For the second time in five games, interim Virginia Tech coach Philip Montgomery won a one-score game, double the amount that former coach Brent Pry won. Again, the bar wasn't high, but win No. 2 by one score was a 42-34 double overtime win over California last Friday night.
In his first one-score win back in September against North Carolina State on the road, the Hokies led 23-21 with two minutes left when, instead of going for fourth and short, Montgomery punted and put the trust in his defense to close out the game. They did it with a key fourth-down stop.
On Friday night against Cal, Virginia Tech battled back from a 10-point halftime deficit, and in the first overtime after the Golden Bears took the lead, Montgomery had a decision to make after he cut the deficit to 34-33 after a touchdown, try and win the game with a two-point conversion, or kick and go to a second overtime. The decision was easy.
"I felt like it wasn't the right opportunity for us to go to try to win it in the first one,'' said Montgomery. "Let's kick the field goal. You've seen multiple opportunities throughout the last couple of weeks where coaches have elected, 'Hey, I'm going to go for two and try to win it right here.' And it didn't play out great in that scenario.''
It was the correct decision at home
If the Hokies were on the road, it would not have been surprising to see Montgomery go for it, but with the momentum of the second half comeback and overtime, it was a no-brainer. The thought never crossed his mind.
"It was a pretty quick decision for us,'' Montgomery said. "We went ahead and kicked it, and let's roll into the next one and see what happens. I think the longer we play, the better chance we got. And so, I thought from that standpoint, it was the right decision for us at the moment."
Now the focus shifts to a tough Louisville team at home this weekend.