Was Virginia Tech Robbed of A Victory Against Pitt Due To A Poor Call On Final Field Goal Attempt?

Virginia Tech Hokies News

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Virginia Tech kicker John Love attempted a 36-yard field goal to beat Pittsburgh on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., and referees ruled the kick did not cross the uprights.

The play was not reviewable because the ball traveled above the uprights. The Hokies lost the game and fell short of a 5-0 start. The college football community is heavily debating whether Love actually made the kick.

Love booted the ball diagonally toward the left upright, and fans sitting behind the uprights reacted in celebration. Love and his holder both celebrated what they believed was a successful kick, with the kicker holding his arms upright in an it's-good form until he saw the referees signal he had missed.

Love, who is one of the best kickers in the country and in the ACC, had the 36-yard attempt to beat the Panthers and put Virginia Tech up 5-0. The crowd at Lane Stadium thought the ball went in, and Love seemed certain it went in at the end.

Virginia Tech coach James Franklin said after the game: To be honest with you, from my angle, I don't know. I think John Love is the best kicker in the country. I had so much confidence that that thing was going to go through.

From my angle, I couldn't tell you one way or another. At the end of the day, they said it didn't go through so everything else doesn't really matter a whole lot.

It was not just a large contingent of Virginia Tech fans who thought the kick went in, but the college football and sports world at large thought Virginia Tech got the victory. Social media users debated the call.

One poster wrote: Having just re-watched the game-ending field goal attempt by Virginia Tech last night from two different angles, it sure looks like that kick was good, based on the reactions of the fans behind the goal posts and the players. Only the refs under the goal posts thought it was wide.

Another opined: I feel like he made this kick. And they're not showing us any good angles. Sucks for Virginia Tech. One user said: LMAO VIRGINIA TECH GOT ROBBED how is nobody talking about this. THAT KICK WENT IN. Oh well James Franklin is now 1-767 all time in big games.

One popular college football podcast's X account posted one angle that seems like the ball did not cross the upright by the smallest of margins. Because the ball traveled above the uprights, the play was not reviewable, which was a tough break for the Hokies considering the kick appeared to be good from some viewpoints.

While certain video suggests that the game should have gone the other way, and others suggest it may be a no-good kick, there were plenty of other reasons Virginia Tech lost the game and the biggest was turnovers.

The Hokies lost the turnover battle 4-0 and the second half was particularly brutal. Ethan Grunkemeyer played loose with the ball and the Panthers defense made him pay. Grunkemeyer finished with a career-high 434 yards, though he threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball twice.

When you see a team outgain another team 499-295 and lose, it will come down to turnovers on nearly every occasion.

The Hokies were fantastic to start this game, getting out to a 14-0 lead before even five minutes were off the clock. Still, a lot of credit should go to the Panthers. They battled back from that early deficit, overcame the injury to star quarterback Mason Heintschel and forced four crucial turnovers to get the win.

The questionable no-call at the end of the game is not only huge because it determined the winner, but it gives Pittsburgh a big advantage in the ACC race. The Panthers are now in a three-way deadlock for first in the league standings with Miami and Clemson.

Pittsburgh will hold a head-to-head tiebreaker with Virginia Tech if the Hokies force themselves into that equation. Virginia Tech has a tougher road to navigate in the ACC. The Hokies still face Miami, Clemson, and SMU on the road, while they will host Virginia.

All four of those games could be lost and it will be on Franklin to rally the team and get them ready for a road trip to California next week against the Golden Bears. This loss puts them behind and they are going to have to play catch up. But they wouldn't have to if the right call on the field had been made.

Compiled from 2 sourcesCompiled by HeadTopics editors by cross-checking the verified news reports listed here.

This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.

Pittsburgh Panthers John Love Field Goal ACC Football James Franklin

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