Noon on Saturday there was marginal hope, but resignation as well. The Hokie football program is struggling, and a chunk of Hokie Nation has the torches and pitchforks out. There was a palpable need to notch a win (even a narrow one). For 3 and 1⁄2 quarters it looked like the Hokies might save a bit of face. Then the collapse came, and this time on the offensive side of the ball. At a time that a solid drive was needed to recover some part of the squandered 11 point lead, the offense sputtered to a halt and disappeared.