There are places that you know will be special and there are places that you have no idea what to expect. When both come together for unforgettable experiences it is truly awesome. The first game on this football trip was 4-0 Virginia Tech hosting 4-0 Pitt…on a Friday Night…in one of VT’s biggest games in awhile. Of course it would be electric in a place that is tops in the sport for atmosphere when it is rocking.
To get down there, it would be a long day. My brother joined and we left NJ at 7:30 AM, not settling at the hotel until 12:45 AM. Taking I-81 south through Virginia absolutely sucks because it’s loaded with tractor-trailors and left lane lovers who don’t move over. Breaking up the trip was my first stop to a Bucee’s. The hype is real, though I did not like how a place that gigantic didn’t have any tables and we were forced to sit and eat in the car. My first two bites of their famed chopped brisket sandwich were all fat. Once I got past that disappointment, it was indeed a great sandwich. Traffic from there, kept us from stopping at the hotel in Roanoke….45 minutes from Blacksburg because prices and inventory nearby were outrageous. So we drove right to Harding Ave Elementary School for a quiet $15 parking area. The walk enabled us to sample everything before the game: First, downtown Blacksburg which makes for a great college town. Then campus, including the expansive Drillfield (VT is also a senior military college). After paying our respects at the April 16 memorial, we saw some of the gothic architecture made up of Hokie Stone before going to Lane Stadium.
Of course we walked by plenty of tailgates and the Hokie Village was a great fanfest area. I circled the stadium, seeing some of that famed limestone as well. Inside, the immediately recognizable stepped up elevated side wall made me realize how many games I’ve seen on TV here and how different it is seeing these places with your own eyes. The bowed sideline grandstands go up forever, so high that rows are labelled with triple lettering. We settled in to these extremely cramped seats (the temporary backs on the bleachers made spacing worse) as I couldn’t fit my legs and was thankful most everyone stood during the game. It was early enough that we watched the Marching Virginians, along with the Highty Tighties from the Corps of Cadets before the main event: Enter Sandman. Of course it started to rain decently during it and I was hoping it wouldn’t ruin my video (going up later this week), but it didn’t. I also made sure to put the camera down at some point and just soak it all in. It was one of the most goosebump-inducing, special things I’ve been at during a stadium visit. So loud, so much energy. It absolutely lives up to the hype.
That intensity carried to the game, where VA Tech swarmed Pitt in the 1st quarter. Two TDs right away for the Hokies and a pair of 3-and-outs for the Panthers made it seem like it was over before it began. But this is James Franklin. Despite 434 yards from Ethan Grunkemeyer, four Hokie turnovers meant that Pitt was able to easily get back in the game. It ended up being a highly entertaining one with so many twists and turns. A VA Tech safety lead to an odd score line and they were down 35-33 with one last-minute drive to win it. After converting a key 4th and 5, the Hokies drove to the Pitt 20 for a short field goal attempt with a few seconds on the clock. It was dead silent in Lane Stadium as John Love lined up the kick. We had a poor angle on it, but the student reaction behind the end zone had us and our section think he made it as everyone went crazy. But then we saw the Pitt sideline reaction as they went wild running around the field. He indeed barely missed it and the Panthers left town with a win. What a game, what an experience. As unfortunate as the result was for the home team, I was super impressed with the fans as there were no shenanigans when we left, no idiots or stupid/violent things. Tip of the cap to them as the very slow exit through the crowded aisles, concourse and walkways outside of the stadium were peaceful. Much more on the whole stadium experience in the detailed review soon.
After lamenting that I didn’t turn on the Montana State – Idaho finish while getting into bed at 1:30 AM, we made the hour drive to Lexington as the weather notably changed. A steady rain was falling and temps dropped into the upper 50s as we would not be experiencing how pleasant it can be during Shenandoah Valley Octobers. The charming and historic small city of Lexington is home to two colleges, one of them being Virginia Military Institute. Founded in 1839, the college is state-sponsored and differs from the other U.S. service academies in that graduates are not required to serve after graduation. Many do (and why wouldn’t you after going through those rigors) and there’s a big population of the overall military that comes from VMI. That includes many high-ranking officers. Though smaller than other academies, the ~1,500 students that attend are put through an intense four-year program in preparation for advanced post-school opportunities and all are required to participate in the ROTC. Campus (known as “Post”) is impressive in the collection of statues, plaques and stately beige-colored buildings. I explored the interesting VMI Museum while my uncultured brother caught up on emails. Regardless, we both dried out before returning into the rain for the Keydets game against Mercer.
Foster Stadium is in such an awesome spot as the main home stands are built impressively into a hillside that looks down on the field with the buildings from the Post right in your line of sight. The topography adds interesting elements, including a footbridge from VMI over a road and then right into the visitors stands. Consistent architecture makes the stadium blend in and it is a really neat place. The tradition is fantastic here as well with the Corps all being required to attend the game. A thousand of them march in, which is a cool sight in and of itself. Even better is that they are fully involved, with chants and cheers. Unfortunately, the football team is not good. They entered the game on a 19-game Division I losing streak. If you exclude a few Covid-impacted years (’20 / ’21) where things were wacky, VMI hasn’t had a winning record since 1981. Still the Corps was behind their boys as you would expect and the sight of them going nuts for a field goal that tied the game at 3 was fantastic. They all sprinted out of the stands, on to the track where they celebrated with pushups after the historic cannon known as “Little John” was fired. In the end, those were the only 3 points scored as Mercer won 54-3. VMI’s Foster Stadium was a surprisingly great place and another reminder to those following…get out and explore the FCS too, not just the big boys.
What an awesome trip and I’ll have the detailed reviews and videos up soon.
