Hokies’ Lane futility continuing
Canes crush Tech, though 12th game aligned if needed
BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech made history Saturday night, but there won’t be any chest-thumping over its latest dubious distinction in a season quickly spiraling into the abyss.
Tech’s nightmarish season at home continued with a 38-14 loss against Miami, lengthening the Hokies’ overall losing streak to four straight games and giving them a four-game skid at home in one season for the first time in Lane Stadium history (it opened in 1965). The last time Tech lost four consecutive games at home regardless of number of seasons involved was when it dropped the 1973 home finale and first three home games of the ’74 season.
“I’m sure (fans) are upset,” Tech coach Justin Fuente said. “They’re not more upset than I am. I promise you that. We’re working every single day to continue to improve, and I know that we are. I’ve never been more confident in the future of this football program than I am right in this moment. That doesn’t make anybody feel any better (Saturday night).”
Just how bad has it gotten at home for the Hokies, who are now in serious jeopardy of failing to extend their bowl streak to 26 consecutive seasons? As of Sunday, it’s been exactly a year since Tech has beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision program at home. It defeated Pittsburgh 20-14 on Nov. 18 last season in Lane Stadium.
Tech (4-6, 3-4 ACC), which last lost four straight games home or away in 1992, dropped all four of the games in the current streak by double digits. Tech’s last four-game losing streak in which it lost every one of them by 10-plus points was in that ’92 season.
The Hokies are set to fill an opening for a 12th game Dec. 1 against Marshall in Lane Stadium, if they need the game to try to get bowl-eligible, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. They must beat Virginia on Friday in Blacksburg or the Marshall game will not be played, the source said.
Trailing 17-14 with less than 10 minutes left in the third quarter, Tech had a chance to get momentum turned its direction with Miami (6-5, 3-4) facing third-and-2 from the Hokies’ 42-yard line. Instead, running back Cam’Ron Davis took a handoff from quarterback N’Kosi Perry, ran through the middle of the line of scrimmage and scored a touchdown on a 42-yard run with 9:40 left in the third quarter.
The wheels fell off for Tech — again — when the Hokies punted at the conclusion of their next possession.
Miami’s Jeff Thomas let a punt by Oscar Bradburn roll for a few yards before scooping it up in traffic, dodging Coleman Fox and Oscar Shadley and running 51 yards for a touchdown with 5:47 remaining in the third quarter to extend Miami’s lead to 31-14. It was the first punt return for a touchdown against Tech since 2013, when Maryland’s William Likely brought one back against the Hokies.
Davis helped Miami put the game out of reach later in the third quarter when he caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Perry with 1:17 left, stretching the Hurricanes’ advantage to 38-14.
Tech’s second half stood in contrast to how it opened the game, especially on defense. Tech opened the game with an efficient five-play, 76-yard drive that featured back-to-back completions of 14 and 45 yards from quarterback Ryan Willis to wide receivers Damon Hazelton and Tre Turner, respectively.
Willis finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Willis to H-back Dalton Keene to put Tech up 7-0 with 12:59 left in the opening quarter. Beyond the opening drive, Willis struggled, completing 18 of 36 passes for 216 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Tech failed to score on 12 of its last 13 possessions, but defense kept the Hokies in the game until Davis’ touchdown run by keeping the Hurricanes from scoring on five of their first eight possessions. Miami led 17-14 at halftime, but Tech had a 171-157 yardage advantage in the opening 30 minutes.
“We’ve got to look in the mirror (Saturday night) and ask ourselves what can we do better,” Willis said. “What can we do for our teammate to help him out? How can we communicate better?
“We’re trying our hearts out. There’s no quit in the team. I don’t feel any letup in the locker room.” Norm Wood, 757-247-4642, nwood@dailypress.com