When it comes to villains for the Virginia Tech football team, well, the list could be a long one. A very long one. What about the University of Miami? How about Little Brother, Virginia? Sure, they won the first couple of matchups against Frank Beamer, but the rest, they say, is history. Heck, as bad as things were with Justin Fuente and Brent Pry, they even had success against them.
However, when it comes to another group on the football field, you might be surprised at who Andrea Adelson of ESPN thought it was. No, it wasn't anyone in pads, but in stripes.
ESPN lists officials as Virginia Tech's biggest villian on the football field
Look, blaming officials is an easy way to point the finger for a loss. It's always the officials. However, if there is a program that can actually point the finger, it is Virginia Tech. ESPN listed a villain on the field for each Power 4 conference team, and Adelson picked the officials for the Hokies.
"Nobody at Virginia Tech would argue if we picked Virginia or even Miami for a more recent villain, but the replay official who overturned Danny Coale's overtime TD catch against Michigan in the 2012 Sugar Bowl still sends Hokies fans spiraling. Virginia Tech had a miserable record in BCS games, but that Sugar Bowl looked like it would be a massive breakthrough. Logan Thomas lofted a ball for Coale in the corner of the end zone that was ruled a catch on the field, but the call was reversed upon review when the referee ruled Coale did not maintain control. Michigan ultimately won in overtime. A more recent replay review cost Virginia Tech a win over Miami in 2024, when a Hail Mary pass was called a touchdown on the field but overturned upon replay review,'' wrote Adelson.
Talk about the traumatizing events for Virginia Tech fans. Also, talk about two endings and two calls that went against the Hokies, leaving so much speculation as to what could have been in both cases.
Danny Coale's overturned touchdown against Michigan will go down as the biggest hose job because of the situation it was in terms of the game. If that call stands, the narrative of Virginia Tech football might be different than it is now. If that one wasn't bad enough, what happened two years ago in South Florida was just as bad.
The Hokies seemed to be well in control of that game and on their way to a massive upset. However, some questionable coaching decisions led to them blowing a double-digit second-half lead, and they eventually found themselves needing a touchdown on the game's final drive. Most Hokies fans would agree that they got it.
However, when Kyron Drones Hail Mary was hauled in near the back of the end zone by Da'Quan Felton among several bodies. The call on the field was a touchdown, which is the most important thing. The play, which was the final play of the game, was reviewed, and after a lengthy review, the call was overturned, with what many feel was not indisputable evidence.
Again, blaming officials is an easy out when it comes to your favorite team losing a game, but in those two cases, Hokies fans had a gripe to blame them.
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