I understand that, of course, the offense was very bad that night, because 11W has been chock-full of interesting, informative articles on the subject.

If memory serves, though, most of the *intangible* moments in that game - the ones that make a given game much less winnable - were ones where the Defense failed to get the job done, whatever the Offense's failings were.

The Hokies went 9-17 on 3rd downs. On their opening possession, they converted a 3rd-&-5 from their 27 by way of an 11-yd pass, with 15 yards tacked on for roughing, which put them at our 47. Eli Apple intercepted Michael Brewer on the next play, but at our own 12, & we went 3-&-out. On the ensuing VT drive that put them up a TD, they converted a 3rd-&-7 AND a 3rd-&-6.

We responded with a TD on our next possession, but VT's TD drive on their next possession featured a 3rd-&-9 conversion, by way of an 11-yd RUN by Michael Brewer.

A later possession of VT's featured a 3rd-&-17 conversion from their own 4. Repeat: A 3rd-&-17 conversion, from their own 4. This allowed them to eventually punt 25 yards further downfield than they *should* have been able to, & led directly to a VT TD drive that they got to start at their own 39. Subtract 25 from 39, & maybe we aren't down 14 at the half, & maybe it's a different game.

I'll stop there, because I think I've made my point that "Bear front!" this & "Bud Foster!" that sort of covers up the fact that the Defense's failures at some critical points are just as responsible for that loss as the Offense, or even Bud Foster's Defense, was. If you want to look at other moments where the Defense could have/should have helped out more than they did, here's what I'm looking at: http://espn.go.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=400547826

I said all that to say this: just as it will not be the same Ohio State Offense that faces the Hokies on Monday night as the one that we saw last year, neither will it be the same Ohio State Defense. I do not think that the Hokies will get the same lucky, crazy, what-is-the-Defense-DOING plays that they did last year.