Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 11 No. 3 | January 2019

inside.hokiesports.com 23 We know linen and uniform rental because we invented it. Services include: - NSF-Certified Napkins and Tablecloths - Employee Workwear - Healthcare Garments and Scrubs - Managed First Aid Services - Washroom and Floorcare Products Alsco.com Brandon Divers Alsco Alexandria 703-751-5785 Nick Dyson Alsco Roanoke 540-342-3158 Foster was referring to the sequence that swung the game. Early in the fourth quarter, the Hokies got a huge play from backer Dylan Rivers, who made his first career interception and returned it to the Cincinnati 12, putting Tech in position to add to its 31-28 lead. The Hokies got to the Cincinnati 3, where they faced a fourth-and-1, and Fuente elected to go for it. The play was a mess. No one blocked two defenders to Willis’ right, and as he tried to pull away to make a pass, he fumbled. Cincinnati’s Bryan Wright recovered, killing the opportunity with 8:48 remaining. “That was a play action pass that we’ve run a thousand times,” Fuente said of the play. “I don’t really know what happened. On the back side, I think we had a chance to throw the ball in the flat for a first down or a touchdown. I’m not really sure, to be honest with you.” “It was a little power play action, and two nose tackles, they submarined [Kyle] Chung at center and stumbled up on my back,” Willis said. “I went back to throw and the ball just slipped out of my hands. It was soaked. It happens. Gotta be better.” The Hokies still had an opportunity, even after Willis’ fumble. The defense forced a punt on Cincinnati’s ensuing possession, and Tech took possession of the ball at its 2 with 6:44 remaining. On third-and-3 from the Tech 21, Willis completed a pass to Hezekiah Grimsley for a 10-yard gain and a first down. The officials, however, threw a flag on the play, calling tight end Dalton Keene for offensive pass interference. Fuente was incensed and justifiably so—Keene was just trying to get a release off of press coverage by the defender. The penalty pushed Tech back to the 11, and it subsequently punted—and Cincinnati scored the game-winning touchdown on that drive. “He’s not picking,” Fuente said of Keene. “He’s not running a pick. They’re sticking with their guys, and he’s supposed to run a corner. He tries to run a corner route. He didn’t run a very good-looking corner route cause the guy is six inches from his face and grabs ahold of him right off the line of scrimmage. I guess that’s offensive pass interference.” The outcome was unfortunate—for Fuente, Keene, everyone. It certainly overshadowed a good game by Willis, who paced a Tech attack that amassed 443 yards. He completed 20 of 31 for 219 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception, and he also rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown. He threw touchdown passes of 21 and 2 yards to Eric Kumah and Chris Cunningham, respectively. Willis’ 24 touchdown passes this season—all of which came after Josh Jackson went down with a leg injury—were tied for the second- most ever by a Tech player (Tyrod Taylor) and only five short of the single-season record of 29 set by Jerod Evans. Willis, though, played in three less games than those two. “I’m not sure,” Willis said when asked what he had learned about himself this season. “I’ll have to reflect on that. I’ve still kind of got adrenaline from the game, but I’ll definitely reflect on that later.” The Military Bowl concluded the season for the Hokies. Fans’ next opportunity to see the team play will come at the annual spring game on April 13. The mood should be less gloomy then. For the time being, though, the clouds are probably going to linger. BOWL GAME NOTES • The Hokies’ 26 straight bowl appearances represent the third-longest streak in NCAA history (Nebraska, 35; Michigan, 33). • Fuente fell to 2-2 in bowl games as a head coach. • Tech fell to 2-2 against Cincinnati in bowl games. • Willis became the seventh Tech quarterback in program history to throw for at least 200 yards in a bowl game. • McClease’s 102-yard rushing performance mark the program’s 13th 100-yard rushing performance in a bowl game. • The Hokies’ 84-yard drive in the second quarter—which led to a Steven Peoples 1-yard touchdown run—was their longest drive in their bowl history.