Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer (16) throws a pass during the second quarter of their game at Camp Randall Stadium Friday, November 29, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Minnesota beat Wisconsin 24-7.

Bowl-streaking Minnesota meets Virginia Tech in Charlotte

History suggests that Minnesota takes bowl games more seriously than many other teams.

The Golden Gophers will put that theory to the test when they kick off against Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

Minnesota (7-5) closed the regular season with five wins in seven games, including a 24-7 victory over Wisconsin in the regular-season finale.

Virginia Tech (6-6) lost three of its last four games but secured a bowl invitation with a 37-17 win against Virginia in the finale.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck knows he likely will deal with a short-handed roster because of injuries and opt-outs, but he is eager to maintain his program’s success in the postseason. The Golden Gophers have won seven consecutive bowl games dating to the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl, which marks the longest winning streak in the nation, not including title games.

Fleck said his players are looking forward to competing on the national stage.

“One, it’s a celebration of 2024, so you’re preparing for an elite opponent from the ACC in Virginia Tech,” he said. “Two, you want to continue to get other guys better, so it’s an extension of spring ball — it’s pre-spring ball.

“You want to be able to bring the floor of your program up, and you want to see who’s really going to help you next year.”

Virginia Tech also hopes to finish this season on a winning note and head into the 2025 campaign with momentum.

Hokies coach Brent Pry did not specify which players would opt out for the game, but he acknowledged that some younger and less experienced players could get an opportunity to play.

“It is challenging,” Pry said. “We’re going to be young in some places. We’re going to be inexperienced. But to me, these bowl practices have been awesome for these guys. I’m excited about the opportunity for a bunch of them. I also think that they are getting better practice-by-practice.

“There are young guys stepping up, making plays, executing better. So I’m excited about that part. Minnesota’s a really good team. They’re veterans, they’ve got good size, they’ve got good experience. So it’s going to be a challenge for us. But I like the way we’re approaching it right now.”

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer has committed to play in the bowl game. He threw for 2,617 yards and 17 touchdowns against five interceptions during the regular season.

Darius Taylor led the way in rushing with 873 yards and nine touchdowns.

Quarterback Kyron Drones paced Virginia Tech with 1,562 passing yards for 10 TDs, with six interceptions. He battled injuries that included a knee strain, a stress fracture and turf toe, Pry said.

Bhayshul Tuten topped the Hokies on the ground with 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) takes a handoff from quarterback Kyron Drones (1) against the Miami Hurricanes during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech seeks bounce-back effort in clash vs. Stanford

Virginia Tech will make its first-ever trip to California for an Atlantic Coast Conference football game when the Hokies visit Stanford on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams will seek to rebound from a loss to an ACC powerhouse. The emotional bounce-back figures to be tougher for one team than the other.

Virginia Tech (2-3, 0-1) appeared to have upset then-No. 7 Miami on the road last week before a last-second touchdown pass was overturned. It allowed the Hurricanes to hold on for a 38-34 win and prompted Hokies coach Brent Pry to call ACC headquarters.

While dissatisfied with what he heard, Pry insisted Tuesday that this week is all about Stanford.

“We aggressively turned the page Sunday evening,” Pry said. “We addressed the matter with our players, with our staff, with our media, with our player parents, with our own wives … everybody. To play with the intensity we played with Friday night (Sept. 27), we have to pour everything into Stanford.”

The Cardinal (2-2, 1-1) will make their ACC home debut, having recorded a 26-24 win over Syracuse on Sept. 20 and a 40-14 loss to then-No. 17 Clemson last Saturday in consecutive conference road outings.

Stanford saw its starting quarterback, Ashton Daniels, leave the Clemson game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Cardinal coach Troy Taylor announced Tuesday that Daniels was no sure thing to face the Hokies. Taylor also said that Daniels, if healthy, will have to take better care of the football.

Daniels threw three interceptions as part of an uneven performance against the Tigers. He did well on the ground, rushing 11 times for 87 yards.

“The thing about playing quarterback is you can play great 95 percent of the time,” Taylor said, “but because you handle the ball every play, if 5 percent of those reps are not good, then you probably walk away feeling you didn’t play very well.”

