Tag: Virginia Tech Hokies

Nov 11, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) hands the ball to running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Va. Tech topples BC behind 3 TDs from Bhayshul Tuten

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Bhayshul Tuten rushed for three touchdowns and Kyron Drones threw for two as Virginia Tech broke Boston College’s five-game win streak with a 48-22 win in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Tech (5-5, 4-2) finished with a 600-262 advantage in total yards, taking firm control in a 21-point second quarter that gave it a 31-7 halftime lead.

Drones was 12-for-17 for 219 passing yards and rushed for 135 yards on 20 carries to lead the Hokies.

Tuten rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries, while Da’Quan Felton caught four passes for 101 yards.

Dorian Strong set the tone for the Hokies’ defense, intercepting quarterback Thomas Castellanos on two of Boston College’s first three offensive series.

Leading the Eagles (6-4, 3-3), Castellanos was 10 of 20 for 110 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 46 more.

Jaedn Skeete and Xavier Coleman each scored their first career touchdowns.

John Pupel had nine tackles (seven solo).

After Strong intercepted Castellanos’ opening pass attempt from scrimmage, John Love’s 27-yard field goal got the Hokies on the board first.

Boston College responded quickly with an eight-play drive, scoring Alex Broome’s 4-yard touchdown up the middle. Broome also dialed up a preceding 36-yard scamper.

The hosts then forced a 3-and-out before Strong’s second pick spurred the ensuing series. Tech took the lead on Tuten’s 7-yard run up the middle with 1:28 left in the first quarter.

The Hokies’ go-ahead scoring drive featured a 25-yard pass to Dae’Quan Wright followed by 10 straight rushes.

A recovered onside kick allowed Tech to take the ball again, extending its lead on Drones’ 22-yard pass to Stephen Gosnell early in the second.

Drones busted out a 59-yard run to begin the Hokies’ next touchdown drive, with a 5-yard pass to Jaylin Lane coming three plays later with 7:04 left in the first half.

Two plays after Felton hauled in a 70-yard strike, Tuten’s 4-yard rush made it 31-7 with 1:33 before halftime.

The Hokies ate up 6:04 to begin the second half, adding to their lead with another 4-yard run by Tuten.

Castellanos hit Skeete for an 8-yard touchdown and Lewis Bond for a 2-point conversion, bringing the Eagles back within 38-15 with 2:52 left in the third.

Malachi Thomas broke through for a 35-yard touchdown run and Love booted a 46-yard field goal as Tech scored twice in the first 4:06 of the final period.

Coleman’s 1-yard run with 4:26 left closed the scoring.

–Field Level Media

Nov 3, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Boston College Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) runs with the ball as Syracuse Orange defensive lineman Caleb Okechukwu (4) and defensive back Justin Barron (8) try to make the tackle during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Streaking BC looks to keep Virginia Tech winless on road

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Boston College will aim for its first six-game winning streak since 2007 when the Eagles host Virginia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup Saturday at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The Eagles (6-3, 3-2) return home looking to build on last Friday’s 17-10 win at Syracuse, an outcome that secured their bowl eligibility for the third time under fourth-year coach Jeff Hafley.

“I’d be crazy to think that our guys aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around the league,” Hafley said. “I’d be disappointed if our guys didn’t have goals that were bigger than just making a bowl game.”

Last week, another Boston College game came down to the fourth quarter.

Thomas Castellanos’ 7-yard run with 2:23 left was the winning score, but improved depth has been equally crucial to BC posting an average of 412.3 yards per game, the 47th-highest total in the country.

With Patrick Garwo out for the season because of a leg injury and Kye Robichaux (undisclosed) also hurt, junior running back Andre Hines rushed for 32 yards on five carries over BC’s last two series.

“Especially later in the season, everyone across the country is a bit banged up,” Eagles captain and linebacker Vinny DePalma said. “You need that depth to pay off. I think we’re seeing it.”

Virginia Tech (4-5, 3-2) had won back-to-back ACC games before last Saturday’s 34-3 loss at then-No. 13 Louisville. The Hokies are 0-4 on the road this season.

“I think we’re still a team that’s learning and growing, and part of that is learning how to win on the road,” Tech coach Brent Pry said. “… It’s the same 100-yard field (home or away), but obviously we got to look at some things. I think it’s more about us just playing to our potential.”

