HUGHES: Three Thoughts After Virginia Tech's 25-20 Loss to California

BLACKSBURG — For the second consecutive week, Virginia Tech football found itself on the wrong end of a game it had ample opportunities to win.

Final: Cal 25, Hokies 20
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) October 10, 2026

The Hokies' 25-20 loss to California on Saturday was another affair defined by missed opportunities, costly penalties, and an inability to execute in crucial situations. Virginia Tech (4-2, 1-2 ACC), which opened the 2026 season with four consecutive victories, has now dropped two straight contests by a combined seven points.

With the Hokies approaching the second half of their schedule, here are three thoughts following Saturday's defeat in Berkeley, Calif.

No. 1: For the second straight week, Virginia Tech enabled a loss.

An argument can be made that Virginia Tech could have — and perhaps should have — won Saturday's affair against California. Fifth-year kicker John Love shanked two field goals from 55 and 39 yards out against the Golden Bears, marking the first time in his career that he's ever missed three consecutive field goals.

The Hokies were again encumbered by penalties, sustaining seven that cost them 88 yards. On California's last two drives, Virginia Tech committed three penalties that cost them 45 yards, including a pair of 15 yard penalties on the Golden Bears' final drive.

Fifteen yards apiece that were assessed to linebacker Kaleb Spencer (roughing the passer) and cornerback Cam Chadwick Jr. (pass interference) proved to be the difference and turned a second-and-10 at Cal's 37-yard line into a first-and-10 at Tech's 33. It's the fourth time this season Virginia Tech has garnered seven or more penalties in a game — and the third time in the last four games.

No. 2: It's debatable in my eyes whether that last play was pass interference.

There were seven pass interference calls in Saturday's affair — four were called against Virginia Tech and three against Cal. On the final sequence, trailing 25-20, quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer fired a pass down the middle intended for tight end Luke Reynolds. The throw appeared a touch high, though there was considerable contact on the play. Whether that contact warranted a pass interference penalty was debatable, and a ruling either way, or no ruling at all as it was in reality, seems understandable to me.

Here's what Franklin had to say:

"As you guys know, I don't officiate and I don't have comments on officiating," he said. "There's very strict rules about that. ... But things should be called consistently on both sides."

Regardless of the debate surrounding the final play, Virginia Tech's self-inflicted mistakes put the Hokies in a position where their fate hinged on one last snap. The Hokies let California score on each of its final three drives for 17 total points — sequences that took seven, 14 and six plays to wrap up.

No. 3: Third-down issues again hindered Virginia Tech.

The Hokies were 4-for-11 on third-down situations but were just 1-for-7 when requiring four or more yards. For comparison, Cal converted eight of its 15 third-down opportunities, including all five in the fourth quarter.

That disparity proved particularly consequential down the stretch. On California's 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive that gave the Golden Bears their first lead of the afternoon, Virginia Tech allowed three third-down conversions.

The Hokies' inability to get off the field was compounded by their own struggles to sustain possessions. Virginia Tech converted just one third down in the second half, leaving its defense to contend with a California offense that increasingly found its footing.

For the season, Virginia Tech is now 37-for-87 (43%) on third-down conversions. Against a Cal team that converted third downs seemingly at will in the final quarter, Virginia Tech's shortcomings in those situations proved especially costly.

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