POSTGAME: Ryan Williams was clearly devastated after this one, but there was much more to this 20-17 loss to North Carolina than just his fumble. Missed opportunities by the offense, too many third- (and fourth-) down conversions by UNC and a general lack of execution when it mattered doomed the Hokies. If you're itching for details, simply scroll down to the in-game posts. Read more »
ATLANTA -- Bock, bock, bock!
That will continue to be a staple item on the postseason football menu for the ACC.
Chick-fil-A Bowl officials and the ACC announced Wednesday that they have reached a four-year extension to their existing agreement when it comes to postseason destinations.
BLACKSBURG -- While Virginia Tech's football team conducted game-week preparations Saturday for Thursday's ACC contest with North Carolina at Lane Stadium, the Hokies didn't get any help in their bid to win a third straight league crown.
Georgia Tech's 34-9 victory at Virginia on Saturday puts the Yellow Jackets (7-1, 5-1 ACC) solely in the driver's seat for the Coastal Division title. The Ramblin Wreck can sew up the crown with wins over Wake Forest at home (Nov. 7) and at Duke (Nov. 14).
The weekly AP Top 25 poll will be released later today. Here's how The Roanoke Times' Doug Doughty voted:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Southern Cal
5. Iowa
6. LSU
7. Boise State
8. Cincinnati
9. Oregon
10. Miami
11. Texas Christian
12. Penn State
13. Georgia Tech
14. Virginia Tech
15. Oklahoma State
16. Pittsburgh
17. Brigham Young
18. Houston
19. Utah
20. West Virginia
21. Ohio State
22. Oklahoma
23. Texas Tech
24. Notre Dame
25. California
ATLANTA -- OK, checking in here during the wee hours of a Sunday morning for the second time in seven weeks. The smoke-filled writing room once again is stationed at the lovely Extended Stay America.
Unlike following Virginia Tech's season-opening loss to Alabama on Sept. 5 at the Georgia Dome, I have cold adult beverages in hand this time. So I finished 1-1 in Georgia's capital city. The Hokies only wish they could have earned such a split.
The Hokies' defense, the longtime given in Frank Beamer's program, couldn't deliver the goods Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium in a 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets' tricky option running game snookered both coordinator Bud Foster and his troops in a second-half stampede that sparked the Jackets' first win over a top-five team at Dodd in 47 years.
Mark Berman back in Atlanta where Nesbitt has sealed the win with a 39-yard TD run to extend the GT lead to 28-16 with 3 minutes to go.
Say goodbye to the top 5, Hokies. Say goodbye to a shot at the BCS title game. Say goodbye to watching the BCS standings Sunday and seeing VT at No. 3. Say goodbye to first place in the ACC (Al Groh is in first place - yes, at least for the next week. GT visits UVa next Sat).
Mark Berman back in Atlanta, where the Hokies have cut the leead to 21-16 on a Tyrod Taylor 22-yard TD run with 4:52 to go. His 2-point pass was incomplete, though.
The Hokies drove 77 yards in 6 plays after Jason Worilds recovered a Nesbitt fumble at the VT 23.
The big plays on the drive were an 18-yard pass to Coale to the VT 41 and a Williams run from the VT 45 to the GT 34.
But will the Jackets be able to eat up the clock and keep the lead?
Mark Berman back in Atlanta, where the Jackets' run game is rolling. The Jackets have extended the lead to 21-10 after Wright took the pitch and sprinted 13 yards into the end zone with 1:37 left in the third.
The big play in the drive was Dwyer's 43-yard run to the VT 26. Another key play was Nesbitt's 8-yard run on third-and-6 to get his team to the VT 14.
I would be worried if I were a Hokie fan. The defense no longer has an answer for the GT ground game.
Mark Berman back in Atlanta, where Ryan Williams burst up the middle for a 66-yard TD run to cut the lead to 14-10 with 7:58 left in the third quarter. It was the first play following Porch interception of Nesbitt.
Williams redeemed himself from the previous series. Dyrell Roberts had a great kickoff return up the left sideline to get the Hokies from their 16 to the GT 26. But the Hokies could not get a first down. Tyrod Taylor ran to the 20, Williams ran to the 18, then Williams for no gain on third down. On 4th-and-2, the Hokies went for it, and Williams only got 1 yard.
What do you think, Hokie fans? Should VT have gone for it on 4th down or kicked a field goal to get some points?
And what about once they scored the TD. They went for the extra-point kick, but why not go for 2 and cut the lead to 14-11?
Mark Berman back in Atlanta, where Hokie fans should be getting nervous. Georgia Tech scored on the first series of the second half to extend the lead to 14-3 with 12:00 left in the third quarter. Nesbitt scored from 1 yard out, capping a six-play, 60-yard drive.
Two big plays on this drive: slotback Anthony Allen took the pitch and went up the right sideline to get the Jackets from their 44 to the VT 40. Two plays later, Nesbitt had a 31-yard run to the VT 4.
