LANDOVER, MARYLAND — The West Virginia Mountaineers came up short inside the Virginia Tech red zone in the final seconds in a 31-24 defeat in the first Battle for the Black Diamond Trophy in 12 years.
Bailed out by two Virginia Tech missed field goals in the second half, the Mountaineers led an improbable late-game drive that began with just under two minutes to play and two time outs to spare that ended when Will Grier’s final pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
But it was Grier’s second-to-last pass that will likely haunt the signal caller in his Mountaineer debut. It just missed David Sills open in the middle of the end zone.
“I thought I had him,” Grier said. “I got hit and I couldn’t see. I thought he caught it. That’s the one I’d like to have back to get it up more for him.”
Sills chose to shoulder some of the blame.
“I just got to make that play,” he said. “That’s really all it comes down to.”
The Mountaineers out-gained Virginia Tech 592 to 496, as Will Greer finished 31-of-53 for 371 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Grier was particularly sharp in the second half, completing 16-of-29 passes for 266 yards and two of his touchdowns.
Virginia Tech made key plays at big moments, as new quarterback Josh Jackson completed 15-of-26 passes for 235 yards passing while adding 101 yards on the ground. The Hokies allowed West Virginia just one lead, an early 7-3 Mountaineer advantage during the light jabs of the second quarter.
The Hokies converted a 4th-and-1 early in the first quarter and followed it with a 28-yard completion from Jackson to Cam Phillips. The Mountaineers held the Hokies to a field goal to fall behind 3-0.
Meanwhile, the Mountaineer offense struggled with early bouts of inefficiency. As the offense began to heat, quarterback Will Grier threw his lone interception of the night to end a promising drive on a 4th and 2 in Hokies territory.
The Mountaineer offense began to come alive during the second quarter following a 42-yard scamper from Justin Crawford, who finished with over 100 yards on the night despite touching the ball just 13 times.
Grier began to catch fire, completing the 10-play, 86 yard drive with a touchdown pass to David Sills.
Virginia Tech responded late in the first half to take the lead with an 8-play, 47 yard drive that ended in a touchdown run for Josh Jackson from five yards out.
Down 10-7, the Mountaineers tied the game at 10 moments into the 3rd quarter before Virginia Tech began their quest to respond to every Mountaineer offensive success.
Deshawn McClease capped off a 4-play, 71 yard drive against a briefly shell-shocked Mountaineer defense to give Virginia Tech a 17-10 lead.
Will Grier would lead his best stretch of the game with touchdown passes to David Sills and Gary Jennins that tied the game at 17 apiece in the 3rd and 24 apiece in the 4th.
Virginia Tech took the lead permanently on a three-yard Travon McMillan run with 6:30 left to go in the fourth quarter.
The Mountaineers came into the week ranked #22 in the Associated Press Poll and #20 in the Coaches Poll. They host East Carolina in a noon home opener next Saturday, September 9. ECU fell to James Madison 34-14 in their home opener.
Virginia Tech, ranked 21st in the Associated Press Poll and 22nd in the Coaches Poll, will host Delaware next week.
NOTES:
– West Virginia’s defense limited Virginia Tech to a 20 percent conversion rate on 3rd downs, at 3-of-15
– Junior WR Gary Jennings caught 13 balls for 189 yards and a touchdown, which is more catches and yards than Jennins had in either 2016 or 2015.
– In separate moments, both Dana Holgorsen and a Virginia Tech coach were hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties