Syra-curse...The Dome Hex is Real

Once again the Virginia Tech football team made a trip to central New York.  And once again the Hokies are returning with a painful loss.

The Hokies have now played ten games in the JMA Wireless Dome, formerly known as the Carrier Dome, and the Orange have won eight of those contests (there was one previous victory by Syracuse in 1964, prior to the building of the Dome, so the all-time road record up there is 2-9).

The first matchup in the Carrier Dome ended with a Tech victory. That’s good, no?  Much like Saturday's game, however, the good start was overshadowed by the poor results later.  Unfortunately, the Hokies have only won in that building once since, with Michael Vick in 2000, an even with the greatest Hokie ever it was a struggle. 

The rest of the games have been brutal for Tech. Rather than rehash this ulcer-inducing series, I’ll just link my preseason article here where I painfully recounted the losses (and prophetically predicted a close loss, saying, “That dome just brings out the worst in Virginia Tech football.”)

Much to my chagrin, I now have one more loss to add to that dismal list.

With the way Virginia Tech has played up there, is it accurate to say that the Hokies are cursed in that Dome? 

This topic of conversation – that wretched Dome – came up frequently last week as the Hokies were preparing for this game.  I heard it on all the podcasts I listed to, and I heard about it in several group chats. The Dome is cursed.

However, in one of those group chats, a younger, rational individual made a good point – are we as fans going to allow ourselves to believe that the outcome of a game can be determined by superstition? 

I mean, we all have our lucky socks and pre-game routines as fans, but do they really influence the outcome of a game?  No, so why should a history of losses in one building determine future outcomes?

Furthermore, this individual argued that Tech has only played in the Dome once in the past two decades, so none of these players and coaches even know what that supposed curse is about.  Why is it even a concern then?

These are great points. There is no such thing as the Curse of the Dome.

But in my best Dwight Shrute voice, I will respond with a firm “False.”

This game set up Hokie fans for disappointment before it even kicked off.  Out of nowhere, quarterback Kyron Drones was ruled out of the game as the broadcast began on the CW (which, by the way, had some of the worst camera work I’ve seen since…since…that awful Old Dominion broadcast in September). 

And then all-everything running back Bhayshul Tuten, who was classified as “probable” earlier in the week, did not play in the first series.

What’s that you say, Scooby?  “Rut-roh.”

So as I sat on my friend’s couch to watch the game, the Drones news came as a surprise, and I saw Tuten on the sidelines for the first drive.  Being a Hokie fan for three and a half decades, my instincts kicked in.  “So much for breaking the curse of the Dome this year,” I thought. 

But what did Virginia Tech do? The same thing they always do…give us hope.  Collin Schlee played with a lot of guts, Malachi Thomas and Jeremiah Coney ran hard, and offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen reached deep into his bag of tricks early to get the Hokies into the endzone twice in the first half.

Meanwhile, the defense was hungry – and opportunistic, causing a few turnovers – and they held ‘Cuse to just a field goal. 

It was a good feeling to be up 14-3 at the half, in the Dome no less.  But I knew better than to be comfortable.  There were still thirty minutes to play in this God-forsaken place.

Like Lucy putting the ball on the ground for Charlie Brown, the Hokies then scored again to go up 21-3 halfway through the third quarter.  Wow, were we actually going to win a game at the Dome?   

It was at that point that I turned to my friend and said, “Let’s keep ball in front of us on defense, execute on offense, and have no turnovers…do that and we win.”

So what happened?  Exactly the opposite, and Lucy pulled the football away.

Just four plays after speaking those words, I became an anti-prophet.  Mansoor Delane missed a tackle in the flat and Justus Ross-Simmons began his career day, bolting free for 55-yards and a touchdown.   Syracuse worked quickly, extinguishing about a minute and a half off the clock.

"Ok, let’s just execute on offense, move the chains and chew some clock.  We can still win this one," I said to my friend.

No.  Tech went three-and-out on the next possession, and the Orange responded again with another big play, this time a 47-yard pass and run to the Tech four-yard line.

My uneasiness heightened after that touchdown and conversion brought the score to 21-18.  It quickly turned to despair after a Coney fumble at the VT 39 on the next drive.

Who said there is no such thing as a curse?  In just over eight minutes, Tech squandered an 18-point lead on the road. 

We know the rest.  Like Lucy putting the ball back on the ground, the Hokies regained the lead.  Then Lucy pulled the ball away again as Syracuse chewed up the final four minutes and tied the game, then acted quickly to win it in overtime, painfully similar to the Vanderbilt outcome.

It was a game where the Hokies gained 249 yards on the ground and 455 in total.  Tech held possession for almost 35 minutes.  Yet the Orange secured their largest comeback win since 2012.

Again I ask, who said there is no such thing as a curse?

Sadly, I have seen this script all too often in Hokie history.  It is gut-wrenching.  I have become somewhat hardened by the constant let-downs, but I feel for the younger fans.  They have such fire and such innocence - like I did years ago - and the lads in my group chat are devastated right now.

And now they are believing in the Curse of the Dome.

This was supposed to be a great year.  The expectation was high, the hope was there.

And after losing at the Dome again, we are now holding our breath for a bowl bid.

It shouldn’t be that way, but the Hokies continue to lose close games in the fourth quarter. 

In upstate New York, the defense could not make a stop when it counted, and the lead dwindled, then it was lost.  Wash, rinse, repeat. 

Tech now has four losses, all by one score, and all in games where the opponent converted the tying or go-ahead score in a late drive, with most of those drives lasting over four minutes.

Someone needs to step up and make a play in those situations.  Or coaches need to scheme up something to stop the train that is rolling toward the end zone.  The defense needs to get off the field late in the game.  That did not happen Saturday – nor in the previous three losses. 

There are still three games left on the schedule.  Clemson will be formidable, as despite their own recent letdown, they are still a roster loaded with talent.  Duke plays with spirit and they have a tough defense.  That game will be a challenge.  And Virginia is a rivalry game, so they will come to play.

While I am deeply disappointed right now, I will keep hope that the Hokies can surprise everyone next week. Unexpected outcomes don’t always have to be negative.

But I am not holding my breath.

I am a superstitious fan.  I wear the same VT victory shirt to work every Monday after a win, as well as a black polo on the Mondays after a loss. If I start watching a game in one seat in the family room, I have to end the game in that seat.  Whatever drink I start with, I end with.

There is a lot more of my ritual and routine.  That’s just the way I am.  And I know a lot of you are similar.

I forgot to put out my VT lawn sign before I left my house Saturday to watch the game at my friend’s place.  Is that why Tech lost? Or was it because of the Dome Curse that the Hokies gave up four touchdowns in the second half and squandered an 18-point road lead?

Some will argue neither.  But you have to admit, this is more fuel for the fire of superstition - and a Dome hex. 

It is prudent of me to acknowledge that the JMA Wireless Dome is a difficult environment in which to play, even with its embarrassingly sparse crowd Saturday.  However, since the way the Hokies lost to Syracuse has become somewhat commonplace this year, I’m going to say that this one was more of a byproduct of lack of execution than luck.

Nevertheless, I hate playing up there.  It brings out the worst in the Hokies.  And until we win in that Dome, I am going to say it is cursed!

I hope that Tech and Syracuse are no longer in the same conference after the next round of realignment.  Until then, I can only hope to exorcise those Dome demons at our next visit in 2029.

I was in the stands the last time Virginia Tech won in the Carrier Dome about a quarter of a century ago.  And if both teams remain in the same conference long term, I sure hope I live to see another victory in that building.

More importantly, I hope I see another win or two (or three?) before November ends.

Go Hokies!