5 important takeaways from Virginia Tech’s loss to Syracuse

1. Defense

Hokie’s defense was very effective in the first half, scoring only three points. However, the start of the second half was similar to the Boston College game as the Hokies allowed Syracuse to take the lead by scoring 21 straight points. However, in the most important moments, the defense was unable to break through and seal the victory over the Syracuse team, which was kept secret in the first half. The Hokies struggled with their third-down defense in this game, as they allowed Syracuse to make 46% of its third-down attempts, ultimately winning the game in overtime. Virginia Tech is currently 5-4 and their three-game winning streak has come to an end ahead of next week’s big game against Clemson.

2. Crime

The Hokie offense got off to a fast start in the first quarter, scoring two touchdowns and moving the ball with ease. Many questions arose regarding the play of point guard Kyron Drones, who was injured late in the match after re-aggravating a foot injury, but the team did not concede a single goal in attack in the first half. We saw many different players getting involved in the running game as star forward Bhayshul Tuten missed today’s match with a lower leg injury. However, the attack could not be controlled in the second half, scoring only one goal and then losing the match in overtime.

3. Running game

Virginia Tech’s offense depends on how far their running game can go, and today was no exception as the Hokies scored multiple rushing touchdowns in the first half. The running game was so dominant in the first half that the offense counted over 100 rushing yards, with 117 total rushing yards and 261 first half yards for a total of 152 for Syracuse. The Hokies rushed for another 132 yards in the second half, but it ultimately didn’t help the team as they blew an 18-point lead.

4. Collin Schlee

Collin Schlee played very clean and effective football in today’s match. Schlee finished the game with 206 yards, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions and completed over 65% of his passes on the day. Schlee also injured his knee after trying to get a first down. This led to many questions as to why he would struggle with the play on the line in overtime, which ultimately led to the game being lost near the goal line.

5. Stephen Gosnell

Stephen Gosnell played as a wide receiver in this game and led the team with 118 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. Gosnell was able to maintain his streak in this game as the team placed more emphasis on the run option and short screen passes. He managed to take advantage of these situations more often than usual.

Additional links:

Virginia Tech Football: Hokies reveal uniform combination for matchup with Syracuse

Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse: Three players to watch for Syracuse’s offense

Virginia Tech football: Three things Virginia Tech needs to fix before facing Syracuse