BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech played three games on its October football schedule, all against ACC opponents, each with progressively more difficult challenges.
Helped by an increasingly improved defense, the Hokies finished the month with a perfect record, defeating Georgia Tech 21-6 on Homecoming Day at Lane Stadium.
Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-1) has won three straight games for the first time in 32 games during head coach Brent Pry’s tenure, and the Hokies are one win away from a bowl berth. He called the win “courageous” and another sign of progress within the program.
“We have momentum right now,” Pry said. “We’re doing some things every week to give us a chance to win games.”
Pry said that while most of the praise went to the defense, the win was the result of complementary football.
Once the game started, the Hokies felt that in order to beat the Yellow Jackets (5-4, 3-3) they would have to withstand Georgia Tech’s strong running attack, which averaged 5 yards per carry and over 185 yards. Ta. for each game of the first eight contests.
On Saturday, Virginia Tech’s defense gave up just 96 yards on 33 attempts. This forced the Jackets to switch to their passing game, and while they had some success, it wasn’t nearly enough. Georgia Tech moved the ball inside its 20-yard line just twice, and its only points were kicker Aidan Bill’s two field goals in the first half.
The list of Hokies’ defensive accomplishments continued from there. The unit had two interceptions against a Jackets offense that had committed just four turnovers before Saturday. If that wasn’t enough to boost confidence, Virginia Tech got the ball back four times in the fourth quarter by stopping Georgia Tech on fourth down.
On Saturday, Virginia Tech linebacker Kelly Lawson put pressure on Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron. (Ryan Hunt/Getty)
“(Georgia Tech) does a lot of things in terms of formation, gives us a lot of eye candy, gives us a lot of different looks,” defensive assistant Sean Quinn said. “And if our guys can go with the flow of the game and we can adapt to some of the things that they’re doing and stick to their rules, confidence breeds confidence. ”
Offensively, the Hokies were dealing with a defense as stingy as the Jackets’. Quarterback Kyron Drones was sacked and fumbled the ball on Virginia Tech’s first offensive play from scrimmage. He recovered loose balls and ultimately found weaknesses in Georgia Tech’s defense.
Early in the second quarter, the Drones led the Hokies with a four-play, 72-yard scoring drive that included back-to-back completions by Benji Gosnell. The first attack brought the Hokies to Georgia Tech’s 20-yard line. On the second, Gosnell ran through the middle with no one within five yards, leading to the game’s first score.
“I knew before the snap it was going to be wide open,” Drones said. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 128 yards, no interceptions, and scored a touchdown on each pass, run, and catch. “As soon as I passed the safety, I knew where I was going.”
Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones will be running for a big score against Georgia Tech in Blacksburg on Saturday. Draughn scored touchdowns in three different ways: passing, rushing, and receiving. (Robert Simmons/Associated Press)
The Drones followed this up with a 75-yard drive late in the first half that ended on the receiving end of a double reverse pass from wide receiver Jaylin Lane. It’s a play the Hokies have had in their playbook for some time, and Draughns said he had a 100% success rate in practice.
“Every time I make that play, I’m catching the ball,” Drones said.
A win over Georgia Tech at Lane Stadium may seem unusual, but it is. Saturday was the first time the Hokies defeated the Jackets in Blacksburg since 2012, ending a four-game losing streak at home.
