When the book is written on the 2021 iteration of Notre Dame, it likely will be one of close calls and frustration. Too often, they have had to tough out games against teams that were considered inferior to them. This will include Saturday’s 32-29 road win over Virginia Tech.
Both teams traded punts to begin the fourth quarter. Then, the Irish (5-1) were able to get into field-goal range before a clipping call against Andrew Kristofic backed them up almost to midfield. Trying to make something happen on third-and-long, Tyler Buchner instead threw an interception to Nasir Peoples. Adding injury to insult, Buchner immediately ended up in the medical tent after favoring his right foot.
With Braxton Burmeister still dealing with an injury he suffered in the third quarter, the Hokies (3-2) had turned to Connor Blumrick at quarterback. However, Blumrick himself was injured on a run that went for no gain. By then, Burmeister had recovered enough that he was able to return. He completed a 13-yard pass to Tre Turner, then benefited from a roughing-the-passer call against Kyle Hamilton.
Burmeister will be considered a warrior after this game, and he showed why with the Hokies now in the red zone. After two Jalen Holston runs went backwards, Burmeister took the ball himself on third-and-15 and headed to the left side en route to a 19-yard touchdown. He headed back to the sideline afterwards in clear discomfort, so he definitely had willed himself to help his team.
With Buchner now injured, the Irish were forced to turn back to Jack Coan for his first action since the game’s opening drive. He got some help when Dex Hollifield targeted Kyren Williams on the first play, which was followed by Hollifield’s ejection. From there, Coan had little trouble leading an all-pass drive, which culminated in a 4-yard touchdown reception for Avery Davis. Faced with a two-point deficit with only 2:26 remaining, Coan avoided a swarm of defenders and was able to find Kevin Austin for the completion to tie the game at 29.
The Irish’s defense then forced a three-and-out, allowing the offense to dictate the team’s fate beginning at its own 25-yard line. Almost in the blink of an eye, the Irish made their way just inside field-goal range. Jonathan Doerer came on to attempt a 48-yard kick and give the Irish the lead with 22 seconds to play. After a Hokies timeout, followed by a slight delay to discuss what to do about a laser Brian Kelly said was coming from the stands, the kick was good, breaking the tension for what seemed like a longer play stoppage than it should have been.
A final Hokies desperation went nowhere, and that was that. Shortly after the clock hit zero, there was a brief skirmish between the teams, but nothing serious happened. That’s not what the Irish would have needed heading into the bye week.