Last week was a struggle for the Hokies’ offense, which totaled only 140 yards — below 200 for the first time since 2015.

Bhayshul Tuten was a bright spot, rushing for 57 yards on 11 carries. Quarterback Kyron Drones, who has thrown for 1,305 yards and seven touchdowns this season, had his streak of 159 consecutive pass attempts without an interception snapped.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) runs the ball against Syracuse Orange defensive back Justin Barron (8) during the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 Louisville faces Va. Tech in pivotal ACC matchup

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No. 13 Louisville and visiting Virginia Tech have plenty at stake during their pivotal Atlantic Coast Conference clash on Saturday.

With the Cardinals (7-1, 4-1 ACC) and Hokies (4-4, 3-1) each having just one conference loss, the winner of Saturday’s contest will have the inside track toward advancing to the conference title game on Dec. 2 in Charlotte.

Just don’t mention that to Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry.

“Yeah, we don’t think about that. I’d be disappointed if somebody was,” Pry said. “We work really hard on focusing on the next opponent. These guys understand and know that that’s part of the key to our success, to us improving.

“Anytime you look ahead, you get your butt beat. I hope we’re not doing that. I’m not. Staff isn’t. And certainly continue to talk to our players about that.”

The Hokies have rebounded from a 1-3 start to win three of their past four games, averaging 30.8 points over that span.

Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown and Malachi Thomas added 87 yards on the ground last week for Virginia Tech, which rolled up a season-high 318 rushing yards in a 38-10 romp over Syracuse.

Louisville rebounded from a 38-21 setback at Pitt on Oct. 14 with a 23-0 rout of visiting Duke last week.

Jawhar Jordan rolled up a career-high 163 rushing yards and two touchdowns vs. the Blue Devils en route to being named ACC Running Back of the Week. He has set career-high totals in rushing yards (824) and touchdowns (10) this season.

Jordan’s two scores staked Louisville to an early 14-0 lead.

From there, Cardinals first-year coach Jeff Brohm saw his defensive charges take over the game. Duke mustered just 202 yards of total offense, marking the fourth straight game in which Louisville held its foe under 300 yards.

“I think our defense has confidence in themselves and the package that we’re using, and they play aggressive,” Brohm said. “If we cannot give (the opposing) offense the ball back by having turnovers early on and sustaining some drives like we did this past game and putting points on the board early, it definitely plays to our advantage.

“Our defense has taken advantage of it, and they’ve done a really good job, so it’s really a credit to our players. I think they play really hard early on, and they come ready to play.”

That’s a recipe for success, especially at home. Louisville’s last loss in front of its home fans was to Florida State on Sept. 16, 2022.

Virginia Tech safety Jalen Stroman was listed as questionable for the Saturday game due to a right shoulder injury.

“He’s one of our tougher players,” Pry said on Tuesday. “He’s had some injuries before. He seems to always come back a little quicker. I hope we have him. We need him. He’s one of those guys that can run and get you on the ground back there, and they’ve certainly got some guys that can do some things with the ball. But he’s questionable at this point.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry reacts during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Rasheen Ali has big day on the ground to lead Marshall past Virginia Tech

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Rasheen Ali rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries to lead Marshall to a 24-17 home win over Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Cam Fencher went 16 of 27 passing for 166 yards for the Thundering Herd (3-0).

Kyron Drones rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, and passed for 160 yards in defeat for Virginia Tech (1-3). Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 88 yard on nine carries to flank Drones for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech took the opening kickoff and scored first, taking a 7-0 lead with 11:59 left in the second quarter on a 31-yard touchdown run by Drones.

The score stayed that way until the second quarter, when Marshall tied the game at 7-7 with 14:50 left until halftime on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Fancher to DeMarcus Harris.

Following a 21-yard field goal by John Love that gave Virginia Tech a 10-7 lead with 11:47 left in the second quarter, Marshall drove the field and took a 14-10 lead with 9:10 remaining until halftime on a 56-yard touchdown run by Ali.

Rece Verhoff then made a 21-yard field goal with 2:55 left in the second quarter to give Marshall a 17-10 lead.

In the third quarter, pinned at its own 2-yard line, Marshall drove 98 yards in seven plays and took a 24-10 lead with 7:22 remaining in the third on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ali.

The big play of the drive was a 61-yard run by Ali to the Virginia Tech 18-yard line.

