Heartache: Hokies Leave Miami After Overturned Hail Mary Spoils Upset

This isn't the first time the Hokies have felt heartache this season, but it may be the last time they let it happen.

Virginia Tech came into an unfavorable environment. A shortened week against the seventh-ranked team in the nation as 17.5-point underdogs had fans dreading this matchup. They needed to start with a heightened pace and find a way to control it from start to finish. That's no easy task against a school that looked like a powerhouse in the ACC. The Hokies needed to step up to the plate, and they started off swinging for the fences.

This squad had an inferno brewing within, beckoning for an upset for the ages. This was the perfect opportunity to change the narrative and make a statement on national television. What better way to do so than with an opening drive turnover? The Hokies were pressuring Cam Ward off the rip, and it led to a strip sack by Cole Nelson to set them up in enemy territory. It took Kyron Drones just three plays to let the Hurricanes know they were the ones that had to weather the storm. A 25-yard score by Benji Gosnell, someone who is quickly becoming one of Drone's favorite targets, and Miami found themselves under pressure. There was no better way to set the pace of the game, but you know Miami was gearing up to answer back.

This Miami offense played as advertised. Virginia Tech knew it wasn't a game of suppressing Cam Ward but about matching him. That's a tough task to withhold when the Heisman candidate drives down 73 yards in under three minutes. The Hokies trot back out, only to return it to the Hurricanes with an interception on the drive's second play. A malfunction between Kyron Drones and Ayden Greene had Miami set up near mid-field. If you thought the last drive was quick, Ward outdid the previous drive with a 59-second scoring drive. One blink and you'd miss Miami's offense, as they quickly bounced back to take a 14-7 lead.

Coach Pry learned quickly that they needed long, methodical drives to stay in this game. They responded with a 12-play drive but gained only 29 yards throughout. Sloppy penalties by both teams made a drive filled with volume lack the quality it needed. A failed trick play led to an intentional grounding from Malachi Thomas and the Hokies looked like they were losing momentum.

After an ideal start for the Hokies, Miami was in a prime position to take firm control of the game. They began to wake the run game up, wearing away at Chris Marve's front seven. The first quarter ended with the Hokies facing yet another red-zone stand against the Hurricanes. Ward was ready to put that first drive behind him and prove to these turkey's this was not their game to take. 

What's that? A red-zone turnover?

Mose Phillips III notched his first interception of the year and the Hokie's first red-zone turnover as well. These are the games where you need momentum shifters. Those are the moments that turn into statements. Ward had his second turnover of the first half, and the Hokies had officially turned this game into a dogfight. This was the team fans hyped up all off-season. This was the ACC dark horse analyst nationwide were ready to hitch the wagon to. You got the big play; heads were turned, and now you have to capitalize.

Insert Bhayshul Tuten. A 55-yard house call on the drive's third play. The Hokies weren't going anywhere, and Hard Rock Stadium went from ecstatic to irate in just one minute. Miami needed to return to their roots and establish the run game. That very dynamic, that need for adjustment to our gameplan was everything Pry needed. This team hadn't been able to establish pace front to back like we saw last season. They've shown what they could be in these first four weeks, but fans were still questioning what they should be. This start, this entire game was a testament to that. They continued to suppress the run and pressure Ward. Antwaun Powell-Ryland came into the game as the nation's sack leader and notched his seventh to give Kyron Drones and company possession yet again. 

The Hurricanes were in the belly of the beast to end this second half. The inferno the Hokies entered with engulfed them entirely. Drones drove down to the red-zone in four plays, and Jaylin Lane topped it off with a 20-yard score. The defense continued to apply pressure on Ward with another third-down sack to set the Hokies up with a scoring opportunity with two minutes to spare. They topped off a tremendous second half with a 57-yard bomb from John Love, followed by Miami's own deep shot for 56 yards to keep it a one-possession game. Just like that, Virginia Tech, as three-score underdogs, held a lead against the ACC's top dog at the half.

Tyler Bowen had strung together his most dominant offensive start against easily the most talented unit he's faced. He's endured his fair share of criticism for the offense's inconsistencies. They run the ball very well, It's hard not to when Bhayshul Tuten is your bell cow, but the passing game has been a fair-weather unit. Well, fans can confidently label this Bowen's redemption arch. 

The Hokies picked up where they left off with another effective drive. You wipe that first interception off the board, Kyron looked sharp on the day. He was extending plays, establishing himself as a dual threat, and helped open up the run game to continue dominating. They were getting good field positions and capitalizing on the opportunities they were given. Tuten continued to do his thing as he notched his fourth straight 100-yard performance, topped off with his longest run as a Hokie. Everybody was hitting their stride when called upon, and it was elevating to witness.

Extending their lead with another field goal from Love, they continued to be in the driver's seat. The Hurricanes needed a kickstart, and Damien Martinez was the one to answer the call. He woke up this offense with a 17-yard gash and had them rolling. This fast-paced unit drove down yet again. Ward was back in familiar territory. It'd been a whole quarter since Miami touched the red-zone. Now, they sat on the Hokie's 24-yard line, ready to put a change to that.

Sorry Cam, Kaleb Spencer came in to crash the party.

