NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An offseason’s worth of hype went up in smoke in a little over three hours.
Virginia Tech suffered an embarrassing loss in its season opener, falling to Vanderbilt 34-27 in overtime after backup quarterback Collin Schlee’s fourth-down pass sailed incomplete through the back of the end zone.
The Hokies (0-1) were slow out of the gates, falling behind 17-0 in the first half, though they rallied to take a 27-20 lead in the fourth quarter on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Kyron Drones to Ali Jennings.
Vanderbilt answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Diego Pavia to Sedrick Alexander with 1:51 to play. The Commodores (1-0) had a chance to win it as time expired, but Brock Taylor’s 42-yard field goal sailed wide right.
No matter. Vanderbilt won it in overtime. Pavia, who ran for 104 yards, powered his way into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown to start the scoring, giving the Commodores a 34-27 lead.
With Drones cramping late in the game, Schlee took over on the Hokies’ possession. After he ripped off a 14-yard run, the offense stagnated.
Schlee was sacked on third down to bring up a fourth-and-11 from the 13-yard line. The backup’s desperation pass sailed high and out of the back of the end zone, falling incomplete as Vanderbilt pulled off the improbable upset as two-touchdown underdogs.
Pavia accounted for 294 yards and three touchdowns in the win. It was Vanderbilt’s first victory against a power-conference opponent since 2022. The last time it beat a Power 4 or 5 non-conference opponent was in 2017 against Kansas State.
Drones threw for 322 yards and two scores in a losing effort. The Hokies had just 75 rushing yards on 30 carries.
It was Virginia Tech’s 11th straight non-conference loss against teams in the Power 4 or 5, a streak that dates back to the West Virginia opener at FedEx Field in 2017.
Vanderbilt took it to Virginia Tech in the first half, out-gaining the Hokies 165-86 and controlling the clock with a nearly 2:1 advantage in time of possession.
After getting a 43-yard field goal by Taylor on the opening drive, the Commodores seized great field position on the next possession when defensive tackle Glenn Seabrooks III snagged a tipped Drones screen pass out of the air and returned it 15 yards to the Hokies’ 26-yard line.
They capitalized early in the second quarter when Pavia hit Skinner on a 14-yard fade pattern in the end zone, going up over Mansoor Delane.
After Virginia Tech fizzled on its next drive, Vanderbilt went 80 yards in 12 plays, punching it into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run by Alexander to make it 17-0.
The Hokies got on the board in the final minute of the first half, getting a 40-yard field goal by John Love to make it 17-3.
Virginia Tech came out firing to start the second half, moving 83 plays in six yards to get into the end zone. Drones hit Jaylin Lane and Jennings for gains of 26 and 29 yards before Bhayshul Tuten rumbled into the end zone from 24 yards out, pulling the Hokies within 17-10.
Tech nearly forced a turnover of its own when Josh Fuga tipped a pass high into the air, but Delane couldn’t snag it downfield as it hit the turf. The Commodores took advantage on a disjointed drive that included a fumble Pavia somehow turned into positive yardage.
Vanderbilt was going to try a 54-yard field goal but drew a delay of game penalty that brought on the punt team. After a boot through the end zone, the Commodores were given new life when the Hokies were flagged for having two players with No. 0 on the field — Jennings and Keli Lawson.
Given a second chance, Vandy opted for a 53-yard field goal, with Taylor booting it through with distance to spare to make it 20-10 Commodores.
Tech cruised down the field on its next drive, with Benji Gosnell catching back-to-back passes for 17 and 26 yards, with a roughing the passer call tacking on another 15. The drive stalled, though, and the Hokies settled for a 38-yard field goal that cut the lead to 20-13.
The Hokies tied it up with 10:12 to play when Drones patiently let a screen develop and put nice touch on a lob pass to Tuten, who coasted into the end zone untouched for an 11-yard touchdown that knotted the game at 20.
Virginia Tech took its first lead on the next drive, going 97 yards and putting it in the end zone when Drones found Jennings wide open on a 62-yard connection for a touchdown.