Virginia Tech drew closer in the fourth quarter, cutting its deficit to 24-17 with 7:14 remaining in the game on a 16-yard touchdown run by Drones.

Virginia Tech drove down to the Marshall 31-yard line in the final minute in its last attempt to tie the game, but the drive ended on downs.

–Field Level Media

Oct 27, 2022; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Grant Wells (6) drops back to pass during the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Va. Tech might be without starting QB at Rutgers

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Virginia Tech could be without its starting quarterback when the Hokies visit Rutgers on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

Grant Wells is questionable for the non-conference game after suffering an ankle injury during the Hokies’ 24-17 loss to Purdue last week. He gutted through it until the team’s final possession, when Baylor transfer Kyron Drones took over and led a drive that fizzled at the Purdue 42-yard line.

“I think it was good to get him out there, and it was a big moment, a challenging situation,” Hokies coach Brent Pry said of Drones, who will start this week if Wells can’t go. “I thought he was level-headed, he was steady. There’s some other things that need to happen better around him.”

Through two games for Virginia Tech (1-1), Wells has completed just 53.2 percent of his passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions.

Virginia Tech will be without wide receiver Ali Jennings (ankle), and slot receiver Jaylin Lane (hamstring) also is questionable. Lane leads the team with nine catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

The Hokies will face a Big Ten opponent for the second straight week. Rutgers (2-0) has home wins of 24-7 against Northwestern and 36-7 over Temple.

“Know these guys well. They’ve always been stingy on defense, and it’s no different this year,” Pry said of the Scarlet Knights.

Against Temple, Kyle Monangai had a career-high 165 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. Jai Patel won Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after making field goals from 51, 43 and 23 yards.

Temple cut its deficit to 13-7 in the first nine seconds of the fourth quarter before Rutgers scored 23 points while forcing the Owls into two interceptions and a three-and-out.

“I do see a group that trusts each other, and that was evident in our last game when things started to get away from us a little bit,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “As I told you that night, they came together and said, ‘No, we’ve got a job to do, everybody go do your job, and this is going to go where we want it to go, and that’s exactly what happened.’

The Scarlet Knights are aiming to start 3-0 for the third straight season, though in the past two seasons, one of those wins came against an FCS opponent.

–Field Level Media

Sep 9, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Dorian Strong (44) attempts to tackle Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) but he could not stop the dive into the end zone in the first quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lee Luther Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue overcomes lengthy weather delay to down Virginia Tech

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Hudson Card went 23-of-34 passing for 248 yards to lead Purdue to a 24-17 win over at Virginia Tech on Saturday at Blacksburg, Va., in a game mired by a weather delay of more than five hours.

Devin Mockobee rushed for 95 yards on 21 carries for Purdue (1-1).

With the game tied at 17-17, Purdue took a 24-17 lead with eight minutes remaining after a 2-yard touchdown run by Card, which finished off a 13-play, 74-yard drive.

Virginia Tech (1-1) took over at its own 9-yard line with 2:30 remaining and inserted backup quarterback Kyron Drones into the game to replace starter Grant Wells, and Drones helped the Hokies drive down to the Purdue 42-yard line.

But the drive stalled on downs and Purdue took over with 1:16 remaining.

A 20-yard run by Mockobee gave the Boilermakers a first down and allowed them to run out the clock.

Purdue took the opening kickoff and struck first, going 75 yards in nine plays and taking a 7-0 lead with 11:26 left in the first quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by Mockobee.

With 5:50 left in the first quarter and Purdue with the ball, the delay started and the game didn’t resume until 6:15 p.m., which turned out to be a 5-hour, 27-minute delay.

The Boilermakers picked up where they left off when the game resumed, taking a 10-0 lead on a 43-yard field goal by Ben Freehill and then going up 17-0 on a 21-yard touchdown run by Tyrone Tracy with 12:39 left in the second quarter.

But Virginia Tech responded with 17 straight points to tie the game at 17-17 at halftime.

Wells hit Bhayshul Tuten for a 30-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-5 to make it 17-7, and then following a 41-yard field goal by John Love, Wells hit Jaylin Lane for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining until halftime.

–Field Level Media

Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) throws the ball during the NCAA football game against the Fresno State Bulldogs, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Fresno State Bulldogs won 39-35.

