play, 86 yards, :12. Virginia Tech 41, Duke 20.
SOLO/ASSISTS/SACKS
Duke, Canty 6-3-0, Byas 5-3-0, Foxx 1-5-0, Helton 1-5-0, Butler 4-1-0, Sarmiento 1-4-1/2, Cockrell 2-2-1, Braxton 2-2-0, France 0-4-0, Norman 1-2-0, Anunike 1-2-1/2, Gamble 0-3-1/2, Woodruff 1-1-0, Sink 0-2-1/2, Grier 1-0-0, Thompson 1-0-0, Reeves 1-0-0, Powell 1-0-0, Duncan 1-0-0, Johnson 0-1-0, Foster 0-1-0, Young-Wise 0-1-0, Martin 0-1-0, Brown 0-1-0, Totals 30-44-3.
PREGAME
Greetings from Blacksburg, where we’re about an hour away from the Hokies vs. Duke. Cloudless day at Lane Stadium with crisp temperatures and a light breeze.
The Hokies are favored by 9.5, with the over-under set at 54.5.
J.C. Coleman will start for Tech in the one-tailback look.
Typical format today: Thoughts on each of the first three quarters, with a wrap-up post after the print stuff is done. I’ll also attempt to keep the live scoring summary with key plays updated as we go.
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Kickoff is 12:30 p.m. Drop on by and join the discussion.
October 12, 2012 - 10:58 PM
I must be one of many baseball fans up here in Maryland still waiting to see if the sun is going to come up today after “Black Friday.” Brutal night for us in the B-W corridor. Hopefully, the Hokies won’t add to the suffering today…
Can you let us know if the game is a sellout and/or you notice a lot of empty seats?
I smell a Hokie ‘Chokie” Choke with a side of excuses here today!! I would be great to see the over hyped over rated over covered hokies win a game that they have no business losing but something tells me that these Hokies “Chokies” are not your father’s Hokies. Today might be the last shot to see any good from them until the beatdowns come. So enjoy it while you can you Hokie “Chokies” because I smell a few beatdowns comming and the excuses just stinks up the place!!!
Is it to early to start crying into my pillow?
Duke up by 13- we really have nothing on offense. Hold on a sec- Gregory bobbles a short pass and Dook takes it in for 6.
duke up 20-zip. Hate to say it but we stink. Getting worse every week.
Duke is for real……
I love it these Hokies “Chokie” are choking again!!! Please stop it you over rated sorry chokies. It was great seeing the crowd stand there and wonder what is wrong. 20-7 in 2nd quarter I’m loving it!!!!
If the Hokies loose this game, the AD will have to sit down with the coaches (Beamer won’t do it) and demand a change. Someone has to go. Any other college would have already done so.
MR. Ham Sandwich and MR. Italian BLT, in the “sandwich world”, you two could be brothers. That would make you two, HOAGIES!
You might be right b.o.h.i.c.a but both are on the side that the Hokies are over rated and will find a way to choke it away if not today then somewhere down the road!!!
Thomas is back baby!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hokies are dominating this one and taking another step towards adding that ACC Champs banner fling proudly at the big Lane!!! All you non believers can shove it! This team is on a winning streak now!
Somebody please tell Burnham and Ross that the greatest comeback was not 17 points. Greatest comeback was Duke 1982, Duke up 21 zip second quarter, Hokies won 22 to 21, it was the largest deficit overcome ever. it would be nice if we could get something to these guys to get it straight.
Hokies are packing Dook’s lunch now!
What’s on the menu?? Why, it’s a big OL’ ham sandwich!!
How do you like me now, Ham?
That comeback stat is often cited as “biggest in the Beamer era.” Didn’t hear the radio guys so not sure whether they said that part.
I had no idea Coleman is as fast as he is. Nice to see.
#10 VT over rated? By whom? They were at one point but no more. This is a team that is glad to beat Duke and give them their first conference loss after having beaten UVa by 25. Maybe that’s not setting the bar very high but you take what you can, right?
If you don’t see your comment posted, consider rephrasing. I approve as much as I can regardless of the message but F-bombs are out, even if there are stars in there substituting for the middle letters.
Its amazing that the hokie “Chokie” nation shows up when they meaning the football team doesn’t choke. I just wonder what happens in the next few weeks when these hokies “Chokies” choke and lose?? Does the loyal chokie nation start making excuses or does nobody take any responsbility for what this hokie “Chokie” football team is and that is a over hyped, over rated, over media covered as if they are the best and we have to care every living second about these hokies “Chokies”!!! Only god can help us when its comes basketball time right!!!!
Ok, we are waiting for “MR. Dill Pickle” to come on and tell us about how Tech are the chokies and………yada, yada…….
Wole up late. Woke up angry. Sorry Hambone. I mean sandwich.
I think Mr Ham Sandwich is going to have to eat a crow sandwich. He probably should have waited a little longer before mouthing off.
