Following Virginia Tech’s 30-23 loss against Wake Forest on Saturday at Lane Stadium, the Hokies felt like they had squandered a great chance. They were favored to win a third straight game after winning two in a row, but mistakes proved costly.
They weren’t great on offense, but they did enough to win the game, scoring 23 points. Yes, it was upsetting to have a first-and-goal within the Demon Deacons’ 5-yard line in the third quarter following an interception, but after three failed runs and a personal foul penalty, they were forced to settle for a John Love field goal. There was a wasted opportunity to tie the game with a touchdown.
When the dust cleared from the loss and the Hokies began to prepare for a trip to Georgia Tech this weekend, one major concern remained.
One big big Virginia Tech football worry after Wake Forest loss
Virginia Tech lost games throughout the first three weeks of the season under Brent Pry due to self-inflicted blunders and poor play. After improving against Wofford and North Carolina State, the same problems resurfaced against Wake Forest.
This was a highly winnable game for the Hokies, but two second-quarter mistakes contributed significantly to the loss. In the quarter, Virginia Tech’s defense did an excellent job of forcing the Demon Deacons into fourth downs, but on both third-and-longs, two personal foul penalties extended drives that resulted in Wake Forest touchdowns.
Those 14 points proved to be the difference, along with the Hokies’ inability to score a touchdown in the third quarter following Isaiah Brown-Murray’s interception. Virginia Tech has a challenging schedule left this season, and if they continue to commit self-inflicted blunders, it will be a long second half of the year, beginning with the Yellow Jackets on Saturday.