QBs in focus when Purdue takes on Virginia Tech

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The quarterback matchup should be intriguing when nonconference foes Purdue and host Virginia Tech meet for a noon ET kickoff Saturday in Blacksburg.

Purdue has a new face to its program at quarterback but certainly not a new face to college football.

Hudson Card played three seasons at Texas before transferring to Purdue, and the redshirt junior seemed to fit in well in his first start with the Boilermakers.

Purdue lost its season opener at home to Fresno State 39-35, but Card went 17 of 30 passing for 254 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

“You saw flashes of what he’s capable of doing with his arms and his legs,” Purdue head coach Ryan Walters said. “We’ve got to do a better job of protecting him and giving him an opportunity to stand in there and deliver accurate and confident throws.”

Defense was the biggest issue for the Boilermakers as they gave up 371 yards passing. Purdue next faces an experienced quarterback in Virginia Tech starter Grant Wells, who is coming off a good debut.

Wells, a redshirt senior, went 17 of 29 for 251 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-17 home win over Old Dominion.

“I think he came into the game pretty confident,” Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry said. “He’s had a good camp. It’s like we mentioned last year, there just wasn’t a lot of support around him. I think the ability of our wideouts and tight ends — and I thought our line protected much better — gives him the chance to be the player he can be.”

A big reason for Wells’ success was the presence of two transfers at wideout, seniors Ali Jennings and Jaylin Lane.

Jennings, who had previous stops at Old Dominion and West Virginia, caught five passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns.

Lane, who came from Middle Tennessee State, caught four passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.

This will be the second all-time meeting between the schools. The first came in 2015 when Virginia Tech recorded a 51-24 win at Purdue.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Lynchburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Jalen Holston (0 runs the ball in the first half as Liberty Flames linebacker Aakil Washington (24) closes in at Williams Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lee Luther Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia Tech edges Liberty, halts seven-game skid

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Virginia Tech snapped a seven-game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 23-22 victory over host Liberty in Lynchburg, Va.

The Hokies (3-8) were led by a rushing attack that covered 176 yards and helped them chew up more than 36 minutes of clock. The ground game was powered by Jalen Holston, who ran for 99 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. Keshawn King added 78 yards on 11 totes.

It’s the second straight loss for Liberty (8-3). The Flames used two quarterbacks in Johnathan Bennett and Kaidon Salter. Bennett started and completed 8-of-15 passes for 98 yards, while Salter was 12-of-18 passing for 119 yards. Neither threw a touchdown, but Bennett rushed for a 15-yard score to even the score late in the first quarter.

The game featured three lead changes. Virginia Tech scored first on a two-yard dive from Holston, then extended its lead to 17-7 in the second quarter after Holston’s second score and a field goal by John Love.

After the Love field goal, the Flames’ Shedro Louis returned the kickoff 97 yards to cut the Hokies’ lead to 17-14.

Liberty tied the game just before halftime on a 47-yard field goal by Nick Brown, then took a two-point lead after Kendy Charles sacked Hokies quarterback Grant Wells in the end zone for a safety early in the third quarter. Another Brown field goal put Liberty ahead 22-17 in the third.

Following a Salter fumble, Virginia Tech engineered a 13-play, 64-yard drive that ended with Holston’s third touchdown of the day, giving the Hokies a narrow advantage. Virginia Tech failed to convert a two-point attempt but forced Liberty into a turnover on downs and a fumble on its ensuing possessions.

Virginia Tech converted all three of its fourth downs and didn’t turn the ball over.

In remembrance of the three University of Virginia players who were killed last weekend, Liberty and Virginia Tech wore UVA colors. The Flames sported navy and the Hokies donned orange.

It remains unclear if Virginia Tech and Virginia will play next weekend for the Commonwealth Cup. Virginia canceled its game on Saturday against Coastal Carolina in the wake of last weekend’s on-campus shooting.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2022; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Grant Wells (6) prepares to throw the ball during the second half against Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia Tech faces Liberty, looks to end 7-game skid

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Virginia Tech will aim to snap one of its longest losing streaks in program history when it visits Liberty on Saturday for a non-conference clash in Lynchburg, Va.

After falling 24-7 at Duke last weekend, the Hokies (2-8) have lost seven straight games — their longest skid since 1951.

The Hokies’ eight losses overall are the most they’ve had since 1992, when they were in the Big East. By record, it’s the worst year for Virginia Tech since it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004.

