The 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Tech in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hokies were led by first-year head coach, Justin Fuente and played their home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia. They competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference in its Coastal Division.
The Hokies finished the 2016 season with a regular season record of 9–3, winning its sixth ACC Coastal Division title. The Hokies played Clemson in the ACC Championship Game; Clemson won the game, 42–35.
Virginia Tech played Arkansas in the Belk Bowl on December 29, 2016. Arkansas took a 24–0 lead into halftime. However, in the second half, several Arkansas turnovers along with defensive adjustments, allowed Virginia Tech to score 35 unanswered points and win, 35–24. The comeback was the greatest in the team's 124-year history.
The Hokies finished the season with a record of 10–4, and ranked #16 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 3 | 12:30 p.m. | Liberty* | | | ACCN | W 36–13 | 62,234 |
| September 10 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 17 Tennessee* | | | ABC | L 24–45 | 156,990‡ |
| September 17 | 3:30 p.m. | Boston College | | - Lane Stadium
- Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)
| ESPNU | W 49–0 | 60,054 |
| September 24 | 12:30 p.m. | East Carolina* | | - Lane Stadium
- Blacksburg, VA
| ACCN | W 54–17 | 63,712 |
| October 8 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 17 North Carolina | No. 25 | | ABC/ESPN2 | W 34–3 | 33,000 |
| October 15 | 3:45 p.m. | at Syracuse | No. 17 | | ESPNU | L 17–31 | 33,838 |
| 7:00 p.m. | Miami (FL) | | - Lane Stadium
- Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)
| ESPN | W 37–16 | 63,507 |
| 7:00 p.m. | at Pittsburgh | No. 25 | | ESPN | W 39–36 | 40,254 |
| November 5 | 3:30 p.m. | at Duke | No. 19 | | ESPNU | W 24–21 | 38,217 |
| November 12 | 3:30 p.m. | Georgia Tech | No. 14 | - Lane Stadium
- Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)
| ESPNU | L 20–30 | 65,632 |
| November 19 | 3:30 p.m. | at Notre Dame* | | | NBC | W 34–31 | 80,795 |
| November 26 | 12:00 p.m. | Virginia | | | ESPN2 | W 52–10 | 63,120 |
| December 3 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 3 Clemson | No. 23 | | ABC | L 35–42 | 50,628 |
| December 29 | 5:30 p.m. | vs. Arkansas* | No. 22 | | ESPN | W 35–24 | 46,902 |
|
- Schedule source:[1]
‡ – Current NCAA record for largest attendance for a collegiate football game.
Game summaries
Liberty
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Flames
|
6
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
13 |
| Hokies
|
7
|
17
|
9
|
3 |
36 |
Vs. Tennessee
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Hokies
|
14
|
0
|
3
|
7 |
24 |
| #17 Volunteers
|
0
|
24
|
7
|
14 |
45 |
Boston College
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Eagles
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0 |
| Hokies
|
14
|
7
|
21
|
7 |
49 |
East Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Pirates
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
3 |
17 |
| Hokies
|
14
|
24
|
9
|
7 |
54 |
North Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #25 Hokies
|
6
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
34 |
| #17 Tar Heels
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0 |
3 |
At Syracuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #17 Hokies
|
3
|
0
|
6
|
8 |
17 |
| Orange
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
14 |
31 |
Miami (FL)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Hurricanes
|
3
|
6
|
7
|
0 |
16 |
| Hokies
|
3
|
13
|
14
|
7 |
37 |
At Pittsburgh
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #25 Hokies
|
6
|
10
|
13
|
10 |
39 |
| Panthers
|
0
|
14
|
7
|
15 |
36 |
At Duke
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #23 Hokies
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
3 |
24 |
| Blue Devils
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
Georgia Tech
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Yellow Jackets
|
6
|
14
|
0
|
10 |
30 |
| #18 Hokies
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
13 |
20 |
at Notre Dame
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
- ND – Josh Adams 1-yard run (Justin Yoon kick), 11:51. Notre Dame 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 3:09.
- ND – Justin Yoon 25-yard field goal, 4:26. Notre Dame 10–0. Drive: 13 plays, 42 yards, 6:28.
Second quarter
- ND – Chris Finke 31-yard pass from DeShone Kizer (Justin Yoon kick), 14:53. Notre Dame 17–0. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 2:59.
- VT – Jerod Evans 23-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 11:28. Notre Dame 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 3:25.
- ND – Miles Boykin 18-yard pass from DeShone Kizer (Justin Yoon kick), 6:00. Notre Dame 24–7. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:11.
- VT – Cam Phillips 16-yard pass from Jerod Evans (Joey Slye kick), 1:18. Notre Dame 24–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:42.
Third quarter
- VT – Steven Peoples 2-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 12:39. Notre Dame 24–21. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:21.
- ND – Josh Adams 67-yard run (Justin Yoon kick), 3:49. Notre Dame 31–21. Drive: 4 plays, 78 yards, 1:24.
Fourth quarter
- VT – Joey Slye 23-yard field goal, 13:35. Notre Dame 31–24. Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 5:14.
