Hey, we're back with the live thread hoping to go back to the good this week.

Kickoff is in about 12 minutes, Tony Jones looks like he will be playing for the Irish.

Huge for ND to get off to a good start.

Go Irish!

ND won the toss and receives. Lawrence Keys looked like he had a shot at a big return, got tripped up near the 20.

Jafar in to start.

First down tight throw to Kmet on the crosser for 4.

Brutal no call on 2nd down. Claypool tackled on the RPO by the CB. Ref was right there. Just pathetic.

Finke looked like he moved off his route too early on 3rd down. Incomplete

3 and out to start. Yuck

Good punt with the wind goes for 50

Quincy Patterson gets the start at QB. Big kid with a big arm.

Kept for about 2 on the read.

Designed run with the QB. Nice job up front by the Irish. 3 and long coming up.

Patterson too long on the fade. Didn't get pressure with four, but had Okwara as the spy. Like this call by Lea with the spy, but I'm sure he'll mix it up.

3 and out for Va Tech

Looked like ND didn't seal the backside, loss of 1 to Armstrong on the counter. Hainsey down on the field. Not good with Ruhland already filling in on the right side.

Not sure what ND will do here with the configuration up front.

Banks could move out to tackle and then maybe Lugg at LG?

Lugg in at RT.

Great throw by Book between two defenders. Tight window.

Then quick to the line back shoulder to McKinley. Saw press and Book pulled and threw it.

Kmet had the safety beat, just overthrown by Book.

2 and 10 on the VT 23

Book scrambles for 5, good decision with protection breaking down

3 and 5

Book threw it right to the LB. Not sure what he saw there. Just let it go blindly.

Turnover in the red zone for ND

Delay of game for VT to start the drive

1 and 15

Deep ball and Pride was handsy, but no call on him. Ball was underthrown

2 and 15

Great job up front by Jayson Ademilola. Fought the reach and made the play with Bilal for a TFL

3 and 16

Hailton all over the underneath route. Broke it up and another 3 and out. Great ready by the freshman.

Finke with a good return to set up ND inside the VT 40

Good throw and catch to Finke on the corner. ND in the red zone. ND taking advantage vs man to man.

They are reviewing it, but he got one foot in.

Confirmed.

PA to Kmet and it's six. TD Irish!

Wide open

7-0 ND after the Doerer extra point

Doerer has a kick die that didn't go out of bounds, but the returner smartly downed it with him out. Ball at the 35 for VT

Not much on 1st down inside

2 and 9

Patterson drops the snap, but gets something positive out of it.

3 and 4 coming up

ND ran a stunt and Kareem came around to tackle the QB lead play. Another 3 and out

Ball punted into the end zone

Jack Lamb down. Grabbed his leg. Maybe his knee? Looked like his foot got caught in the turf while running down on punt return

ND playing with five DL on 3rd down quite a bit mostly to take away QB run (working well so far)

Procedure on 1st down

Armstrong for 3 outside, 2 and 12

Armstrong got the edge there for about 10

3 and 1

Armstrong put his head down and ran right into the block. Should have converted.

3 and out

Not a good punt, ball hung up there.

Good field position for VT

Patterson way off the deep ball off of PA

2 and 10

McClease weaves his way for about 4

3 and 6

Patterson way off on the slant.

Another 3 and out

Jahmir in. Guess we won't see Tony today at all.

Only gets 1 inside. Fell forward. He loses his feet a bit too much. Inconsistent balance

2 and 9

Book had nothing open on the RPO. Threw it away. Smart play

3 and 9

Quick out to Kmet, but short of the sticks.

Another 3 and out

Bauer gets called for kick catch interference

VT in ND territory. Penetration by Hinish, misses the tackle and gets a facemask penalty

1 and 10 at the ND 26

PA, good coverage by Vaughn. Another incompletion

2 and 10

QB counter gets about 5 or 6 for Patterson

3 and medium

ND in base defense

Great job at the POA up front. Bilal unblocked for a TFL

Went for it on 4th down. Vaughn way too deep. Gave the a free play

Incomplete on the fade. Should have been OPI

Great coverage by JOK. Had the TE step for step. Okwara with pressure

3 and goal

Back shoulder, Hazelton beats Pride. Make the frigging call stripes. Two in a row not called.

7-7

Avery Davis in with Jafar. Two backs in the backfield. Gets seven

Screen to Lenzy on 2nd down. Made a bad read or else he'd still be running. Got the 1st though

Book escapes and finds the check down to Davis. Gets 8

2 and 2 coming up

Tie game after the 1 Q

2 and 2, Armstrong converts

1 and 10

Crosser to Claypool gets 6

2 and 4

A lot of shifting, Book checked into a run for a 3 yard gain.

