Duke ............ 0 3 0 0 - 3 Virginia Tech ... 0 7 0 7 - 14 Scoring Summary: 2nd Quarter 14:50 DU - Maggio 39 yd FG 00:38 VT - Boykin 19 yd pass from Glennon (Keys PAT) 4th Quarter 01:23 VT - Harris 23 yd interception return (Keys)
Blacksburg, VA – Thanks to a stingy defense and the first touchdown of the season by a wide receiver, Virginia Tech knocked off Duke 14-3 in Lane Stadium on Saturday night. The win moves the Hokies to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in the ACC. A win next Saturday against UVA will send Tech to Tampa for the ACC Championship Game on December 6.
Virginia Tech’s offense struggled in the first half, turning the ball over five times and putting up just seven points. Tyrod Taylor started the game at quarterback, but struggled in the passing game. He was just 2-of-5 for 15 yards, with two interceptions. Sean Glennon entered in relief of Taylor in the second quarter, and led the Hokies to their only offensive touchdown drive of the game. Glennon was 12-of-20 for 132 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Darren Evans went over 100 yards rushing for the second time in the last three games. Evans had 111 yards on 24 carries. He now has 926 yards on the season, and with at least two games remaining, should eclipse the 1,000 yard mark.
Jarrett Boykin paced Tech’s receiving corps with four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. His 19 yard touchdown reception from Sean Glennon just before halftime was the first touchdown by a Tech wide receiver this season.
The Tech offense gained over 200 yards in the first half, but were held back because of five turnovers. In the second half they did not turn the ball over at all, but failed to score. The final score of the game came on a 23 yard interception return for a touchdown by Macho Harris with 1:23 remaining.
The Tech defense held Duke to just 136 yards of total offense. Duke quarterback Zack Asack, playing for the injured Thad Lewis, completed just two passes and threw four interceptions. It was another master game from Bud Foster, whose unit is now allowing just 276.8 yards per game on the season. Pending results of other games this weekend, Saturday night’s effort against Duke could push the Hokies into the top 10 nationally in total defense for the fifth straight season.
Defensively, Purnell Sturdivant led the charge with eight tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Defensive end Jason Worilds continued his dominating play with 2.5 tackles for loss and another sack. Cornerbacks Macho Harris and Stephan Virgil intercepted two passes each.
Recap
The game started well for Tyrod Taylor, who completed his first two passes. The second was a 13 yard gain to Jarrett Boykin for a first down, and following a seven yard run by Darren Evans, the Hokies had the ball at their own 46. However, Taylor’s third down pass was intercepted by Duke middle linebacker Michael Tauiliili, and Tech’s chances of getting off to a good start offensively were over.
After the interception, both teams traded a few punts, the later in the first quarter the Tech offense took over on their own four. The Hokies quickly moved the ball out to the 24 yard line, and a personal foul on Duke safety Adrian Aye-Darko gave Tech an automatic first down at their own 41. A first down run by Taylor netted six yards, and the Hokies faced a second and four from their own 47.
Tech ran the option to the right, but Taylor’s option pitch bounced off the hands of Darren Evans, and Duke recovered at the Tech 43.
Quarterback Zack Asack quickly capitalized, running for a 19 yard gain to the Tech 22 on second down. The drive stalled, but the Blue Devils called on placekicker Nick Maggio for a 39 yard attempt, which was good. With 14:50 remaining in the second quarter, Duke had a 3-0 lead.
Tyrod Taylor’s night went further downhill on Tech’s next possession. On first and 10 from the Tech 43, Taylor was a little late delivering a pass over the middle, and it was intercepted by Matt Daniels. Duke took over on their own 46, but the Tech defense held yet again.
The Hokies began their next drive on their own 18, and Darren Evans carried on first down for a seven yard gain. On second down, Taylor scrambled up the middle for a 16 yard gain, but he was hit from behind by linebacker Vincent Rey and couched up the football. Duke recovered on the Tech 41.
Again, the Duke offense failed to pick up a first down against Tech’s rapidly improving defense. Sean Glennon entered at quarterback on Tech’s next possession, but the Hokies went three and out this time.
Glennon’s second possession wasn’t much better. The Hokies moved the ball into Duke territory for the first time, but Glennon’s third down pass from the Duke 45 was tipped at the line and intercepted by Catron Gainey.
The Tech offense finally put something together on Glennon’s third possession. It was one of the offense’s more impressive drives of the season. Beginning at their own 14 yard line, they marched 86 yards for a touchdown, and every hard gained was on the arm of Sean Glennon. He was sacked for a one yard loss on one play, but other than that play the drive went smoothly.
Glennon was 7-of-10 for 87 yards and a touchdown on the drive. On first and 10 from the Duke 19, he fired over the middle and hit a slanting Jarrett Boykin for a 19 yard touchdown. Boykin was stopped at approximately the five yard line, but he used his impressive strength to drag a tackler into the end zone. The Hokies had a 7-3 lead with 38 seconds left in the second quarter, and they took that lead into halftime.
The second half was completely uneventful. Tech advanced into Duke territory three times. Two drives were ended on sacks that forced the Hokies to punt, and a Sean Glennon scrambled came up a yard short of a first down on the third drive. Duke never crossed midfield in the second half.
The game was finally decided late in the fourth quarter. The Duke offense took over on their own 18 with 1:31 remaining. Zack Asack’s pass was intercepted by Macho Harris, who returned the pick 23 yards for the game clinching touchdown with 1:23 remaining.
The Hokies return to action next Saturday against Virginia, with the Coastal Division on the line for the second year in a row. Kickoff time and television coverage will be announced on Sunday.
STATISTICS
VT DU
---- ----
First downs 19 6
Rushed-yards 47-187 40-116
Passing yards 147 20
Sacked-yards lost 4-27 2-23
Return yards 31 42
Passes 14-25-3 2-9-4
Punts 7-43.0 9-37.4
Fumbles-lost 3-2 2-0
Penalties-yards 5-29 6-58
Time of possession 33:27 26:33
Att: 66,233
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Virginia Tech, Evans 24-111, Taylor 9-39, Boone 5-25,
Harris 1-18, Coale 1-6, TEAM 1-(-1), Glennon 6-(-11).
Duke, Asack 24-87, Hollingsworth 8-24, Robinson 3-17
TEAM 2-(-6), Jackson 3-(-6).
PASSING-Virginia Tech, Taylor 2-5-2-15, Glennon 12-20-1-132.
Duke, Asack 2-9-4-15.
RECEIVING-Virginia Tech, Boykin 4-67, Evans 3-16, Boone 2-33,
Coale 2-7, Roberts 1-13, Smith 1-9, Perez 1-2.
Duke, Chestnut 1-15, Huffman 1-5.
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