So, where to you go to get the big pillow to be able to sit down and write up the obligatory Poll article for Sunday? We’ll talk about the game in Bryan’s 4 Things, and in the Post Game podcast. I’ll have a mid-season editorial, since there are only 4 games left and every one of them is going to be tough.

Suffice it to say, as much as Hokie Nation is complaining, Tiger Nation might be a bit sore, too. Their defense couldn’t stop Notre Dame, and the tied game went into OT, with the Irish finally taking it. The resulting AP Poll puts Alabama squarely into the #1 position, with Notre Dame right behind at #2, but the reality is that Clemson dropped to #4, and received no #1 votes. It seems that 2020 is finally Jimbo Fisher’s turn around because Texas A&M is #5.

The USA Today Amway Coaches Poll looks pretty similar, and frankly by the beginning of the last quarter of the season they start looking pretty much the same. The big difference there is that Florida is #5 instead of #6 and Texas A&M is #6 for the coaches. It’s nice to see Army ranked, not too many people in Hokie Nation care a ton, but my father and uncle are West Pointers as you remember, and the Black Knights of the Hudson are my first favorite football team.

At this point, it is appropriate to mention some folks, even though we lost a heartbreaker.

Hendon Hooker

Hendon had a tough game at Wake Forest. It was a bad day and obviously blip on the radar. Yesterday, a young man picked up his entire offense, and put it on his shoulders. Hendon Hooker deserves none of the gas being sprayed around by angry, disappointed Hokie Nation.

The Hokie Receiver Corps Including Kaleb Smith, Tre Turner, and Nick Gallo

We have the clip of Kaleb’s TD, but the three of them were clutch, and made few mistakes. They certainly made the critical catches when they were needed.

Hendon’s stats were 20 completions on 27 attempts for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns passing; coupled with 156 yards and 1 touchdown running the ball.

The Offensive Line was Solid and Gave up No Sacks

Okay folks, someone complained about the offensive line and blocking, yesterday. Those run stats for Hendon Hooker don’t come from magic. They come from solid blocking, on often dicey play calls. Hooker was rarely pressured heavily, and threw no picks. He had time to find his receivers in those final drives, and he certainly ran the ball well. The run game was really only hurt by Khalil Herbert’s reported hamstring injury.

We’ll go over the grades on Tuesday’s article, but I just wanted people to see that there were some outstanding high pressure performances in the game, and those people still need to be held up as examples of how to leave everything on the field.

Lots of articles to come, lots of things to talk about and yeah, there will be gripes.

As Always,

GO HOKIES!!!!