Per Taylor, Justin Lamson would step in for Daniels if the starter is unable to play against Virginia Tech.

The game will feature two of the top backs statistically in the ACC.

Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 141 yards in last week’s conference opener against Miami, while Stanford’s Micah Ford has the ACC’s highest total among players who have competed in two conference games with 169 yards.

–Field Level Media

Nov 18, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Brennan Armstrong (5) runs from Virginia Tech Hokies defensive lineman Norell Pollard (3) during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

QB Brennan Armstrong leads N.C. State past Virginia Tech

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong ran for two touchdowns and tossed a pair to Kevin Concepcion, propelling North Carolina State to a 35-28 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.

In their final road contest this season, the Wolfpack (8-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) built a two-touchdown lead in the second quarter and held on for their fourth straight win.

Armstrong was 18 of 26 for 203 yards. He rushed 21 times for 89 yards.

Concepcion caught seven passes for 63 yards. The dynamic wide receiver also threw a TD.

The Hokies (5-6, 4-3) saw Kyron Drones complete 17 of 30 passes for 225 yards with three TDs and one interception.

Da’Quan Felton caught seven passes for 87 yards and two scores, while Stephen Gosnell had one TD catch.

The Hokies will try to become bowl eligible in their season finale next Saturday at the rival Virginia Cavaliers.

A transfer from Virginia, Armstrong set up the visitors with a 21-yard throw to Trent Pennix to the Virginia Tech 12 on the first play of the second quarter.

The quarterback soon rolled to his left and tossed his first TD to Concepcion, a 3-yarder, at 12:04 for a 7-0 lead.

On the Wolfpack’s next series, Armstrong ended an eight-play, 60-yard drive by calling his own number from the 1 and ducking in for a 14-0 lead at 4:46.

After a 50-yard return by Bhayshul Tuten on the ensuing kickoff, the Hokies found momentum by turning to a bit of trickery on the first play.

Drones rolled to his left and pitched the ball on a reverse to Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, who dashed untouched 47 yards down the right side only 20 seconds after Armstrong’s score.

Armstrong was at it again to end the half when he answered with a perfect 28-yard strike to Concepcion, leaving the Wolfpack with a 21-7 halftime lead with 18 seconds remaining.

In the third, Armstrong rushed in for his second TD at 9:03, but Drones followed by hitting Felton from 42 yards just 53 seconds later to make it 28-14.

Concepcion added to the Wolfpack’s advantage by taking a handoff and finding Pennix for a 17-yard reception at 5:53 in the third quarter.

Felton and Gosnell had TD receptions in the final quarter.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Malik Mustapha (3) chases North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Brennan Armstrong (5) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

NC State hungry to end Va. Tech’s home hex, jump Hokies in ACC

North Carolina State and Virginia Tech will meet Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game with plenty at stake in Blacksburg, Va.

For starters, the Wolfpack (7-3, 4-2) and Hokies (5-5, 4-2) sit tied for third in the conference with North Carolina.

Dave Doeren’s North Carolina State squad has won three straight games since losing 24-3 at then-No. 17 Duke on Oct. 14. However, winning has not been part of the team’s recent trips to Blacksburg.

The Wolfpack won there just once in four tries since 2004, including three consecutive setbacks. Doeren has never won in Blacksburg.

Also on the losing end of games against the Hokies is Wolfpack starting quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who returned to the lineup in Saturday’s 26-6 victory over Wake Forest.

Armstrong, a graduate transfer from the Virginia Cavaliers, topped the game with 96 rushing yards and passed for 111.

“They’re the No. 1 pass defense in the league,” Doeren said of the Hokies. “I’m excited to get to go play against a team that’s playing well in a great environment. … A good challenge, looking forward to continuing the journey on the road in another senior day for another program. We know we’re going to get their best.”

On Monday, Wolfpack linebacker Payton Wilson was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, handed out annually to the nation’s top defensive player.

With a win in their home finale, the Hokies would secure an appearance in a bowl game — the first in coach Brent Pry’s tenure. The team went 3-8 in his first season (2022).

