Let’s take a timeout from talking about fake punts and poor officiating and focus in on the big positive that came out of the Sugar Bowl. Virginia Tech’s defense played one of the best games in school history, and it’s worth revisiting to compare last week’s game to past performances.

After dominating Michigan last Tuesday night, the Hokies ended up finishing 10th in total defense, 14th in rushing defense, 14th in pass efficiency defense, 7th in scoring defense and 12th in sacks. Just think of how high they would have finished had starters Bruce Taylor, Antoine Hopkins and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow stayed healthy all season.

Bud Foster, the entire defensive staff and all the players deserve a pat on the back for all they were able to accomplish this year, under the circumstances. They were struck pretty hard by the injury bug, and they hung in there and continued to play well.

Their amazing performance in the Sugar Bowl got Will and me thinking about how that stacked up to the great defensive performances in Tech history. There have been many, so what criteria do you use when selecting the best?

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