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Pregame: VT v. Boston College
It was Thursday night college football under the bright lights in Lane Stadium, and the energy and fans did not disappoint!
In its most recent home game this past Thursday, Oct. 17, Virginia Tech squared off against the visiting Boston College Eagles in front of a sold out crowd in Lane Stadium. Sporting their new orange jerseys for the Orange Effect game, the Hokies played through the chilly Blacksburg autumn weather.
The Commonwealth. (Photo credit: AJ Joseph)
In the press conference the Monday prior to the game, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry noted the tradition the Thursday night atmosphere would bring to Blacksburg.
“ESPN Thursday Night Football [and] Virginia Tech go hand in hand,” Pry said. “This series is tied 3-3 on Thursday night against Boston College, so it’s a rubber match.”
Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones also commented on the game as well as the energy that the sold out crowd would bring on Thursday.
“I was glad to be a part of it last year... Even on a Thursday night it’s sold out, so I’m glad to have these fans behind us and then just going out there and giving them a show Thursday.”
Pregame
Along the lines of tradition, the Marching Virginians performed one of our favorite shows Thursday night in our annual Pregame show. Cued by a drumline cadence, the MVs began their run onto the field, outlining the shape of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the process. Once set, the band performed its traditional Fanfare from “Superman,” and the piece’s grand ending marked the start of the pregame performance.
Next came the well-known pieces in the Shenandoah Chorale and March, VPI Victory March, and Tech Triumph, which came after the controlled chaos that is the “toilet bowl.”
Hi, Hokie Bird! (photo credit: MV Online Content)
After Tech Triumph came the melodic “Copland Colors,” where the nation’s colors were marched out onto the field and were presented for the national anthem which soon followed.
Once the national anthem finished, and the cannon fired off, the band played Tech Triumph once again, and set up the tunnel for the football team’s run on to the classic “Enter Sandman” entrance.
First Half
After Boston College was unable to score on the opening drive of the game, the Hokies got off to a hot start with quarterback Kyron Drones running in an 11-yard touchdown on Tech’s first offensive drive of the game. This was later followed by two turnovers by the Eagles which led to two Virginia Tech scores, another one from Drones and then one from running back Bhayshul Tuten. Then, in the last two minutes of the half, the Hokies drove down the field and scored another touchdown on a reception from Tuten. By halftime, Virginia Tech had a commanding 28-0 lead.
Second Half
The Hokies got off to a slow start in the second half, starting off their first three possessions with a punt, interception, and fumble on their first three drives. Boston College responded to these miscues, scoring a touchdown on each of their answering possessions. The Eagles very quickly put up 21 unanswered points, and the score was 28-21 in favor of Virginia tech midway through the third quarter. The stress was slowly increasing in the MV stands, but as always, we figured Virginia Tech would pull through.
Hi, Thomas! (photo credit: Andrew Single)
The Hokies did just that as they erupted for 14 points in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten led the charge on offense, as he scored another touchdown on the board and then delivered the final blow to the Boston College defense with a 61-yard touchdown to put the Hokies up by 21 points. In doing all of this, Tuten also set the single-game rushing record in Virginia Tech program history with 266 rushing yards on the night. Boston College would be unable to score the rest of the game, and the Hokies would come away with the 42-21 victory. Virginia Tech now sits at a 4-3 record on the season, and is only two wins away from becoming bowl eligible for a second straight year.
We’ll be back in Lane Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26 when Virginia Tech takes on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in another pivotal ACC matchup. For that game, the band will be performing our homecoming show at halftime!
As previously mentioned, the annual pregame show is one of the favorites among the Marching Virginians. From the run-on to the toilet bowl to setting the tunnel for “Enter Sandman,” we love every minute of the tradition the band brings to gamedays, especially on nights like the one this past Thursday. The tradition the game brought, not only for the football teams but for the band as well, serves as a reminder of what creates the backbone for the Spirit of Tech in its 50th year.
Halfway Point!
