The Virginia Tech Hokies’ controversial missed field goal against Pitt has become one of the biggest talking points in college football, but James Franklin isn’t claiming his team was robbed.
Virginia Tech kicker John Love attempted a 36-yard field goal in the final seconds that would have given the Hokies a dramatic victory. Instead, the kick was ruled no good, allowing Pitt to escape Lane Stadium with a 35-33 win. Replays quickly sparked debate over whether the football actually passed inside the upright, but Franklin admitted he couldn’t determine what happened from his position.
“To be honest with you, from my angle, I do not know,” Franklin said, via CFB on FOX. “I think John Love is the best kicker in the country. I had so much confidence that that thing was going to go through.”
Franklin’s answer is notable considering how easily he could have added fuel to the controversy. Virginia Tech had just suffered its first loss in brutal fashion, and plenty of Hokies fans were already questioning whether the final kick should have counted. Instead of criticizing the officials, Franklin acknowledged that he simply didn’t have a good enough view to make that judgment.
James Franklin Accepts Ruling on Controversial Virginia Tech Kick
“From my angle, I could not tell you one way or another,” Franklin said. “Just had a ton of confidence that thing was going to go through. At the end of the day, they said it didn’t go through. Everything else doesn’t really matter a whole lot.”
That final sentence might be the most surprising part of Franklin’s response.
The controversy has only grown as different replay angles have circulated online. Some angles have left Virginia Tech fans convinced Love’s kick traveled inside the upright, while others make it difficult to determine exactly where the football crossed relative to the post. With the attempt traveling so high, the television broadcast didn’t provide the definitive answer fans wanted.
Franklin could have turned that uncertainty into an excuse. Instead, his focus remained on Love and everything Virginia Tech could have done before the game ever came down to one kick.
That approach matches what Franklin said immediately following the loss. He publicly backed Love, called him the best kicker in the country and made it clear he would send him onto the field again in the exact same situation. Pitt gets the victory regardless of how many times the final kick is replayed.
Virginia Tech fans may debate the finish for years, especially considering how close Love’s attempt appeared. Franklin, though, isn’t interested in rewriting the result based on an angle he couldn’t confidently judge himself. The officials said no good. Pitt won. For Franklin, that’s where the argument ends.
James Franklin Drops Surprising Take on Virginia Tech’s Controversial Missed Field Goal