3 and 1. Armstrong converted

1 and 10

Book scrambles for a first. Made a LB miss. Good protection up front on the blitz. Armstrong great block

Thrown away by Book after nothing was open immediately off PA

2 and 10

ND finally hit a screen! Armstrong had a ton of room. Not great read by Armstrong not cutting it back in to score, but 1st and goal.

PA to Tremble for a TD!

Wide open again.

14-7 ND

Touchback

1 and 10, another deep shot. Looked like Pride got away with a bit of a hold, but call it even after the push off the previous drive

Drop by VT WR makes it 3 and 10

Kareem almost comes up with a sack, but forces Patterson to escape and he is short on the run.

Another 3 and out

VT loaded the box on early downs. 2 and 9 after Smith didn't have much inside

Book throws it away on 2nd down

3 and 9

Book was down, but ref doesn't make a signal right away even though he is staring at it. These ACC officials have not been great. Couldn't get there on the scramble.

3 and out. Friendly bounce puts VT inside their own 10.

Incomplete on PA on the out.

2 and 10

A completion on the curl for 7.

3 and 3

Patterson and the receiver were on different wave lengths. Not even close

Another 3 and out

Armstrong inside for 5

2 and 5

Another throw away for Book

3 and 5

Incomplete on the out to McKinley on 3rd down. Another 3 and out

Crawford nice tackle in the open field on the keep by Patterson. Came from deep to make it.

2 and 6

First down for Patterson on the QB counter. Franklin got moved a bit too much there inside

1 and 10, not much inside for the back

Pride great coverage not falling for the throw back. Need to get the ones back out there on the DL. Not enough pressure on that play

3 and 7, Patterson made a great throw while getting hit. Good catch by the slot. They are calling it targeting on Hamilton, but it doesn't look like it's legit. It's going to be reversed.

It was reversed.

1 and 10

Vaughn, step up and make a tackle! Waiting for it. Opposite of Crawford.

Next time much better job by Vaughn. Short gain.

2 and 8

PA to Hazelton complete, but called back. Ineligible receiver down the field.

2 and 13

Ball fumbled on the jet sweep and it's scooped up by JOK. Lucky for VT he wasn't able to pick it up and run right away. Fumble was on Patterson.

ND football

ND tried a shot on sudden change, but not open. Found Finke underneath for a 1st

1 and 10

Book sails it deep to no one. Was throwing it away.

2 and 10

Claypool on the out fights to get 9. Great effort

3 and 1

Sneak and looked like he got it. He did.

1 and 10 at the VT 17

Timeout ND

Another throw away. Protection has been very good today.

2 and 10

VT dropping 8 over and over. Book not forcing it, but not finding much. ND has to be able to run the ball

3 and 10

Book hit Armstrong on the move and he finishes the play after the catch to convert. Huge play by Jafar.

1 and goal

Armstrong cuts back the inside zone for about 4

2 and goal

Got about 1. Low man one on that tackle

24 seconds left in the half 3 and goal at about the 1 1/2 yard line.

3 and goal after a timeout by VT

Armstrong loses the ball. 98 yards back to the house. Armstrong is a hybrid. Not a goal line back.

I don't even know what to say.

14-14. ND dominating this game and it's tied at half.

Defense deserves better. 2 red zone turnovers by ND. Only allowing 2.5 YPP.

Big half for Chip Long here. Shades of South Florida on the fumble return.

Ball was kicked short and VT returner missed it, but let it bounce into the end zone for the touchback.

1 and 10

TFL for Hinish to start the half

2 and 11

Patterson hits Hazelton for a big play on the slant. Good throw into a tight window.

1 and 10 at the ND 48

QB lead for 2

Pride great job on the post, incomplete. Kareem called for hands to the face, though. They missed a call on MTA on the same play

15 for VT

1 and 10

1 yard for McClease

2 and 9

Nothing on the QB counter. Great job by Kareem and White stuffing the pull.

3 and long

Nothing on the QB sweep. Force the field goal attempt by VT

VT's kicker has not made a kick over 40 yards this season. Made this one.

17-14 VT

Touchback

1 and 10 at the 25

And they run Jafar inside to start the half. You can't make this stuff up.

