David Teel

One week after their worst performance of 2026, the Virginia Tech Hokies authored their best.

Seventy-one points allowed in three football games might not seem too bad in an era of no-huddle, run-and-shoot, computer-designed offenses. But Clemson has different standards.

Conventional wisdom says teams from outside the top 12-16 can't win the national title. But as last Saturday proved anew, when five of the sport's top seven teams lost, college football delights in mocking conventional wisdom.

Ethan Grunkemeyer's first two starts at Penn State last season were road dates at Iowa (attendance 69,250) and Ohio State (105,517). So he shouldn't flinch at Clemson's Death Valley, where a well-lubricated, prime-time sellout of 81,500 figures to greet the Hokies.

In each of the past three seasons, 11 Football Bowl Subdivision teams entered Week 8 undefeated, an eclectic bunch that included not only usual

Virginia bogarted possession for 17-plus more minutes than the Blue Devils, ran 27 more plays and faced a backup quarterback for nearly half the evening. But the Cavaliers mustered only one touchdown and were suckered by a late trick play.

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Late Saturday night, in one of college football's most deafening arenas, Ethan Grunkemeyer lofted a fourth-down pass into the left corner of the end zone that will forever live in Virginia Tech lore.

Late Saturday night, in one of college football’s most deafening arenas, Ethan Grunkemeyer lofted a fourth-down pass into the left corner of the end zone that will forever live in Virginia Tech lore.

"I think he'll be a multi-time All-American — hopefully he's at Virginia his whole career," Richmond coach Chris Mooney said. "He's just a great, great player."