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E.J. Manuel hit Rashad Greene for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds remaining Thursday night to lead No. 10 Florida State to a 28-22 win over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
“I think we got a little mixed up on the coverage that we were in on the boundary side,” said cornerback Antone Exum, who broke up three passes. “They picked us off and kind of had (Greene) running free through the middle.”
It was Tech’s third straight loss, as the Hokies (4-6, 2-4 ACC) are now in serious danger of seeing their 19-year bowl run come to an end.
“I want to thank our fans for hanging in there with us and trying hard,” said Frank Beamer, head coach. “We just couldn’t get it done for them.
“You have to give Florida State credit. They hung in there and made some plays when they needed to. You have to give our kids credit, they hung in there and battled.”
Logan Thomas had an up-and-down game for Tech, completing 19-of-34 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown to go along with two interceptions and a rushing touchdown.
“Obviously, it’s tough,” Thomas said. “We’re going up to play a good Boston College team in the freezing cold and you just have to have the right mindset and be ready to go.
“After a loss like this, the first thing you want to do is get back on the field. That’s the way I feel.”
After Florida State took the lead late in the fourth quarter, Thomas hit redshirt freshman Demitri Knowles for a 35-yard strike to put the Hokies in good position for a comeback.
However, on the next play, Thomas threw behind Corey Fuller — who finished with a 124 yards receiving with a career-high seven catches — on a crossing pattern, resulting in a Tyler Hunter interception that sealed the victory for the Seminoles.
Bud Foster’s defense stole the show in a game that many predicted Florida State would win handily. Foster dialed up multiple blitz packages all night, resulting in five Tech sacks and negative 13 yards rushing for the Seminoles.
“We brought pressure the whole night,” Beamer said. “They are one of those teams that you have to have pressure on their quarterback and we did a good job most of the night, then they made some big plays there at the end.”
Even as Tech kept the pressure on him most of the game, Manuel never seemed overwhelmed, converting several huge throws throughout the night.
“Obviously they threw it around a little bit more, but that’s the situation that we all want to be in as a defenseman,” said linebacker Jack Tyler, who led the team with eight tackles. “We need make a stop there (at the end of the game), and we didn’t make it happen.”
Manuel finished 25-of-42 passing for 326 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Only Cincinnati’s Munchie Legaux has thrown for more yards in a game against the Hokies this season.
Tech hadn’t lost three games in a row since dropping the final three games of the 2003 season.
The Hokies retake the field next Saturday in Chesnut Hill, Mass. against Boston College. Time for kickoff has yet to be determined.
A version of this article appeared in the Nov 10 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 15 Comments Write a letter to the editor
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In Frank Beamer's outlook, "ninety percent of success is just showing up". That certainly proves true every January for bowl games and has now migrated to the regular season.
It's time to step aside Frank!
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If O'Cain, Stinespring, and Newsome are still employed after this season, something is totally and utterly f**ked in Blacksburg. The defense kept the team in that game, only for the offense to poop the bed.
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Did O'Cain throw those interceptions? Did Stiney hold during Logan's TD run?
I'm necessarily their biggest fans, but they put us in a position win against the #1 defense in the country. We killed ourselves last night.
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The secondary's problem is ball awareness. They never know where the ball is. That last touchdown wasn't the only "mix up" in the secondary last night. The coaches need to get away from changing the positions of these players in the secondary. It is just creating problems. The offensive coaches need to be removed.
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Interesting fact:
This is only the 4th season since 1979 that we have had 6 or more losses. Go check out the history on hokiesports.com
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Gene Chizik, who led the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated season and national championship just two years ago, is facing potential firing at the culmination of a season that (so far) has yielded the Tigers seven losses (2-7).
They take performance down in the SEC much more stringently than in Blacksburg. Heck, coaches in the SEC have been fired as a result of big bowl game losses.
But in Blacksburg, Frank Beamer can just say "golly shucks we got out played today" and there isn't any risk of regime change. Is it because we couldn't attract a new coach to Blacksburg?
10 win seasons on a largely cupcake opponent schedule does not make for a great coach.
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Your point??? From 1979-1985 under Bill Dooley VT played some of the weakest schedules ever and still lost games they should've won, much like today. I'd take 7-5 seasons versus quality opponents than 10-4's that result in lost bowl games consistently, that were easily won. Coaching is past due in football times and needs a huge upgrade.
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I didn't realize tech was playing such quality opponents (besides FSU/Clemson). I am sorry but I don't consider Austin Peay, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Boston College, etc. quality. Can you please let me know how we are playing such good teams??? I am really confused.
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