Stock Report: What's Trending Up, Down For Virginia Tech After the Loss to Pitt?

Virginia Tech came painfully close to escaping Friday night with a win. Instead, the Hokies walked away from Lane Stadium with a 35-33 loss to Pitt after John Love's potential game-winning field goal was ruled no good in the closing seconds. It was a frustrating finish, but Virginia Tech had numerous opportunities to avoid putting the game on one final kick.

The Hokies turned the ball over four times, committed costly penalties and struggled to find offensive consistency during portions of the second half. Still, James Franklin's team battled back and gave itself a chance to win. Here's what's trending up and down for Virginia Tech following Friday's loss.

Stock Up: Virginia Tech's late-game fight

There are no moral victories, especially when Virginia Tech had a chance to win at home, but the Hokies' response down the stretch was encouraging. Virginia Tech could've folded after Pitt grabbed control in the second half and led by as many as 11 (35-24). Instead, the Hokies fought their way back and ultimately got the football with an opportunity to win the game.

Ethan Grunkemeyer and the offense then did what it needed to do: Manage its timeouts well, move into field-goal range and position Love for an attempt to win it.

Franklin described the drive as "gutsy" afterward. While Love's kick was no good, I don't believe Virginia Tech's ability to respond and give itself a chance should be overlooked.

Stock Down: Ball security

Four turnovers are incredibly difficult to overcome against anybody, let alone an ACC opponent capable of capitalizing on short fields.

Franklin said after the game that Virginia Tech had been "flirting" with its turnover problems throughout the season. On Friday, those issues finally came back to bite the Hokies, who fumbled thrice (two lost). Grunkemeyer also threw two interceptions, his first picks of the season.

The frustrating part is that Virginia Tech still scored 33 points and moved the ball effectively against a Pitt defense that entered the matchup playing well. Take away even one or two of those giveaways, and Friday's result could look completely different.

Virginia Tech can't continue playing with fire. Eventually, it gets burned. Friday was that game.

Stock Up: The Hokies' defense in difficult situations

Giving up 35 points doesn't normally earn a defense a spot in the positive section, but the final number doesn't tell the entire story.

Virginia Tech's offense repeatedly put its defense in difficult situations with four turnovers. Despite that, Pitt scored only 14 points off those giveaways.

That's hardly perfect, but it kept the Hokies alive. Franklin credited his defense afterward for battling through the unfavorable field position, and Virginia Tech eventually adjusted after Pitt was forced to turn to its backup quarterback.

Stock Down: Self-inflicted mistakes

Penalties continued to hurt the Hokies, including multiple flags at critical moments. Franklin specifically pointed toward pre-snap and post-whistle penalties afterward, calling the overall performance in that department "not good enough." Then, there's the turnovers, a battle Virginia Tech lost 4-0.

There are mistakes caused by an opponent making a better play. Those happen. Then there are mistakes that make winning considerably harder without the opponent needing to do much of anything.

Love's field goal is the lasting image from Friday night, but the Hokies didn't lose solely because one kick was ruled no good. As Franklin emphasized afterward, Virginia Tech had plenty of opportunities throughout the night to make sure its Week 5 contest didn't come down to one official's judgment.

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