Flying cross-country, the Stanford football team has been losers of 15 straight games since joining the ACC in 2024. They won their first game at Syracuse that season in their conference opener and have lost 15 straight since. A cold-weather game in Blacksburg against a 6-3 Virginia Tech team coming off an embarrassing loss last week, 51-28, at SMU, and it was going to be interesting to see their response.
There wasn't one. Lowely Stanford came into Lane Stadium as a two-touchdown underdog and was not intimidated. They jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter and had an answer for everything the Hokies did that was positive, which wasn't many things, and improved to 5-5 with a 40-22 win. Here are four observations from an embarrassing loss to the Cardinal.
Virginia Tech was picked apart by David Warren
If this isn't rock-bottom, well, I don't know what is. It's one thing to get picked apart by Kevin Jennings and SMU, but Davis Warren? He's good, but he shouldn't come to Blacksburg and chew up the Hokies under the lights at Lane Stadium. He finished 16-for-31 for 203 yards and a rushing touchdown. It was the most points the Cardinal have scored in an ACC game since joining the conference.
It was another week where a Brent Pry defense had no answer for what the Cardinal did. Sure, they were set up and took advantage of three first-half turnovers. We knew Virginia Tech's defense wasn't good, but my goodness, if you thought the California loss last month in Northern California was bad, this one takes the cake. What is Miami going to do to them next week?
Virginia Tech was flat and unprepared again
Stop me if you've heard this before. Virginia Tech came out flat and unprepared; it's one thing and embarrassing to do it coming off a bye week, but the Cardinal. It's another thing to do it against Stanford. The offense had no rhythm to it and no emotion of any kind. Putting it bluntly, Stanford has a bad defense, and you never knew it.
Being unprepared and playing with no emotion is one thing, but to do it two weeks in a row is another. If we're being honest, Franklin's press conference this week was giving odd vibes. He didn't seem to have the pep he had earlier this season. Is that a sign of something?
Virginia Tech unable to get stops defensively
Ok, as mentioned above, Virginia Tech's defense had no answer for Davis Warren. Not Kevin Jennings, Davis Warren. So let's start with the inability to get off the field at times, but how about some questionable soft coverage, which led to a field goal at the end of the first half, to take away any momentum the Hokies had after a Jeffrey Overton Jr. touchdown. Then in the fourth quarter, after a big play that led to Davion Brown for a touchdown, the Hokies' defense allowed a field goal. Get some momentum, lose all momentum.
How about another game with no takeaways? I mean, when you're struggling to get stops, forcing a turnover is what you need to do. The only resemblance to a turnover was a stop on downs in the third quarter. Lose the turnover battle, you lose the game. Something they have learned too many times this season.
Virginia Tech's offense was abysmal
Once again, the lone bright spot was running back Jeffrey Overton Jr. I mean, sure, there was questionable play calling from Ty Howle again; there were injuries along the offensive line, and they couldn't protect Ethan Grunkemeyer. We've seen this song and dance before. Grunkemeyer was sacked five times.
The struggling offensive line is one thing, but Grunkemeyer throwing two picks, throwing behind receivers, receivers dropping the ball is one thing. Marcellous Hawkins Jr. going out with an injury in the first half didn't help, but there wasn't much to like on the offensive side of the ball or the defense, for that matter.
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