Pittsburgh snagged a thrilling 35-33 win over Virginia Tech on Friday, but man, did it come down to the wire in the most heartbreaking way possible for the Hokies. As time expired, Virginia Tech kicker John Love lined up for what should have been a game-winning 36-yard field goal, only for it to be controversially ruled “no good.”
The Kick That Blew Up The Internet
Talk about a Rorschach test on the gridiron. Love’s kick couldn’t have been closer, appearing to sail right over the left upright, but the officials waved it off, sealing Pitt’s 35-33 victory. Depending on who you ask or what color shirt they’re rocking, you’ll get a wildly different take on whether that ball actually split the uprights. One video, shot from right behind the uprights, clearly shows the kick sneaking through, and the Virginia Tech fans in that section were absolutely losing it, thinking they had won. But then, other angles from the opposite end of Lane Stadium seem to back up the officials, showing the ball hooking left and sailing just wide. It’s a mess, plain and simple.
No Review, No Problem for Those With the Best View
Former NFL referee Terry McAulay weighed in on social media, making it clear why this kind of play can’t be reviewed. He said there’s no definitive camera angle to show where the ball truly is when it hits the plane of the uprights. Fair enough. But here’s the kicker, according to McAulay: the two people with the absolute best view , the official right under the upright and the person standing directly behind him , both reacted like it was a miss. Virginia Tech coach James Franklin was asked about it postgame, and even he admitted he truly didn’t know if it was good from his angle. He stands by John Love, calling him “the best kicker in the country,” but at the end of the day, as Franklin put it, “they said it didn’t go through so everything else, doesn’t really matter a whole lot.” Tough pill to swallow.
Hokies Can’t Blame Just One Play
While that controversial missed field goal might feel like the final, brutal nail in the coffin for the Hokies on Friday night, let’s be real, they gave themselves plenty of chances to avoid that situation. The team made a ton of mistakes throughout the game that put them in that do-or-die position to begin with. You can debate that kick until you’re blue in the face, but Virginia Tech had opportunities to put this one away earlier.
So, what’s next? Pitt’s now looking like a serious headache for Miami in the ACC, especially with Pat Narduzzi already firing shots at AP voters. For Virginia Tech, they gotta pick themselves up off the mat after that gut-punch of a loss and find a way to bounce back from this absolute heartbreaker.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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