Virginia Tech Football: ACC Fines Virginia Tech For Pregame Confrontation Against Virginia
Charlotte, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference is issuing fines and reprimands to North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech for the actions of all teams on November 30.
The ACC is issuing fines to Virginia Tech and Virginia for a 'pregame confrontation between student-athletes' before the commencement of the Commonwealth Cup. Virginia Tech would go on to defeat the Cavaliers on the back of Pop Watson. The Hokies won 37-17 after leading 20-3 at halftime. Freshman quarterback Pop Watson threw for 254 yards and a touchdown.
247Sports' Kolby Crawford was the first to report on the altercation between the student-athletes of both schools. School officials from both sides ran to stop the fight as it began on the Lane Stadium field.
Pregame fight between the #Hokies and Hoos pic.twitter.com/ZhrqYFoiUU
— Kolby Crawford (@kolby_crawford) November 30, 2024
The ACC did not provide much more context to the altercation. The ACC claimed that the actions violated the ACC Sportmanship Policy, as the conference stated, "The unsportsmanlike behavior that was displayed is unacceptable and tarnishes the passionate on-field play between these institutions."
ACC releases fines over postgame altercations pic.twitter.com/Rx0fmygMCX
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 2, 2024
The funds from the imposed fines are the maximum allowed by the league's bylaws. Those funds will be placed into the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship account.
The conference has no further comment and considers the matter closed.
The regular season is now over and while this has still been a disappointing season for Virginia Tech given the expectations that the program had at the beginning of the year, but the Hokies are going to a second consecutive bowl game and they handled their biggest rival with ease last night.
The Hokies are not going to know where they are heading until next Sunday, after the Conference Championships are over and the College Football Playoff Field is set. With one week to go though, where is Virginia Tech projected to play?
Jerry Palm at CBS Sports has projected Virginia Tech to play in the Fenway Bowl in Boston, MA against East Carolina, a very familiar opponent for the Hokies. The programs have faecd each other 22 times previously and Virginia Tech holds the all time series lead 15-7.
At 247Sports, Brad Crawford has Virginia Tech in the Fenway Bowl as well, but playing Tulane instead of East Carolina. This would be a rematch of last year's Military Bowl, a game in which Virginia Tech won 41-20. The Hokies lead the all-time series against Tulane 6-4.
At ESPN, both Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach also have Virginia Tech going to Boston to play in the Fenway bowl. Bonagura has Virginia Tech facing Tulane like Crawford does, while Schlabach has them facing Memphis. Virginia Tech has faced Memphis six times previously and the all-time series is tied 3-3. They have not faced each other since 1985 and the Hokies have won the last three matchups between the Tigers.
There seems to be a consensus building that the Hokies are bound for Boston, but until the official selections are made, we won't know for sure. Be sure to stay locked in here for the latest bowl projections for Virginia Tech.
Additional Links:
The Briefing: Hokies Clinch Bowl Eligibility After 37-17 Win Over UVA
Virginia Tech Football: 5 Takeaways From Hokies Win Against Virginia
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.