Our first football game of the season was this past Monday night, Septemeber 3rd, on our own turf against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. For those of you who weren’t at the game on Monday night, you missed out. Not only did you miss a night game, which are the best games of the season, but you also missed one of the best games that I, as a Virginia Tech student, have ever witnessed.
VT started out great as Logan Thomas and the Hokie offense drove down the field finishing off the drive with a short pass to the tight end scoring our first touchdown of the night. With the Hokies going wild in the stands it looked like smooth sailing from there.
Little did we know that our freshman punter would miss the punt completely and give Georgia Tech perfect field position on our very own 25-yard line. Georgia Tech quickly came back, getting their first touchdown of the night making it a tied game of 7-7. A sense of shock and awe overcame the stands as many were stunned at what had just happened.
Georgia Tech didn’t stop there as they made the first field goal of the night bringing the score to 10-7. It was still early in the game and everyone was cheering as loud as could be in the stands hoping and praying another VT touchdown would soon come. Sure enough, Logan Thomas threw a 60-yard pass to a freshman wide receiver for the second touchdown.
At 14-10 Virginia Tech fans hoped that was enough to lead us into victory. However, Georgia Tech quickly shot back once again and got their second touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter with only 44 seconds left in the game. Devastation set in and as I looked around at all my fellow Hokies; it seemed as though all hope was lost.
There was 44 seconds left in the game as the Hokies regained possession of the ball in hopes of scoring. Time outs were called left and right as the Hokies made an effort to drive the ball down the field one last time. It was 3rd down on the 30-yard line with just nine seconds left on the clock as our kicker came out onto the field. All breathing had ceased and my eyes instinctively closed, as I was too afraid to watch as our kicker took the kick. The roar of the stadium was enough to know that the kick was good. VT had made the 30-yard field goal tying the game at 17-17 and taking us into overtime for the very first time in Lane Stadium.
With GT getting first possession of the ball in OT everyone thought it might be over. However, with GT at its 3rd down the Hokies intercepted the ball. Driving the ball down past the 20-yard line we went for the field goal on our 3rd down. Making the field goal, the crowd went crazy as we came out victorious against Georgia Tech for the third year in a row.
As the fireworks set off over our heads, we jumped, screamed and cried with joy. Leaving the stadium, all you could hear were the numerous Hokie chants that resonated through the streets. This past Monday night game will be one that will not soon be forgotten.