It took Vanderbilt little time to even things up. The Commodores moved 70 yards in six plays, with just 2:24 coming off the clock, when Pavia escaped pressure and flung a pass out wide to an open Alexander, who scored an 8-yard touchdown, tying the game at 27 with 1:51 to play.
The Commodores had a shot to win it with a 42-yard field goal as time expired, but Taylor pushed it wide right, giving Virginia Tech new life, though Vandy won it in overtime.
Box Score: Vanderbilt 34, Virginia Tech 27 (OT)
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“Control what you can control,” has been a de facto mantra, for Brent Pry.
Hey, guess what, Coach? You CONTROL which numbers your players wear! You have a hundred numbers available to you, more than enough to avoid any duplicates.
Two players want the same number? Then go by seniority; flip a coin; do rock, paper, scissors; arm wrestle; who cares?
Just so you have ZERO chance of RIDICULOUS, EMBARRASSING, GAME-LOSING penalties!
There is much opportunity to learn from the game film. If Pry and the other coaches and players don’t take advantage of this it will be a long season.
Still can’t seem to run the ball. Even against a defense that was not suppose to be that great.
Here is the game summary in a nutshell:
SEC bottom feeder Vandy was better prepared, faster, more athletic, better conditioned and pushed us around on both sides of the ball all day except for maybe 8 minutes in Q4.
Oh, and VTs offensive play calling, especially in the first half, was bone headed.
Did I mess anything?
They weren’t faster and more athletic. The team who plays more focused and harder usually wins. They played harder than we did and their O coaching staff was WAY WAY better than our D AND O staff
+1
I know we were favored, but it doesn’t deem like ab upset
I kno
Just another typical Tech football loss. Unbelievable the amount of money that is being thrown at this program for the same ole awful results.
Same old BS!
I’ll put it simply – despite some lackluster series, the offense managed a comeback to take the lead. The defense couldn’t manage a stop.
That last Tech touchdown was a gimme. They forgot to cover the receiver.
Well it WAS set up by our earlier screen game. Vandy bit and we burned them but we didn’t even attempt to let our big WRs make a play vs coverage downfield any earlier
And we got some breaks in the game. They dropped a pass late which would have put them 1st and goal on the 3. They missed a FG. And the second roughing the passer call was a gift for us as well.
no killer instinct no will to win despite how poorly they played at times they were up by a touchdown with 4 minutes left
Once again I believe the coaching staff lost this game they were too slow to adjust and didn’t pay attention to the details
I hope it doesn’t take 4 games to get straightened out
I’m watching ODU playing SC and thinking that won’t be an easy game
Could be an interesting season as usual
Agree that the coaching was pathetic.
We might be 0-4 by the Miami game 😬
Sad,uninspired and lost..Holt should give back half his salary,Pry,Marve and Bowen should give back their entire salary..These coaches could be at Alabama and still lose to the Vandy’s of the world..There is NO EXCUSE for your team not being prepared to play…NONE!!
Totally agree!
Oh no we suck again!
🤣
Inexcusable Mental Mistakes, Lack of Preparation, & Poor Conditioning was our major Rat Poison from my POV:
1. Bad Special Teams (2 players losing sight of ball and failing to get heels on the 1yard line).
2. Delane needs work and more technique & team specially needs more scramble/option drills with Pop Watson, Schlee or some other mobile QB on the Scout Team.
3. Two players /same number- speechless.
4. Losing Drones due to Conditioning is unacceptable. Pry & S&C coaches failed to get our QB ready and keep him hydrated; Coaches got to get players out of Blacksburg conditions. I remember during Beamer era when the football team would run around drill field and cross campus regularly. Why weren’t we more ready.
5. Why Bring Drones back in Overtime to run and allow him to run on 2nd down; This was a complete waste of a down. You had the right formula running the RPO/Option game with backup Schlee. Why not ride that horse and stay committed with Schlee. You knew Drones was done at the 1:36mark way before Regulation ended…then you had about 5 to 10 minutes between Regulation and our offensive possession in Overtime. Why try to play or let Drones back in during the most critical series of the game? on a bad wheel? We did Schlee a disservice*.
*But Gosh we had a “Walk-off” chance to still take the win……I wish Schlee had been able to see how wide the sea parted for him to just run to the endzone. He even had a Hokie nearby as an escort. That would have been a touchdown.
