When the Virginia Tech football team was embarrassed by Old Dominion two weeks in Blacksburg, it cost Brent Pry his job. At 0-3, the Hokies were sputtering, and the season was falling apart. Pry was fired on Sept. 14, one day later, and first-year offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery was named interim coach.
Virginia Tech responded to the coaching change with a 38-6 rout of FCS Wofford last Saturday at Lane Stadium, but they began ACC play Saturday night at North Carolina State, and with a roster that was missing some players to the Transfer Portal, who knew what to expect.
Instead of rolling over and letting the Wolfpack bounce back from their first loss last week at Duke, the Hokies came into Raleigh and outplayed NC State and made one more play to eek out a 23-21 victory. Yes, that's right, a one-score win for Virginia Tech football.
Virginia Tech picks up a one-score win at NC State
Say what you will about last week against Wofford, but Virginia Tech came into Carter-Finley Stadium and took it to the Wolfpack, punched them in the mouth, and were punched back. Unlike the first three weeks this season under Pry, Virginia Tech didn't back down when they were punched in the mouth.
Offensively, Terion Stewart was huge running the ball, Kyron Drones protected the ball and made some big throws, and tight end Benji Gosnell made a huge catch in the fourth quarter on a broken play. John Love did what John Love has done at Virginia Tech; he was perfect, kicking, including the game-winning kick from 49 yards in the fourth quarter.
The fanbase was as down as it has been in years through the first three weeks. A win over Wofford was nice, but fans were wondering if there was going to be another win in 2025. It turns out, Virginia Tech opened ACC play with a road win and a one-score win. In two games in charge in Blacksburg, Montgomery has as many one-score wins as Pry had in four years. What. A. Win.