Mr. Ridgway, since you are demanding perfection, his name is Burnop, not Burnham. Look him up in the VT HoF.
I think he also means Roth instead of Ross.
Must not be from around here.
It looks rather grim for UVa I’d say as there is a good possibility they could go winless this year in conference. In order they have left Wake, State, UM, UNC and VT. I’d say Wake next week should be their best shot. Interesting to see what will happen if they go 0-8.
No surprise with the outcome, thought it would be a little closer. I wouldn’t put the Hokies in the Acc championship yet, you are looking at 2 losses to go for sure and probably wins over BC and UVA , toss up on Miami. Clemson and FSU are not Duke. Good news is that defense came to life for 3 quarters.
As mentioned in Bitter’s blog, it comes down to the winner of the Miami-Hokies game for the divisional title. It’s quite possible that a 7-5 VT team plays in the ACC CG. Probably a rematch with Clemson or F$U, with similar results to their upcoming games. A loss there would throw them into ATL for the ChikFilA Bowl, so that’s what we can expect.
The win over Duke meant at least a .500 season (BC & UVa are almost certain wins), and a bowl game.
Finally after “7″ games the hokie nations team will play a ranked team. Unreal for a team that is supposed to be elite.
Eagle, share with us if you will who your team is. We’d love to make comparisons, you know head to head, SOS, common opponents etc. What? You say it’s the credo of anonymous hit and run posters like yourself and ol’ Barry boy to take crack shots at other teams from behind your computer while not divulging who your team is? Wonder why that is? Little bit scared how that might turn out? Let me ask you, you see the game yesterday? Just curious.
BTW, other than our friend “Beamer Best of …..”, no one here I recall has ever referred to VT as “elite”. Certainly not AM or any of the regulars. Your words my friend. Sure lots here want them to be, but what fan doesn’t want his team to be considered “elite”, including you and your team… Really you should man up or just go get a life…
I doubt anyone in their right football mind thought Duke would beat the Hokies just as anyone in their right mind would think the Hokies will beat Clemson in Death Valley. The positive thing for VT is that they have a great opportunity to prove who they really are. Logan Thomas will not have the time to set up the passing game like he did Saturday but if he can counter with good runs. I think VT will do better than the 2 games against the Tigers last year, probably looking at 27-10 Clemson. Still a decent chance for a bowl game for the Hokies but I doubt the BCS committee will fall for the CT hype this year.
Clemson opens as an 11-point favorite for Saturday’s game.
Scott, my team has always been the Georgia Bulldogs!! I am used to the demanding SEC schedule every year. I’m an old dog back when Steve B. was the QB for the Falcons. You never get tested on a regular bases playing opponents of sub-par competition. Yes, go ahead and compare over the years the hokies against my DOGS. Check and see yearly who they play that are ranked or even better who is in the top 10. And no I did not watch the game yesterday, still got to get over our lose to South Carolina. Got it handed to use, didn’t we.
11 pt favorite is perfect….I hope it goes on up. That’s when VT brings the can of W-A. Too bad though, I don’t think Clemson will be overlookin us since they aren’t undefeated now.
Eagle, The Hokies can’t control the quality of the other schools in the ACC just as UGa can’t control the lower tier of the SEC (this year, Vandy, Kentucky, Auburn). If I was you I would throw stones, the Dogs gave up 23 to Buffalo, 20 to Florida Atlantic and still have the ever tough Georgia Southern coming up. How bout them Dogs and their tough out of conference schedule!!! Best OOC team they play is Ga. Tech, how’d they do against the Hokies.
Should have been “wouldn’t” throw stones. Need to proofread.
Great Eagle, now we know! So what brings you here to dis VT? Do you not want your team to be considered “elite”? Isn’t that the holy grail of CFB, being considered up there with the big boys? I repeat, I hear no one other than you and “Beamer Best…” referring to VT as elite. I’m sure if I were to visit the paper covering UG sports the same conversations are being had there as here. In every college town across the country. We’re all pulling for out teams.
Should be very interesting to see the Gators and Fla.State game and the Clemson vs. South Carolina games this year. I wonder how the ACC will fare against these two teams? By the way, these are the only two ranked teams that UGA will play this year on their schedule. Funny, VT also has two ranked teams on their schedule also. Funny how teams in elite conferences hide behind their conference when they lose. Talk about your excuses. “But…. But…. We play in the SEC!” I guess whatever makes you feel warm and fuzzy when you lose.
Oh yeah, sorry I forgot to mention South Carolina. I am sure UGA wants to forget that one as well. I have nothing against UGA personally. In fact , I cheer for the Dawgs. I just don’t like people hiding behind their conferences as an excuse for losing and as an excuse for bashing other teams. Especially to seek out a primarily VT blog, ( in game blog in this case), when their team isn’t in the same conference to spew their venom. What’s the point?