A couple of inches towards the sideline, Ward would've had an absolute dime. Payback for the tip-drill interception from earlier, Spencer took the ball away on the 4-yard line and took it back to the Miami 17. This was what Blacksburg had yearned for. High-paced football on both sides complementing each other to create a beautiful landscape of collegiate football. The Hokies had the chance to extend their 10-point lead and confidently be in the driver's seat.

Coach Pry was seeing red. He wanted to make a statement. However, this is where some of the blunders began. You can argue the play call for the fake field goal all day. Though I'm sure this isn't the call everyone is arguing at the end of the day, it does deserve some attention. If you take the points, it's still a two-score game against a team that's inevitably going to score. It's disappointing to see a potential game-changing interception canceled out by a turnover on downs, but how different would this game have been if Saint Germain stayed on his feet? Was it really that bad of a play call? The lane was there it just wasn't executed properly. As badly as fans wanted that drive to be a game-sealer, it ended up being a gut check. Nothing was going to come easy in this game, and Virginia Tech had a long way to go before they could feel comfortable.

Here came Ward's Heisman-level heroics. 

Deep in his territory, Ward led an 89-yard drive to the endzone finished off by a 17-yard scramble to score. This is the adversity that's inevitable in these big-time matchups. No matter how bad you want that win, the guys standing on the opposite sideline will prove that they want it just as bad. Ward had three turnovers and was still keeping his composure. Yet again, the Hokies were in a situation where they had to continue to match that confidence.

I mentioned earlier that this game was Tyler Bowen's redemption arch. He's not the only guy that needed one on this offense. Ayden Greene has seen a significant increase in snaps to start the year. It hasn't just been in run-blocking schemes; he's getting plays drawn up for him. We've seen flashes with Greene, but it's been tough sledding for the Nashville product. His first target against the 'Canes led to the tip-drill interception. It's not easy to win that mental battle, especially against the seventh-ranked team in the country. Props to Greene, though, because this may have been the breakout he needed. A methodical five-minute drive set the Hokies up to respond to Miami's comeback attempt. A fantastic evasion by Drones followed by a cross-body strike set Greene up for his first career touchdown. Extending the lead yet again, Greene scored what was looking to be the most important touchdown of the game.

Time and time again, the Hokies have fought against adversity. Spoiled comebacks against Vanderbilt and Rutgers have been the storylines of the season. They've fallen to mistakes and late pushes, but now they're on the opposite end. With a whole quarter ahead of them, it was crunch time to finish off an improbable feat.

Miami continued to fight. Give credit where it's due, Ward's ability to withstand constant pressure and carry himself like he's up by 50 is matched by few. He was a wizard to finish this game. His entire fourth quarter was a highlight reel. It wasn't an ideal first half, but he bounced back for the Hurricanes. If it wasn't through the air, it was on the ground for Ward. Three and a half minutes down, Miami has struck once again. The Hokies had to take that one on the chin. They looked to answer and they did. P.J. Prioleau on his lone carry of the game broke off a massive run to give the Hokies the game-sealing touchdown. Then there was the flag. Here came the adversity. Turn a blind eye to bias and take the flag as is, it's still bitter to see. That was the window Miami needed. Their stud QB had the chance to take their first lead since the first quarter with plenty of clock to work with. 

Mario Cristobal cooked up an ideal drive. A relatively dormant ground game revived itself and ran the clock down. It felt inevitable that Miami would score, but for once, they didn't speed their way to the endzone. Ward escaped two sacks for a remarkable improvisational play to set them up in goal-line territory. It wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of when. The 'Canes stormed back and took the lead but gave Drones time to scrape together one last drive.

1:57 left to conjure up a miracle.

This game was a statement in itself. Win or lose, you silenced every critic and outperformed a prestigious program for nearly the entire game. But you knew Pry wouldn't be satisfied with that. They were winning the game; he needed to prove that it wasn't for nothing. Spotted at the Miami 30-yard line, Drones had one last throw to save what would still be a phenomenal performance.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What would be the best description for this photo?

Ask a Hokie fan; they may say robbery. Ask a 'Canes fan; they may just sigh in relief. Me, this photo showed a fight. It defines this season entirely. Being so close, yet so far from glory. We've seen this story played out before in Virginia Tech history. Unfortunately, this day was Brent Pry's turn. Seeing the Virginia Tech bench clear was pandemonium. No fan wearing maroon and orange was seated. For one moment, the phrase "we're back" was personified. After the longest review you'll ever see in college football, those emotions were spoiled. Triumph became torment for the Hokies. The 'Canes escaped the longest storm they may face all season.

"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can come together."

Who would've thought this season would be best described by a Marilyn Monroe quote? These are the games NCAA '14 would label an instant classic. Fans should not leave this game feeling discouraged. It's okay to be let down; I'd question your humanity if you weren't. But there was too much good in this game to be wiped away by one play. If anything, that one call should be a spark. Coach Pry opening his conference saying, "I hope they got that call right," was proof of this. These are the moments where you take the positives and learn. They may feel cheated or disheartened, but nobody in that locker room should feel burnt out. Iron sharpens iron, and that same inferno the Hokies entered with burns brighter than ever. Next week, the Hokies will have cardinal on the menu. As they travel to the West Coast, they should feel assured that this fanbase is backing them harder than ever. Even though they left Miami 2-3, the Hurricanes may end up being the reason the tide changes in Blacksburg.