2 and 10

Finke moves the sticks. Book hits him on time

False start

1 and 15, draw for 9 to Armstrong

2 and 6

RPO to Finke, they call it a drop. Clearly a catch. They will review it and give it back to ND for a 5 yard gain

The ref was looking right at with Finke moving well after he made the catch and he still called that a drop. That's incompetence.

3 and 1 after they ruled it complete

Book keep gets the 1st. Need more of that for ND

1 and 10

Great catch by Claypool on the checkdown.

2 and 4

Counter trey for a 1st. Best run of the day for ND

1 and 10

Ball was underthrown and picked. Claypool was open.

Touchback for VT

1 and 10 at the VT 2. Good for ND to not have it be a touchback

McClease gets them out of trouble with a 4 yard run

VT RT is down on the field

2 and 6 coming up

Patterson keeps and gets a big run for 20. Not sure why they didn't play the QB there

1 and 10

Hitch to Hazelon gets about 8

Okwara with the TFL, huge play. Good discipline there to set up 3 and medium

Incomplete on the fade. Kareem had pressure

VT will punt

TFLs on consecutive plays set up 3 and 15

ND throwing into the wind on 3 and long (should add the underthrown ball to Claypool probably had a lot to do with the wind)

Crosser to Keys gets close, but short.

3 and out

Jamir Jones with a TFL to start the drive. Penetration by Ademilola set it up

2 and 11

Hitch to Turner gives VT a manageable 3rd down

3 and 3

JOK overruns the play and missed the tackle. VT converts. Bad angle

1 and 10

McClease gets them into 3rd and 3 after two runs

4th Q coming up

17-14 VT

Big down here with snow falling.

And Turner wins the 50/50. That was just a ridiculous catch. What can you do. 52 yards.

ND needs to hold them to 3

Vaughn with the finish to break it up.

2 and 10

Pride had a shot at the pick. They are letting a ton of stuff go on the outside

3 and 10

QB sweep and ND held them.

VT will try the FG

20-14 VT

Keys takes a knee and they are looking at it to see if it's a safety, but the momentum carried him into the end zone. The ball will be down at the 1 yard line so ND has to go 99.

LOL

QB sneak gets them some room

2 and 8

I mean, I don't know what to say with Chip Long calling another inside run there. No gain for Armstrong

3 and 8

Crosser to Kmet moves the sticks

DE Garbutt got crunched by Kmet and he is out of the game

1 and 10

TFL, but targeting for on CB Waller. He's going to be kicked out. He led with the helmet.

Going to be 15 and a game for him

Book waited too long to let the deep ball go and it was picked.

Roughing the passer and ND keeps the ball. It was the right call.

Under threw the ball to Lenzy, but completed for a big play.

VT DT down on the field after that play

Book throws away the RPO which was covered well

2 and 10

Counter trey gets a couple for Jahmir

3rd and 7

Claypool off PA and breaks a tackle for a big gain.

Armstrong gets the edge, but he is trying to run over the CB rather than make him miss. Good gain, but could have been more

2 and 5

QB sweep and nothing there

3 and 5

Tried a PA leak out to Kmet, but it was covered. Book had to throw it away

4 and 5 and they will go for it

Claypool converts it. Throw was high and he got smoked, but held on.

1 and goal

Over throw to Kmet on the corner for what would have been a TD

2 and goal

Book misses Armstrong on the check down, but there's a hold on Finke in the end zone. Looked like a bad call, but ND could use it

Book throws the fade to Claypool, it was short. Incomplete on 2 and goal, but another flag. This time an illegal low block on Armstrong. It was the right call by the letter of the law.

2 and goal from the 17

Incomplete to Finke. Tried a fake pitch to freeze the LBs, but didn't work

3 and goal

Screen to Finke and it gets 1 yard. Everyone must have loved that call. Impossible for Eichenberg to get out there.

Doerer missed it from 35

20-14 VT

Okwara jumped on the clap, the RT moved to get the flag.

Not a big help when ND needs a 3 and out here

Inside for 1 to McClease

2 and 4

Jet sweep just moves the sticks

1 and 10

McClease gets 7 on 1st down

VT just doing check with me's all the way down and milking the clock.

1 and 10

Good point by Simms that Lea needs to go back to the 5 man line.

Nothing for McClease on 1st down

Timeout by VT with 3:39 to go

2 and 10

Nothing again. Kareem sets the edge. Drew White finishes it.

3 and 10 after ND calls a timeout.

Kareem with the sack! Couldn't have come at a better moment. Good rush by MTA as well.

Another timeout and ND will get the ball back with one timeout and 3:29 to go