BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech tight end Ja’Ricous Hairston grew up in NASCAR country, about 10 miles from Martinsville Speedway. His assessment of the Hokies’ offense is not only steeped in those racin’ roots, but also spot-on.

“Sometimes,” Hairston said, “it seems like a cylinder is misfiring.”

Sometimes. Too many times, and never more so than Saturday at Lane Stadium, where Virginia Tech fell to No. 16 Louisville 28-16.

The Hokies gained a season-low 240 yards, passed for their fewest yards (76) since a 2023 loss at Louisville and went scoreless during a second half in which the Cardinals scored 21 points.

“That’s the No. 16 team in the country,” interim coach Philip Montgomery said, “and we gave them everything they could handle.”

Sort of. For a half.

Thanks to a defense that turned

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