No. 6 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 22: Virginia native E.J. Manuel threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 39-yard score to Rashad Greene with 40 seconds to play, and the visiting Seminoles kept their ACC title hopes alive by knocking off the upset-minded Hokies.
Greene finished with 125 yards and two touchdowns for Florida State (9-1, 6-1 ACC), which inched closer to earning its first Atlantic Division title since 2005. A win next week at Maryland will assure the Seminoles a spot in the ACC championship game and a shot at their first BCS bowl game in seven years.
This one didn’t come easy, as a Florida State rushing attack which entered the night 14th in the FBS at 234.6 yards per game was held to minus-15 yards by an inspired Virginia Tech (4-6, 2-4) defense. Florida State also had to overcome a gaffe from running back Devonta Freeman, who nearly tossed away their division title hopes – literally.
The Hokies trailed 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter when Freeman got caught in his own end zone and desperately tossed the ball forward, which resulted in an illegal forward pass and a safety. That cut the Seminoles’ lead to 20-19 with just under seven minutes to play. J.C. Coleman returned the ensuing punt 34 yards to the Virginia Tech 44-yard line and Cody Journell’s second field goal gave the Hokies a 22-20 lead with 2:19 left.
But Manuel executed a textbook two-minute drill. He capped the 68-yard drive by hitting Greene on a slant and the sophomore raced across the field untouched for a 39-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion made it 28-22, and Tyler Hunter’s interception of Logan Thomas at the Seminoles’ 33-yard line sealed the win.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The crowd went silent for several minutes early in the second half as Virginia Tech freshman DB Michael Cole lay motionless on the field after a scary head-on collision. Cole was placed on a stretcher and taken off the field in an ambulance. It was later reported that Cole had feeling in his extremities and the move was made for precautionary measures. … Manuel’s godfather, Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith, was in attendance. … Manuel finished 25-of-42 and also threw an interception.