- VT – Bucky Hodges 7-yard pass from Jerod Evans (Joey Slye kick), 9:13. Tie 31–31. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 3:20.
- VT – Joey Slye 20-yard field goal, 4:19. Virginia Tech 34–31. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:14.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- VT – Jerod Evans – 18 rushes, 67 yards, TD
- ND – Josh Adams – 13 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD
- Top receivers
|
|
Virginia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Cavaliers
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
7 |
10 |
| Hokies
|
7
|
21
|
24
|
0 |
52 |
Vs. Clemson–ACC Championship Game
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| #19 Hokies
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
14 |
35 |
| #3 Tigers
|
14
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
42 |
Vs. Arkansas–Belk Bowl
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Razorbacks
|
17
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
24 |
| #18 Hokies
|
0
|
0
|
21
|
14 |
35 |
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
|---|
| AP | — | — | — | RV | RV | 25 | 17 | RV | 25 | 23 | 18 | RV | RV | 19 | 18 | 16 |
|---|
| Coaches | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | 19 | RV | 25 | 21 | 22 | RV | RV | 18 | 19 | 16 |
|---|
| CFP | Not released | 19 | 14 | — | — | 23 | 22 | Not released |
|---|
Personnel
| 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| WR
|
1
|
Isaiah Ford
|
Jr
|
| QB
|
4
|
Jerod Evans
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
5
|
Cam Phillips
|
Jr
|
| TE
|
7
|
Bucky Hodges
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
8
|
Phil Patterson
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
9
|
Brenden Motley
|
Sr
|
| QB
|
11
|
Jack Click
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
12
|
Henri Murphy
|
So
|
| TE
|
13
|
Chris Durkin
|
So
|
| WR
|
15
|
Jaylen Bradshaw
|
So
|
| RB
|
16
|
Coleman Fox
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
17
|
Josh Jackson
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
18
|
Chase Mummau
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
27
|
Dominic Benson
|
Fr
|
| RB
|
28
|
Shai McKenzie
|
So
|
| WR
|
30
|
Jordan Jefferson
|
Fr
|
| FB
|
32
|
Steven Peoples
|
So
|
| RB
|
33
|
Deshawn McClease
|
Fr
|
| RB
|
34
|
Travon McMillian
|
So
|
| WR
|
39
|
Sean Daniel
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
41
|
Kevin Henry
|
Fr
|
| FB
|
41
|
Trey Skeens
|
Fr
|
| RB
|
42
|
Marshawn Williams
|
So
|
| FB
|
45
|
Sam Rogers
|
Sr
|
| RB
|
48
|
D.J. Reid
|
So
|
| OL
|
50
|
Patrick Kearns
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
52
|
Austin Cannon
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
56
|
T.J. Jackson
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
57
|
Wyatt Teller
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
58
|
Colt Pettit
|
So
|
| OL
|
61
|
Kyle Chung
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
62
|
D'Andre Plantin
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
63
|
Daniel Bailey
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
64
|
Eric Gallo
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
65
|
Matt Christ
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
66
|
Billy Ray Mitchell
|
So
|
| OL
|
67
|
Parker Osterloh
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
68
|
Connor Kish
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
69
|
Yosuah Nijman
|
So
|
| OL
|
70
|
Kevin Kish
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
71
|
Jonathan McLaughlin
|
Sr
|
| OL
|
72
|
Augie Conte
|
Sr
|
| OL
|
74
|
Braxton Pfaff
|
So
|
| OL
|
75
|
Zachariah Hoyt
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
76
|
Jarrett Hopple
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
77
|
Demetri Moore
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
79
|
Tyrell Smith
|
Fr
|
| TE
|
80
|
Casey Harman
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
81
|
Samuel Denmark
|
Fr
|
| TE
|
82
|
Xavier Burke
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
83
|
Eric Kumah
|
Fr
|
| TE
|
85
|
Chris Cunningham
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
86
|
C.J. Carroll
|
So
|
| WR
|
87
|
Bodhie Long
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
88
|
Divine Deablo
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
89
|
Devin Wilson
|
Jr
|
|
Defense
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| K
|
35
|
Michael Santamaria
|
So
|
| K
|
46
|
Joey Slye
|
Jr
|
| P
|
53
|
Wayne Mutter
|
Sr
|
| LS
|
54
|
Chaska Moon
|
Fr
|
| LS
|
87
|
Colton Taylor
|
Jr
|
| LS
|
89
|
Wright Bynum
|
Fr
|
| P
|
90
|
Mitchell Ludwig
|
Jr
|
| K
|
92
|
Robert Warfel
|
Sr
|
| P
|
93
|
Brian Johnson
|
Fr
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster
|
Coaching staff
Honorary #25 Beamer Jersey
At the start of the 2016 season, Head Coach Justin Fuente began a tradition of selecting an outstanding special teams player to wear the #25 jersey in honor of former head coach, Frank Beamer, who wore #25 as a player for Virginia Tech.
The players honored in the 2016 season are:
References
External links
Media related to 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team at Wikimedia Commons
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