CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Brent Pry’s first taste of the battle for the Commonwealth Cup as a head coach went a lot like it did for his predecessors — his Hokies waxed UVa.
Virginia Tech rolled Virginia 55-17 at Scott Stadium on Saturday, earning bowl eligibility for the first time in two years and continuing a dominance in the rivalry that’s lasted more than two decades. The Hokies’ 55 points were the most scored by either side in the rivalry’s history.
The Hokies (6-6, 5-3 ACC) have won 18 of the last 19 games against the Cavaliers and 22 of 24 since 1999, improving to 13-3 in Charlottesville since 1993. Tech, which finished the regular season with three more wins than a year ago, will find out its bowl destination a week from Sunday.
While recent Tech-UVa battles have been close or had fantastic finishes, Saturday’s was over almost from the start. The Hokies raced to a 24-0 halftime lead, scored 24 more points in the third quarter and overwhelmed UVa (3-9, 2-6) in all three phases.
Kyron Drones threw for 244 yards and three scores, connecting for two touchdowns with Da’Quan Felton, who had a season-high 133 receiving yards. For the game, Tech finished with 500 total yards.
Bhayshul Tuten, who had only two offensive touches last week, torched the Cavaliers in more ways than one. The running back’s 117 rushing yards were one shy of his most with the Hokies. He scored on a 32-yard rush and a 94-yard kick return.
Tech’s defense allowed only 286 yards and sacked UVa’s Anthony Colandrea five times.
A 41-yard John Love field goal made it 3-0 Hokies on the opening drive, but they were just getting started.
Tech went ahead 10-0 with 3:21 left in the first quarter. After Malachi Thomas tripped on what looked like a sure-fire third-down pickup, bringing up a fourth-and-2, Tech went play-action. Drones rolled right and hit Stephen Gosnell behind the defense for a 44-yard touchdown pass.
It kept on rolling on its next possession, even with a 73-yard touchdown to Jaylin Lane wiped out by a questionable holding call. Drones kept the drive alive with a 39-yard completion to Wright on third-and-8. Two plays later, Tucker Holloway got the ball on a reverse and raced 33 yards almost untouched for a touchdown to make it 17-0 early in the second quarter.
The Hokies gave away a chance to score again after a Mansoor Delane interception when Drones fumbled at the UVa 2. Tech didn’t waste its next chance, though. Facing fourth-and-2 from the UVa 47, Pry sent the punt team on, only to call timeout. He reconsidered and put the offense on the field. Drones rolled right and hit Felton for 15 yards and a first down.
On the next play, Tuten ripped off a 32-yard touchdown run on a pitch to the left side to make it 24-0.
UVa didn’t pick up its first non-penalty first down until a Malik Washington reception with 1:49 left in the half. The Hokies went into the half with a 294-60 advantage in yards.
The Hokies picked up right where they left off in the third quarter, with Drones hitting Felton, who outraced the UVa defense for an 84-yard touchdown to make it 31-0. It was the seventh-longest passing play for Tech since 1954.
UVa ended the shutout with a 24-yard field goal by Will Bettridge, but Tuten answered by taking a kickoff 94 yards to the house to make it 38-3 Hokies. He became the first Tech player with two kick returns for touchdowns in the same season since David Wilson in 2010.
Malachi Fields reeled in a 38-yard touchdown for UVa before Love connected on a career-long 49-yard field goal to put the Hokies up 41-10. Drones and Felton connected for their second scoring strike, a 38-yarder, to make it 48-10 before the end of the third quarter.
Colandrea connected with Fields for a second touchdown with 9:18 left that made it 48-17, but the icing on the cake for Tech came on the next drive when Thomas punched it in from the seven, the final score in the 55-17 game.
Box Score: Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17
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Beating UVA never gets old, esp. in Charlottesville, One of these days the ‘hoos are going to figue out this football thing but not too soon. Still, I would have preferred a closer game and to hang 55 on UNC. So sweet to finsih ahead of them in the ACC standings, notwithstanding our schedule. I’m sick and tired of hearing about Drake Maye. When will Miami (7-5/3-5) ever truly be, “back?”
Loved the water sprinklers being turned on during team pictures after game. I found that quite enjoyable in light of 55-17 drubbing of boohoos.
At the beginning of the season, we were hoping for bowl eligibility, and the Hokies reached that goal. Progress! For those of us from the Bill Dooley era, rebuilding takes time, and Pry seems to be on the right track. This team has grown so much since that frustrating non-conference debacle. Go Hokies!!!
Ahh, I remember being able to walk into the stadium in the Bill Dooley era.
Great win and solid progress this year
Before you complete football coverage this year I hope tsl will discuss what at the top 3 things VT needs for 2024. The losses at Louisville and State were disappointing showing we still have a gap to the top of the conference. We need to shoot for 9+ wins next year!
Good call and solid goals. If the team that played the last half of the season started that way, we would have been 9-3 (or 8-4 at least). Winning those conference games is definitely a goal to be aspired to.
I do think we would have been able to beat Purdue and Marshall to get 8 wins if we had a better start. When I look back at 2023 I see:
1. Very good portal pickups
2. Solid wins over bottom of the conference
3. Played to offensive strengths in 2h of season
Lowlights:
1. Big gap to top of conference
2. Up and down defensive performances especially early in the game, see fsu, Louisville and state
3. Offensive concerns if a team can take away the run. Concerned with offensive if drones gets hurt
Congrats to all the Hokie players and coaches for a total domination win !!!!
Pry went deep on 4th and 2 and scored a touchdown I f’ing love it.
Are Pry, Bowen and Whit still being fired en masse? Bahahahahahahahaha. All the negative nimrods can pipe down now.
What he said!
don’t forget we need to fire Young & Brooks as well
Great to see this type of win over the Hoos today! Going bowling, Go Hokies!!
Well that was a great victory over the HOOWAsw. Or what!!! Where are all our negative Nancie’s? It is great to just enjoy the hard work the team and coaches did all year.. and all you negative Nancie’s it is only going to get better!!!!!
We were outscored 10 to 7 over a stretch of time in the 3rd quarter. I guess that is a negative point. Plus the number of penalties.
Love the history lesson: Two decades of dominance.
Just the facts, mam.
Great job Andy. I enjoy your frankness and promptness and several other nesses but I started celebrating at 24-0.
Go Hokies! And now we get bonus football!
Scott Stadium
This is Home!
Yes, yes it is!!
Lane Stadium–North!
Funny how quickly DSU starts talking about other sports.
They have to talk about other sports now because basketball is going to be hard on them also.
They are (and of course it shall soon read WERE) ranked 24 in MBB this week. WBB gave LSU a good game today also.
That being said, I don’t mind bragging about football.
This game was one of the ESPN instant classics. It should be replayed multiple times.
Tulane…..not LSU
UVA’s women’s team played LSU today.
The girls play LSU this Tuesday
Sorry, the LSU game is actually this coming Thursday night at 9pm
Hokies ladies BEAT Tulsa today!
Actually womens bb beat Tulane today,
People misfiring on women’s basketball matchups today. Ha!
Great team win – VT still owns Lane North
WOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Must’ve had this one ready to go by the end of the 3rd haha
That was quick?
When you win like that, you get an early recap.