It was Thursday night college football under the bright lights in Lane Stadium, and the energy and fans did not disappoint!
In its most recent home game this past Thursday, Oct. 17, Virginia Tech squared off against the visiting Boston College Eagles in front of a sold out crowd in Lane Stadium. Sporting their new orange jerseys for the Orange Effect game, the Hokies played through the chilly Blacksburg autumn weather.
The Commonwealth. (Photo credit: AJ Joseph)
In the press conference the Monday prior to the game, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry noted the tradition the Thursday night atmosphere would bring to Blacksburg.
“ESPN Thursday Night Football [and] Virginia Tech go hand in hand,” Pry said. “This series is tied 3-3 on Thursday night against Boston College, so it’s a rubber match.”
Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones also commented on the game as well as the energy that the sold out crowd would bring on Thursday.
“I was glad to be a part of it last year... Even on a Thursday night it’s sold out, so I’m glad to have these fans behind us and then just going out there and giving them a show Thursday.”
Pregame
Along the lines of tradition, the Marching Virginians performed one of our favorite shows Thursday night in our annual Pregame show. Cued by a drumline cadence, the MVs began their run onto the field, outlining the shape of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the process. Once set, the band performed its traditional Fanfare from “Superman,” and the piece’s grand ending marked the start of the pregame performance.
Next came the well-known pieces in the Shenandoah Chorale and March, VPI Victory March, and Tech Triumph, which came after the controlled chaos that is the “toilet bowl.”
Hi, Hokie Bird! (photo credit: MV Online Content)
After Tech Triumph came the melodic “Copland Colors,” where the nation’s colors were marched out onto the field and were presented for the national anthem which soon followed.
Once the national anthem finished, and the cannon fired off, the band played Tech Triumph once again, and set up the tunnel for the football team’s run on to the classic “Enter Sandman” entrance.
First Half
After Boston College was unable to score on the opening drive of the game, the Hokies got off to a hot start with quarterback Kyron Drones running in an 11-yard touchdown on Tech’s first offensive drive of the game. This was later followed by two turnovers by the Eagles which led to two Virginia Tech scores, another one from Drones and then one from running back Bhayshul Tuten. Then, in the last two minutes of the half, the Hokies drove down the field and scored another touchdown on a reception from Tuten. By halftime, Virginia Tech had a commanding 28-0 lead.
Second Half
The Hokies got off to a slow start in the second half, starting off their first three possessions with a punt, interception, and fumble on their first three drives. Boston College responded to these miscues, scoring a touchdown on each of their answering possessions. The Eagles very quickly put up 21 unanswered points, and the score was 28-21 in favor of Virginia tech midway through the third quarter. The stress was slowly increasing in the MV stands, but as always, we figured Virginia Tech would pull through.
Hi, Thomas! (photo credit: Andrew Single)
The Hokies did just that as they erupted for 14 points in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten led the charge on offense, as he scored another touchdown on the board and then delivered the final blow to the Boston College defense with a 61-yard touchdown to put the Hokies up by 21 points. In doing all of this, Tuten also set the single-game rushing record in Virginia Tech program history with 266 rushing yards on the night. Boston College would be unable to score the rest of the game, and the Hokies would come away with the 42-21 victory. Virginia Tech now sits at a 4-3 record on the season, and is only two wins away from becoming bowl eligible for a second straight year.
We’ll be back in Lane Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26 when Virginia Tech takes on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in another pivotal ACC matchup. For that game, the band will be performing our homecoming show at halftime!
As previously mentioned, the annual pregame show is one of the favorites among the Marching Virginians. From the run-on to the toilet bowl to setting the tunnel for “Enter Sandman,” we love every minute of the tradition the band brings to gamedays, especially on nights like the one this past Thursday. The tradition the game brought, not only for the football teams but for the band as well, serves as a reminder of what creates the backbone for the Spirit of Tech in its 50th year.