So happy to be 3-0. I hoped and thought we would go 3-0, but ya just never know and the first two wins were convincing, while today's win was a good one, but a lot closer than the score indicated. Yards were about even, at 319-302 in favor of VT, with them being very balanced and RU having 256 rushing yards, but only 46 passing yards, which was disappointing, so the fact we won by 35-16 was largely due, IMO, to us making more big plays and less mistakes: people laugh, sometimes at "the ball is the program" mantra of GS, but it matters. Here's a few plays highlighting this:
- First play, bad mistake fumble by VT and we score immediately on a gorgeous wait-and-scamper run by Monangai.
- Then VT has a very nice drive, but we stop them and then they miss a fairly short FG.
- Then, after a VT FG, we see the best of Gavin Wimsatt as he absorbs a cheap shot for penalty and first down, then throws a gorgeous pass to Dremel for 23 and then he runs like a deer, untouched for a 34 yard TD. If we could bottle that, we wouldn't be worried at all about making a bowl - fantastic drive.
- Later on VT throws an INT, which we didn't quite convert on, but it helped flip the field setting up the end of half TD.
- And on that end of half TD, after another VT mistake (their horrible 13-yard punt), Dremel made a huge play to get that foot in the endzone (after yet another VT mistake on the PI call) to score with just 4 seconds left in the half.
- Then in the 3Q, after being dominated by VT, we at least made a big play on that 2-pt conversion with the great tackle by Lewis to keep it 21-16.
- And possibly the biggest play of the game (after grinding out two close first downs), Monangai broke that 55-yard TD in acres of open space to put us up 28-16, almost sealing the game
- And while the stopping VT on 4th down and then pounding the snot out of them on the last TD drive didn't necessarily feature specific huge plays, I just loved the grit and determination those possessions showed for both the D and the O.
