The Shadow
COLLEGE PARK, MD. (VR) – The Virginia Tech football team used the opening possession of the game to establish an offensive rhythm to the tune of a 13-play drive that resulted in a Luke Reynolds touchdown reception to take a lead Saturday night that they would not relinquish.
The Hokies’ offense put together three consecutive scoring drives that spanned 74 or more yards as Ethan Grunkemeyer used his legs for an 18-yard score and Jeffrey Overton, Jr. took a short pass from Grunkemeyer 49 yards to the end zone to give the visiting Hokies a 20-7 lead.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the second quarter, tight end Ja’Ricous Hairston caught a two-yard score, his first of the season, to lead the Hokies into the locker room with a 27-14 advantage.
After the Hokies got a stop on the opening drive of the second half, the offense orchestrated another methodical drive of 11 plays for 67 yards that ended with an Overton Jr. rushing score.
Maryland would fight back, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter behind quarterback Malik Washington’s 359 yards passing and three scores. He completed 30 of his 43 passes.
Ultimately, Tech, who controlled the clock with greater than 36 minutes of possession would run out the clock by churning out first downs. The offense was 12 of 18 on “conversion downs”.
The Hokies are 3-0 for the first time since the 2017 season and will start ACC play next weekend.
Game Notes
•Grunkemeyer racked up conseucive 300-yard passing games with his 314 against the Terrapins following last week’s 327 in the win over ODU. The last Tech quarterback to do so was Ryan Willis in 2018. Grunkemeyer tied his career high from last week with 31 completions.
•Luke Reynolds became the first Virginia Tech athlete to record conseuctive 100-yard receiving games since 2018 (Damon Hazelton).
•The win snapped a 15-game losing streak for the program against nonconference Power Four opponents. In the process, the Hokies snapped the Terrapins’ 20-game nonconference winning streak.
•Nine Hokies caught a pass against Maryland, continuing a trend of spreading the ball around. In each of Tech’s first three games, they have had at least nine athletes catch a pass.
•John Love inched closer to the top five all-time in scoring at Virginia Tech with his three made extra points. He now has 306 points, one below Carter Warley for fifth place.
Up Next
Tech will open ACC play on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Boston College for a contest that will kick at noon. The TV designation is not set, but will be either ACC Network, ESPN or ESPN2.
The Hokies’ next opportunity at Lane Stadium will be Oct. 2 against Pitt in another sold-out contest. Fans still seeking single-game ticket options are encouraged to visit SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace of Virginia Tech Athletics.
For fans who already have tickets, be sure to participate in the Stripe Effect.
