Hokies Upset Tar Heels in Signature Season Opening Victory

BLACKSBURG, Va. – For the first time in nearly two years, all seemed right in Blacksburg. Enter Sandman played, fans jumped, and football was played the way it was meant to be: in front of 66,233 of your closest friends.

Entering tonight, Virginia Tech had not defeated a top-ten team since their 2014 victory over eventual national champion Ohio State in Columbus. For the Hokies to buck the trend of falling to highly-ranked opponents, they would have to start hot and proverbially “punch” their opponents in the mouth.

And so they did.

The Tar Heels won the coin toss and deferred the option to the second half. The Hokies received the kickoff and had a methodical five-minute scoring drive capped off by a 4-yard rush by quarterback Braxton Burmeister. Raheem Blackshear and Tayvion Robinson turned in two dynamic plays to highlight the first drive of the game.

The Hokies forced a quick North Carolina punt and turned in another drive down inside the Tar Heel 10-yard line. Keshawn King fumbled the ball trying to get extra yards, turning what was almost certainly another scoring drive into a turnover and an opportunity for the Heels to seize control of the game.

Hokies defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton’s squad forced a punt to cap a five-minute drive and presented the offense another chance to take a two-score lead. The offense capitalized on the defensive stop and marched down the field for a third successive time. Burmeister found Tré Turner on the right side of the field with a beautiful completion to take the Hokies into the red zone. Burmeister found tight end James Mitchell in the endzone a few plays later to give the Hokies a 14-0 lead, which they would eventually take into halftime.

North Carolina received the second-half kickoff and promptly went three-and-out. Carolina’s defense countered and forced the Hokies off the field quickly. The defenses controlled the third frame with the exception of Sam Howell’s 37-yard connection with Josh Downs that finally put the Tar Heels on the board.

The same would be true in the fourth quarter with the exception of a field goal for each squad. The Hokies offense had numerous opportunities to put the game away and for one reason or another, failed to convert. Conversely, Howell’s offense had chances to seize control as well.

Hamilton’s defense stood tall, especially when the game was hanging in the balance.

Howell led one last charge into Hokies territory for the Tar Heels but threw his third interception of the night (his second of the fourth quarter) which clinched the game for the home team.

Regarding the electric atmosphere which permeated the Virginia Tech campus leading up to the game, Hokies head coach Justin Fuente commented, “What an unbelievable crowd tonight. I’ve never seen [Lane Stadium] like that. It was different. So much energy. So many festivities. So much loud music. It was incredible.”

On the victory, Fuente stated, “I am awfully proud of our football team for how they prepared through fall camp in a game no one thought we could win.”

Offering thoughts on the program’s perception, Fuente remarked, “We just continue to try and teach the right things and be about the right things. I do feel good about this group.” He continued to say that they have a long season ahead of themselves and that there are a plethora of factors that could determine the outcome at the end of the season.

But for now? It was unquestionably a great victory for a program, and a coach, that desperately needed one. Make no mistake, the Hokies controlled the game from the outset and were clearly prepared for the matchup.

The Hokies will take on Middle Tennessee State on Saturday at Lane Stadium on Saturday, September 11 at 2 pm.

Share This Story:

Related Content