I hate that we NEVER show up BIG during these key TV matchup games (How many Season Openers Has the Hokies Lost since Beamer). Yet somehow, we have to refocus ourselves on whats ahead and winning the ACC. Miami & Kyron’s best friend Cam Ward definitely stands in our way.
First game issues happen, though we had far too many. Defense laid a stinker, but our D has often struggled with that kind of offense & QB for years (even under Bud).
But that Offense…Bowen was completely focused on trying to go East-West rather than North-South. Virtually every call in the first half was to the edges, both runs and quick passes. He didn’t try to go forward until the second half when we were way behind and had to — and it worked! Then once we had the lead, he went back to the original game plan. He needed a ‘go that way’ sign in front of him today…
Wow> Not even Sunday yet and Monday Morning Quarterbacks are out in full force.
Vandy is probably the third worst team on our schedule. It wasn’t all bad. Drones played well. And despite what people are saying, I don’t think the defense played super poorly considering all of Vandy’s new toys and unexpected wrinkles. That said, as Chris said, a paper bag could score 31+ on this Vandy defense…well…we ain’t a paper bag.
Our D was terrible. Got totally outschemed and out muscled by an arguably mediocre Vandy team. We were a complete sieve at all levels.
Statistically we were not a “sieve”. Having said that. I definitely think Pry gets this year and then difficult conversations have to be had. We have talent with our QB, HB and WRs. Our defense has talent as well. It’s clearly coaching. I’ve never seen a penalty for two players with the same number on the field…
Yeah, 27 points should have been enough to win.
Thanks saved me from having to say the same things. Ouf D sucked, worst taxckling I have seen outside of Pop Warner! No excuse, our tackling was pure garbage
Did you see anything?
As they should be Mr koolaid drinker
Hilt’s complete ineptitude cost the game – say what you will, but that was 3 points and gave Vanderbilt momentum. He must go or Pry is not serious about culture.
Holt – damned spellcheck.
That was on Pry because they called Punt Safe to watch for a fake & had Lawson on the field for defense. Be admitted so after the game. Jennings has some responsibility as well (a small bit). He has to count the guys in front to make sure he has 10 in front of him. Maybe he didn’t recognize it was Keli or didn’t see the number but he knows the rules too
He should have been on a bus back to Blacksburg before the 2nd half started.
Having two players on the field with the same number leading to three points and costing us the game…🤦🏻. Just embarrassed for this team. Drones played well. These players deserve better than these terrible coaches.
As much as I would like to point to one play as the difference in the game, the defense should have never let the game get this close. Our defense was overwhelmed the majority of the game.
Like most wins and losses, it starts with the offensive line. VT’s struggled (by and large) and Vandy’s didn’t (by and large). Some of that was scheme, but some wasn’t. That was a concern for me going into the season and it’s only worse now.
Did the coaches frontload water before the game? How about electrolytes? Drones shouldn’t have been cramping when they needed him the most. The coaches should have a system in place when it’s that hot on the field.
They were hydrating all week. Vandy had guys cramping too, so did every team that played in the Southeast
Cramps in that type of heat and humidity are nearly unavoidable
It’s bad luck that the cramps hit him at that time
They should travel back to Blacksburg in ashen, embarrassed silence. Every coach – and every player who saw the field – should be tasked with writing an essay on how they contributed to the loss. Then read it aloud to the rest of the team at a meeting to be held tomorrow afternoon. Getting out-touched and de-pantsed by a perennial doormat is not a good look. This L will live in infamy among the pantheon of VT debacles.
Out-toughed
For a team to come out with that many returning players and look that unmotivated and completely lost at times is totally on the coaches. I can see at the start of the game but two quarters in they still had no clue. Gonna be a long year in Blacksburg. I was so excited for this season now going next week seems more of a burden than a joy. Hate that feeling.
I was trying to figure out how I felt and you nailed it. “more of a burden than a joy”
Even worse to sit with my wife and watch her Georgia Bulldogs embarrass Clemson, while she consoled me with “maybe the Hokies will play better next week honey”
During the post-game press conference, did the word “de-hydration” come up?
