The Good, Bad and Ugly from the Hokies' 28-16 Loss vs Louisville

This was a matchup the Hokies were heavy underdogs in. Yet, the loss still feels disappointing.

Nov 1, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies coach Phillip Montgomery during the third quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Off the heels of a stunning double-overtime victory, the Hokies failed to complete an improbable upset against the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals.

The first drive for Louisville told the story of what was supposed to happen. However, the Hokies turned the tide with a couple of standout plays on defense. The shirtless fan craze continued to take over the student section. Hokie Nation showed out and stayed in it until the Cardinals pulled ahead late.

Despite being heavy underdogs, there's still disappointment clouding over Blacksburg after Saturday's bout. Here's the good, bad, and ugly from the Hokies' sixth loss of the season.

The Good: The First 30 Minutes

The first half of this game was the best the Hokies have looked all season. Whilethey looked more explosive offensively against Cal, that was a matchup they were favored to win. Louisville has beaten some of the ACC's best and has only lost to No. 12 Virginia, who now sits at the top of the conference.

After a breakaway score from Isaac Brown, the Hokies shut the Cardinals out for the rest of the first half. The only game where their defense looked that dominant was against Wofford, who they limited to -1 net rushing yards. To give up a big play on the first drive and respond with 16 unmatched points is impressive for any team. The cards were stacked against the Hokies and they willed their way into this game.

PROOF IS IN THE PUNT (BLOCK)! pic.twitter.com/hz4vE8e7iR

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 1, 2025

Kyron Drones was comfortable and collected in the first half. As they led 16-7 going into halftime, Lane Stadium was roaring.

The Bad: A Scoreless Second Half

There couldn't have been a more polar opposite second half of football for Virginia Tech. Louisville gave them multiple chances to get back into this game and close it out. The Hokies didn't take advantage of any of them.The defense did their job for as long as they could, but the offense couldn't capitalize and didn't complement the work defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes was putting in.

The two drives that ultimately decided the game were heartbreakers. The Hokies finally had a spark on offense after a plethora of punts. The run game had a fire underneath them. Drones and company got into the outskirts of John Love's range. The last thing they wanted to do was leave a productive drive without the lead, however.

Keyjuan Brown with the exclamation point for @LouisvilleFB! pic.twitter.com/cCu0J1kVAI

— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) November 1, 2025

Twice on fourth down, Montgomery went for a gutsy call. That mentality was one the Hokies didn't show in similar situations. They needed the perfect play call on fourth downs and came up short. The Cardinals were without Isaac Brown late in the game and still ran with effectiveness. The last four plays of their scoring drive were all runs. 20 yards, then 17, four yards, and the 24-yard dagger from Keyjuan Brown. Louisville not only chewed the clock out, but they beat the Hokies at their own game.

The Ugly: A One-Sided Dual Threat

The passing attack was nonexistent for Virginia Tech. Drones led the team with 85 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He out-ran his passing yardage for the second straight game. However, this week, it wasn't as complimentary as his performance against the Golden Bears.

It's tough to follow up a five-touchdown performance. However, Drones didn't crack 100 yards passing for the first time since the 2023 Military Bowl. The difference between those two days was the game script (and the weather). He ran for 176 yards alongside Bhayshul Tuten's 136 yards in a 41-20 victory. This week, he needed to stretch the field vertically, and he couldn't. There was one deep ball that had the chance to be a spark; however, the ball slipped through Donavon Greene's hands.

Nov 1, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

After an ideal day showcasing all of Drones's talents last week, the offense appeared one-dimensional in a game that appeared to be theirs for the taking after a half.