Virginia Tech thought it had a walk-off, blocked-kick, come-from-behind win Saturday at home against No. 25 Liberty.
The Hokies were doomed by their own timeout.
And then they lost on a 51-yard field goal by Liberty's Alex Barbir whose career-long kick cleared the goalpost with room to spare.
The game-winning kick, which helped Liberty improve to 7-0 under second-year coach Hugh Freeze, came just seconds after Barbir's line-drive attempt from 59 yards was blocked when kicked too low into the center of the line. The Hokies' Jermaine Waller then scooped up the kick and raced untouched into the end zone for what Tech players, who raucously celebrated, believed was the game-winning and ending play. Not so fast. Tech coach Justin Fuente had signaled for the Hokies' final timeout, moments before Barbir's kick was blocked.
With eight seconds left to play and facing fourth-and-6, Tech inexplicably lined up in an extremely deep prevent defense. Liberty quarterback Malik Willis hit a quick sideline-out for the first down and got Barbir 9 yards closer.
The next play became the latest chapter in Liberty's unprecedented start and Freeze's comeback-story.