Andy, the article needs an edit:
“Virginia Tech came out firing to start the second half, moving 83 plays in six yard”.
It only felt that way.
Had a bad feeling about this game all week. Way too much hype, and I’ve seen the Hokies lose way too many games over the past 60 years to teams they should beat easily. I was pretty sure theyd lose one game this year that they should have won… hope this is the only one.
Buckle up
How do you spell Virginia Tech? M-E-D-I-O-C-R-I-T-Y. Two Zeros on the field at the same time? Don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, not even in high school football games. This is just really downright embarrassing. All that starting experience coming back and we get that in the first half and 4th quarter? Oh how we have fallen. Really tough to watch. So glad I have season tickets. Can’t wait to watch the L next week from my expensive seats. Really questioning why I continue to donate. That was total trash.
Who has the lunchpail?? The keeper of the lunchpail should be raising cane.
The Lunchpail should be retired period. It has no place on this team at all.
Eliminate the duplicate numbers immediately. Such nonsense…
Chokie !!!
We have some work to do.
Keep the faith. I do worry about Special Teams and Delane’s play. LBs below average IMO, and ditto for the revamped OL. Think you may see changes there for sure. But, hope springs eternal. Hopefully we learn a bunch from this game that we can use going forward. Tough loss; especially after we came back from 17 down to take a touchdown lead.
Not many positives. We use to take mediocre talent and maximize ability on the field. This coaching staff can’t get it done. Social media is perception not reality. We saw the latter today and mediocrity in coaching and ability showed in all facets. Is CBP just in over his head or just not a good CEO at this level?
0-10 against our last 10 OOC P4 opponents. Don’t know what I feel more after reading that stat. Amazement or depression.
Shows how far we have fallen.
Same, can we play a class A HS team for our 1st game in the future? Just to build up our confidence!
We need to play VMI every opener just so we can start 1-0
That would not be a given.
Let’s see, hummmm, buy or sell. I was buyin last week. Sellin today!
SEC it really matter more to them and it shows thankfully we play in the ACC. Let’s pray Miami beats Florida..
Not ready for prime time
No mention of dud 3-and-out under two minutes when it could have been us that drove for the game winning field goal. Instead we burned about 20 seconds and punted.
We are paying Pry 4.5 million dollars for this crap show today and Drones got paid well. Even worse is our special teams play today and a totally inexcusable penalty for having two players with same number. Say what you want there is absolutely no excuse for this. Burnop and Mackey after game talked about the amount of times we were totally confused… and hate to say it but our all star CB Delane got burned all day
Marve and Bowen haven’t changed a bit in three years. Now they’ve infected Holt with a case of the DA. No wonder no one throws at Strong. It’s too easy to burn “Toast” Delane. The only redeeming factor is we have the right culture. Losing. 0-10 in our last 10 P4 out of conference games.
Their QB is a baller, but Vandy will still lose most games 49-28.
On the VT offense for not putting up 49
I thought ours was too
He’s a baller, but will be punished by SEC defenses that are not a bunch of pussys.
Pavia and dual threat QBs kills this defense
Coach like a hill billy, lose like a hill billy. Three is a pattern. Hey, what’s Jerry Kill up to these days?
He’s an assistant at …. wait for it … Vanderbilt.
Pretty sure that was sarcasm but…yeah
Ohio State lost a game to start the season to an “overmatched” non-con opponent and went on to win the National Championship….
See the parallel????
Neither do I….
We listened to “the noise”
+1
I didn’t. They didn’t beat anyone with a pulse last year and apparently there wasn’t much improvement in the offseason.
We’ve taken a step back since last year. Every unit is worse.
Wow. I hope not
+1
All this talk about winning the ACC and being a dark horse to make the College Football Playoffs is an absolute F**king joke!!
This fiasco today is totally on the coaches…especially Bowen (whose offense was atrocious for most of the day) and Pry (who did not properly prepare this team and who hired his miserable assistants).
Too much “drinking the oil aid” pre-season hype. And this team paid the price today with a embarrassing performance.
Nor did Corso, he’s been around long enough to know how far this program has fallen