Against Boston College last week, the Hokies scored 35 unanswered points in their first road win, 48-22, to snap the Eagles’ five-game winning streak.

Virginia Tech totaled 600 yards of offense — 363 via rushing on 51 carries (7.1 per rush).

“(They) had the No. 1 run offense in the league, and they had 120 and we had 360, so we flipped the script there,” Pry said. “That’s about physicality and temperament.”

The Hokies lead the all-time series 28-19-4 and have been victorious in five of the past six meetings.

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs with the football for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Proud Duke aims to extend Virginia Tech losing streak

A special season is shaping up for Duke, and Virginia Tech will try to spoil that on Saturday when the teams meet in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Durham, N.C.

“There are not a lot of teams in November with something to play for,” Duke coach Mike Elko said.

The Blue Devils (6-3, 3-2) are bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. They remain in contention to win the ACC’s Coastal Division, but they must win the rest of their games and receive help to move ahead of North Carolina.

Duke already has twice as many wins than last season.

The Hokies (2-7, 1-5) have lost six games in a row and won’t be able to reach the .500 mark, although they hope to gain some traction Saturday under first-year coach Brent Pry.

Virginia Tech squandered an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 28-27 loss to Georgia Tech last week.

“I don’t think it’s dread,” Pry said. “I don’t know that we’re as confident as we need to be in those situations. And that goes back to me.”

Duke will play a home game for the first time since an Oct. 15 loss to North Carolina. Since then, the Blue Devils have won twice.

“Now it’s important for us to go finish it the right way,” Elko said.

Dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard has dinged opposing defenses repeatedly. He has produced enough on the ground — 577 yards — to boost the Blue Devils to six games with more than 200 rushing yards this season.

Duke last week lost right guard Jacob Monk to a lower-leg injury that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season, putting a dent in the offensive line.

The Hokies, meanwhile, are 0-4 in road games this year.

“Our effort is tremendous. The self-inflicted wounds need to stop,” Pry said. “The margin for error is really small. You just can’t do those things and expect to win the game.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 27, 2022; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Grant Wells (6) runs for a touchdown during the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium.  The Wolfpack won 22-21. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech meet amid fading bowl hopes

The battle of the Techs in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division often has had championship implications.

But those days are in the past.

On Saturday, when Georgia Tech (3-5, 2-3 ACC) travels to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech (2-6, 1-4), the only stakes are the flickering bowl hopes of the struggling teams.

While Georgia Tech enters the game on a two-game skid, Virginia Tech has dropped five in a row in its longest losing streak in 30 seasons.

With two games left vs. ACC teams who have losing records, and another against Liberty, Hokies coach Brent Pry is looking for a “reboot,” as he called it Tuesday.

“We have four games left, a good chance to go 4-0, achieve a lot of objectives and finish this thing on a good note,” Pry said.

The Hokies are coming off a 22-21 loss at North Carolina State in which they incurred a staggering 10 false-start penalties.

Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells ran for two touchdowns and threw for a score in a dizzying span of 8:49 in the third quarter. The splurge put the Hokies up 21-3 late in the third quarter. But over the final 17 minutes, Tech surrendered three touchdown passes by Wolfpack true freshman quarterback MJ Morris.

The Yellow Jackets had their moments this year. Since Geoff Collins was fired as head coach, interim coach Brent Key has guided the team to an upset of then-24th-ranked Pitt, 26-21, followed by a 23-20 victory in overtime against Duke.

But last week’s 41-16 loss at Florida State was a humbling reality check. On a day when the Yellow Jackets’ defense surrendered 642 yards, their offense gained only 24 in the first half.

In his first college start, freshman Zach Pyron recovered in the second half to finish 18-of-28 passing for 198 yards and a touchdown.

Pyron will be back on the bench this week because starter Jeff Sims will return from a sprained foot. Key declared Sims good to go on Tuesday, explaining that his running ability forces opposing teams to defend more of the field, which can open Tech’s running attack.

“Creating those lanes and creating those spaces with Jeff is obviously a huge advantage for us,” Key said.

–Field Level Media