You know sports enthusiasts will always tell you to let the “sleeping giant” sleep, do your job and get outta town with a win! Most of the time that is easier said than done especially when that “giant” has the ability to dominate you like a big brother dominates a little brother outside in the driveway. Many thought Boise State would be that little brother and would be bulldozed over by the more powerful, athletic, well known, better built for the BCS Virginia Tech team. But, thats why they play the game instead of resting on predictions.
As the first quarter began it seemed like the Hokies had not received their wake up call for the game as Boise State took command of the game early after they blocked a punt and recovered a fumble to take a quick 17-0 lead in the first quarter. They were able to present a very physical defense to Virginia Tech and keep Tyrod Taylor and his offense bottled up. That is until the second quarter when the Tech offense was able to finally get their act together and start to put a couple of scoring drives together.
Taylor, quarterback and spiritual leader of the Tech offense, collected his troops together on the sideline prior to the second quarter and had a meeting of the minds and it seemed to help. At that point when the Virginia Tech offense became ‘the Virginia Tech offense’ that we are used to seeing Taylor run so efficiently. After leading the offense down the field on a nine play sixty-seven yard drive Tech RB Ryan Williams punched in the first score of the night for Tech and they were off and running. The Tech defense started to get into the game also and produced a couple of stops and allowed their offense to collect some rhythm. Once the Tech offense settled in, the game began to be the game that was hyped. Each team matched the other score for score until they reached the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter after falling behind 27-26 Tech took the ball downfield sixty-four yards in ten plays and scored on another impressive drive that took 5:20 off the clock and made the score 30-26 after kicker Chris Hazley kicked a a 34 yard field goal. All was quiet from that point of the game on as both teams exchanged possessions with no luck of additional scores. That is until the 2:00 mark when State received the ball back and began the drive that scored the winning touchdown. It took Boise only 5 plays, 56 yards and :38 seconds to drive down and score the winning touchdown as Kellen Moore threw a perfect pass to receiver Austin Pettis for the 13 yard score that made all the difference in the game. The one concern for State was that they may have left too much time on the clock for Taylor and his squad as 1:09 remained. But, three incompletions and a sack later Boise State had held and had the ball back to set the offense up in the victory formation and run the clock out. After the game Coach Frank Beamer stated “I firmly believe we’re going to be a good football team. We weren’t a great football team tonight. We made too many critical mistakes, but I firmly believe we’re going to be a good football team.”
This game deserved to be played on Labor Day as both teams labored up and down the field and battled in a slugfest that went right down to the wire. If this game is any indication of what we are in for in college football this year then sign me up and save me a seat for every Saturday afternoon right in front of the television. Boise and Virginia Tech both lived up to the hype of the game and made many new fans along the way. College football at it’s best.
Gallarda-2 Rec.-4 Yds.-TD
Wlliams-21 Rsh.-44 Yds.-2 TD-1 Rec. TD
