The Hokies, who came into Saturday’s Military Bowl game against Cincinnati with a 6-6 record, needed a win to preserve its streak of consecutive winning seasons, and did so with a 33-17 victory that secured the program’s 22nd consecutive winning season.
The win was a little surprising considering Cincinnati, which was trying to win 10 games for the third time in four seasons, came out hot on offense with quarterback Gunner Kiel slinging the ball with precision against a spotty Virginia Tech secondary.
But once the Virginia Tech defense settled down and started mixing up its looks, Kiel started to struggle and threw two interceptions. In the third quarter, the defense knocked Kiel out of the game with a vicious shot to the midsection that left him on the ground for several minutes.
Kiel fumbled the ball on the play and Virginia Tech scored to turn a 10-point lead to what was ultimately an insurmountable 17-point lead.
With Kiel out, Cincinnati’s offense came to a screeching halt and Virginia Tech’s defense was able to salt away the game.
The bowl win is a small measure of validation for a Virginia Tech team that had been through a litany of highs and lows. The Hokies were championed early in the season for beating Ohio State, but then became a handcuff for the Buckeyes as they struggled to six losses.
Coach Frank Beamer, who had throat surgery on Dec. 6, coached the game from the press box, but was so thrilled by the win, he couldn’t help but show his elation after the game.
For more Virginia Tech news, visit HokieHaven.com.
For more Cincinnati news, visit BearcatReport.com.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday
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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Virginia Tech earns a measure of redemption with 33-17 win against Cincinnati
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