“I’m not going to lie — it is frustrating,” Virginia Tech linebacker Keli Lawson said. “It is hard, but we’ve just got to fight through it. Adversity comes with this sport.”

The bright spot for the Hokies was that they didn’t commit a penalty against Duke. Otherwise, it’s been a historically awful campaign in coach Brent Pry’s first season at the helm.

“I expect us to play better. I do,” Pry said. “It’s my job to encourage this team, to be positive, and to get us better. And that’s what we’re doing.”

Virginia Tech has been led on offense this season by quarterback Grant Wells. The Marshall transfer has completed 58.3 percent of his passes for 2,023 yards and nine touchdowns, with nine interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing touchdowns with six.

Liberty (8-2) likely had a chance to appear in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings had it not lost 36-33 at UConn last week. The Flames were 19th in last week’s AP Top 25 Poll but fell out on Sunday after the defeat.

“It’ll be interesting to see how they respond this week,” Liberty coach Hugh Freeze said. “We’re looking for somebody to give us a spark and be consistent with the game plan and even in practice be consistent.”

Dae Dae Hunter had been the lead offensive weapon for Liberty, but he missed the UConn game with a torn lateral collateral ligament. Shedro Louis and TJ Green are expected to share carries at running back on Saturday.

Louis has rushed for 390 yards this season and Green 166.

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies defensive lineman Jaylen Griffin (41) and Virginia Tech Hokies defensive lineman sack Virginia Tech Hokies defensive lineman TyJuan Garbutt (45) sack Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Zach Pyron (14) in the firsbhalf at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lee Luther Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Ga. Tech rallies to slip past Va. Tech 28-27

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In his second career start, Zach Pyron threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score in the final 10 minutes as Georgia Tech rallied for a 28-27 Atlantic Coast Conference win over Virginia Tech Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.

The Yellow Jackets (4-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) were down by 11 points early in the fourth quarter but with Virginia Tech (2-7, 1-5) threatening to add to its lead, Georgia Tech forced a turnover to trigger the comeback.

With 9:02 left, Pyron threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Nate McCollum. Then with 3:30 to go, Pyron scrambled up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown run.

With starting quarterback Jeff Sims out for the second straight game with a sprained foot, true freshman Pyron took advantage of his opportunity as Georgia Tech snapped its two-game losing streak.

It was the sixth straight loss for Virginia Tech, its longest skid since 1987, when legendary coach Frank Beamer was in his rookie season.

The Hokies got a 90-yard punt return touchdown from Tucker Holloway with 50 seconds left in the first half.

Then in the third quarter, linebacker Keli Lawson scored when he batted a Pyron pass into the air, gathered it in and ran seven yards to the end zone to put Virginia Tech up 27-16.

But early in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech’s D’Quan Douse jarred the ball from the grasp of Keshawn King, and Makius Scott recovered at the Yellow Jackets’ 10. Five plays later, Pyron threw his touchdown pass to McCollum.

On the ensuing possession, Clayton Powell-Lee halted a Virginia Tech drive with an interception, which gave Georgia Tech possession at its own 26. Pyron then directed a 74-yard drive which he capped with his touchdown run.

On Virginia Tech’s next possession, Douse helped wrap up the win with a sack. He was credited with 2 1/2 sacks, while teammate Charlie Thomas finished with 16 tackles. Powell-Lee recovered a fumble with 48 seconds left.

Gavin Stewart made three field goals for Georgia Tech and now is 12-for-12 on the season.

It was the fourth straight win at Lane Stadium for Georgia Tech, which forced four turnovers and now has 22 takeaways this season. The Yellow Jackets entered the game No. 3 in the FBS in turnover margin at plus-13.

Dontae Smith put Georgia Tech up 7-0 in the first quarter with a tackle-breaking burst off right tackle, running 29 yards for a touchdown.

Pyron finished with 19 completions in 32 attempts for 253 yards and added 66 yards on 17 rushes. McCollum had seven catches for 103 yards.

Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells completed 14 of 25 passes for 164 yards. But his interception and two fumbles were costly.

In his first action as a punt returner, Holloway set the Hokies’ record for the most punt return yards in a single game, finishing with 188 yards on seven punt returns. Antonio Freeman previously set the record (164) in 1994.

–Field Level Media