American college football season
The 2019 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Tech during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Hokies were led by fourth-year head coach Justin Fuente and played their home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia . They competed as members of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Hokies lost to arch rival Virginia for the first time since 2003. The loss cost the Hokies the Coastal Division and a trip to the Orange Bowl.
Preseason
Preseason media poll
In the preseason ACC media poll, Virginia Tech was predicted to finish in third in the Coastal Division.[1]
Media poll (Coastal Division)
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Virginia
1003 (82)
2
Miami (FL)
992 (55)
3
Virginia Tech
827 (20)
4
Pittsburgh
691 (8)
5
Duke
566 (6)
6
North Carolina
463 (1)
7
Georgia Tech
302 (1)
Schedule
In non-conference play, Virginia Tech played home games against Old Dominion of Conference USA , Furman of the Southern Conference , and Rhode Island of the Colonial Athletic Association , as well as a road game against Notre Dame , a football independent . In ACC play, the Hokies will play the other members of the Coastal Division as well as Boston College and Wake Forest from the Atlantic Division.
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance August 31 4:00 p.m. at Boston College ACCN L 28–35 35,213
September 7 12:00 p.m. Old Dominion * ESPNU W 31–17 57,282
September 14 12:00 p.m. No. 16 (FCS ) Furman * ACCN W 24–17 52,314
7:00 p.m. Duke ESPN L 10–45 59,537
October 5 3:30 p.m. at Miami (FL) ESPN W 42–35 53,183
October 12 4:00 p.m. Rhode Island * ACCN W 34–17 51,716
October 19 3:30 p.m. North Carolina ACCRSN W 43–41 6OT 65,632
November 2 2:30 p.m. at No. 16 Notre Dame * NBC L 20–21 77,622
November 9 3:30 p.m. No. 19 Wake Forest ACCN W 36–17 65,632
November 16 3:30 p.m. at Georgia Tech ACCRSN W 45–0 43,263
November 23 3:30 p.m. Pittsburgh ESPN2 W 28–0 55,936
12:00 p.m. at Virginia No. 24 ABC L 30–39 52,619
12:00 p.m. vs. Kentucky * ESPN L 30–37 44,138
Source:[2]
Game summaries
At Boston College
1
2
3
4
Total
Hokies
7
7
7
7
28
Eagles
7
21
0
7
35
Old Dominion
1
2
3
4
Total
Monarchs
3
0
7
7
17
Hokies
10
7
7
7
31
Furman
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 16 (FCS) Paladins
0
14
0
3
17
Hokies
3
0
14
7
24
Duke
1
2
3
4
Total
Blue Devils
0
21
10
14
45
Hokies
3
0
7
0
10
At Miami (FL)
1
2
3
4
Total
Hokies
21
7
0
14
42
Hurricanes
0
7
7
21
35
Rhode Island
1
2
3
4
Total
Rams
0
6
11
0
17
Hokies
10
7
7
10
34
North Carolina
1
2
3
4 OT 2OT 3OT 4OT 5OT 6OT
Total
Tar Heels
10
7
7
7 3 7 0 0 0 0
41
Hokies
7
14
0
10 3 7 0 0 0 2
43
Starting with the 2019 season, every overtime period starting with the fifth overtime consists solely of one two-point attempt per team from the three yard line.
At Notre Dame
1
2
3
4
Total
Hokies
7
7
3
3
20
No. 16 Fighting Irish
7
7
0
7
21
After poor performances against USC and Michigan, Notre Dame stepped up defensively against Virginia Tech. The hokies were held to their lowest total yards game since 2015 and lowest yards per play since 2016 in what was billed as "one of the best group effort performances" ever seen by Sports Illustrated sportswriter Bryan Driskell.[3] Yet, Notre Dame still needed a late touchdown to win the game by a final score 21-20 and Notre Dame extended their home winning streak to 16 games.[4]
Wake Forest
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 22 Demon Deacons
3
7
7
0
17
Hokies
3
3
17
13
36
At Georgia Tech
1
2
3
4
Total
Hokies
14
17
14
0
45
Yellow Jackets
0
0
0
0
0
Pittsburgh
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
0
0
0
0
Hokies
14
7
0
7
28
At Virginia
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 24 Hokies
3
3
21
3
30
Cavaliers
13
0
7
19
39
vs Kentucky (Belk Bowl)
1
2
3
4
Total
Hokies
10
7
10
3
30
Wildcats
7
7
10
13
37
Honorary #25 Beamer Jersey
Since the start of the 2016 season, during the week before each game, Head Coach Justin Fuente selects an outstanding player to wear the #25 jersey in honor of former head coach, Frank Beamer , who wore #25 as a player for Virginia Tech. The jersey represents hard work, toughness, good sportsmanship and being a exemplary teammate. At first, the distinction was intended strictly for special teams players, but has since been expanded to include all team members.
The players honored in the 2019 season are:[5]
Game
Opponent
Player(s)
Game 1
Boston College
Tyree Rodgers
Game 2
Old Dominion
Divine Deablo (2)
Game 3
Furman
Dylan Rivers
Game 4
Duke
Oscar Bradburn (3)
Game 5
Miami
Jarrod Hewitt
Game 6
Rhode Island
Devon Hunter
Game 7
North Carolina
Rayshard Ashby
Game 8
Notre Dame
Armani Chatman
Game 9
Wake Forest
Divine Deablo (3)
Game 10
Georgia Tech
Khalil Ladler (2)
Game 11
Pittsburgh
James Mitchell
Game 12
Virginia
Dalton Keene (2) & Rayshard Ashby (2)
Belk Bowl
Kentucky
Brian Johnson