You’ve reached a digital checkpoint – stop scrolling!
At least – that’s what I would start this with if we were on a social media app, instead of a blog. It grabbed your attention despite the platform confusion, so let’s run with it.
Welcome to the halfway point!
We held on tight for those whirlwind first few weeks! Photo credit: Vk Din
The first half of the fall term absolutely flew by. With three exhibitions, Alumni Weekend and MV for a Day all crammed into September, these first couple of quiet weeks in October have been a welcome relief for the busy schedules of our high-achieving students.
The latter half of the semester follows a more casual pace.
Boston College – October 17 (Pregame)
Georgia Tech – October 26 (Homecoming)
Clemson University – November 9 (Hokies for the Hungry)
UVA – November 30 (Senior Recognition & Band Parent Day)
These games each feature a special event, so take advantage of the slower pace to sit back and enjoy these time-honored traditions.
And, keep an eye out for the beginning of basketball season; the pep band got rolling on Monday and can’t wait to bring an exciting atmosphere to Cassell Coliseum.
Press Book: Boston College 10/17/24
What Music Means to the MVs
Music is all around us—even if you aren’t a member of the Marching Virginians. Music has the power to shape how we feel, think, and act. It’s there for us in our best moments and our worst moments.
For the Marching Virginians, music isn’t just a hobby—it’s how we connect with our peers, fans, and community. Every Hokie football fan recognizes the sound of V-Tag after a first-down or of Tech Triumph as the Hokies score a touchdown. Since the music of the Marching Virginians is so important to Virginia Tech, I wanted to know which songs and artists make the Marching Virginians who they are.
Image courtesy of MV Online Content
Why did you learn to play an instrument?
“I’ve loved music since I was born, and my parents always made a huge effort to expose me to all kinds of music… I learned an instrument because that’s what you do in my family—everyone is fairly musical… I found a lot of solace in music.”
“I thought it was so cool… I grew up as a young child watching shows on TV that had music related things in them—Little Einsteins was a big one for me… When band came around, I was like, ‘this is it, I’m so excited to be able to do this.’”
What is your favorite thing to play in the Marching Virginians?
“My favorite shows [were] Metallica and El Toro [Caliente].”
“My favorite stand tune is “Bom Bom” — it has really fun horn moves!”
“I love “[Welcome to the] Black Parade” because the tenors have melody…we get to show off our skills and how hard we’ve worked.”
Do you have any special memories related to music?
“My favorite memory is how it feels to perform—not just on the football field, but on stage…just looking out into the audience and seeing everyone’s faces lit up and engaged…it’s such a great feeling.”
“My sister and I have a shared playlist of songs that help us with our anxiety… It reminds us of when she was in high school, I was in middle school, and we would drive to school together while listening to music, and everything was okay.”
What is your favorite genre of music and why?
““Alternative, because there’s so much that can go underneath it, like Noah Kahan and Hozier… it’s a very broad music genre.””
“I love EDM… I love festivals and raves.”
“My favorite genre is metal… I love the energy that comes with it—heavy drum set, electric guitar…but if you combine it with the strings, like symphonic metal, that’s where it’s at.”
““I’d say jazz [and] rock are my favorites. I love jazz for the complexity of it and rock because it’s all based on jazz. I have a strong ‘dad’ influence on my taste in music… a lot of Billy Joel, Michael McDonald, Doobie Brothers, Dave Matthews band…””
What song best describes you?
““The vibe I want to give off is “Harlem Nocturne”… The vibe that I think I give off is “Now That’s What I Call Polka” by Weird Al [Yankovic].””
“I’ll have to go with “Freaks” by Timmy Trumpet — or “Narco” by Timmy Trumpet.”
“My current hype song is “Good Luck Babe” by Chappell Roan.”
Image courtesy of MV Online Content
I had a blast getting to know these MVs and their unique tastes in music. You can learn so much about a person just from their favorite songs. If you ever need to break the ice, try comparing playlists! You never know what you might find.