Military Bowl 2014: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech Game Grades and Analysis

The Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 33-17, in the Military Bowl on Saturday. It's Tech's second bowl victory over Cincinnati in the last six years, as Tech beat Cincinnati in the 2008-09 Orange Bowl. 

The Hokies relied on a strong performance by their special teams, defense and running game. Tech forced three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Freshman kicker Joey Slye hit all four field-goal attempts, including attempts from 45 and 49 yards.

Junior running back J.C. Coleman led Tech's rushing attack with 157 yards on 25 carries, his fourth straight game of at least 90 yards or more. 

Head coach Frank Beamer watched this one from the press box, while son Shane coached the team from the sideline. It was only the second time in Beamer's 28 years as head coach of the Hokies where he's been forced to coach from the box. 

Here are the grades and analysis from both Virginia Tech and Cincinnati in the Hokies' Military Bowl victory.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Second-Half Grade
Pass Offense	B+	C-
Run Offense	C	C+
Pass Defense	A-	B+
Run Defense	D	D
Special Teams	C	C
Coaching	B-	C-

Cincinnati Game Grades Analysis:

Pass Offense: Gunner Kiel was terrific, even with two interceptions. His absence changed things in the second half. Michael Colosimo gave them a spark late, but it wasn't enough. 

Run Offense: Colosimo led the team in rushing, mainly because the score forced Cincy to pass the ball, and Tech's defenders were dropped deep, leaving open running lanes for Cincy's passer in the second half. 

Pass Defense: Tech passed for just 124 yards. The Bearcats were strong in coverage and pressured Michael Brewer the entire game.

Run Defense: Cincinnati allowed 200 yards rushing to a team ranked No. 91 in rushing entering the game. That's unacceptable, especially with Tech being one-dimensional.

Special Teams: The Bearcats missed an early field goal and gave up a big return at the end of the half that led to points for the Hokies. 

Coaching: Tommy Tuberville inexplicably brought Colosimo in on obvious passing situations in the second half. He would use Shaq Washington or Mike Boone as the Wildcat QB. It led to two wasted possessions as Colosimo proved he could throw the ball. 

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Second-Half Grade
Pass Offense	C-	C+
Run Offense	B+	A
Pass Defense	C	B-
Run Defense	B+	B
Special Teams	A	A
Coaching	A-	A

Virginia Tech Game Grades Analysis:

Pass Offense: Brewer wasn't great. However, he played with toughness and made a couple of very good throws under pressure. His first-half interception cost the Hokies points.

Run Offense: JC Coleman was terrific. He had several longer runs and also proved he could pound it between the tackles for tough yards. 

Pass Defense: The Hokies gave up several big plays in the passing game, especially in the first half. The Hokies did record two interceptions and forced a Kiel fumble that led to a touchdown. 

Run Defense: The numbers indicate Tech gave up 160 yards on the ground. That's deceiving. Colosimo ran for 54 yards in the fourth quarter with Tech playing with six defensive backs. Cincy struggled to run the ball when the game was close. 

Special Teams: Beamerball returned, it appeared, on Saturday. Slye was 4-of-4 on field goals, and Der'Woun Greene gave the return game a lift. Special teams was responsible for the majority of VT's points. 

Coaching: Frank Beamer will get the win on his coaching record. However, his son, Shane, did an outstanding job preparing the Hokies. Tech looked strong in all phases, specifically on special teams, in the win over Cincinnati.