Virginia Tech made too many mistakes in its 26-23 loss to Rutgers on Saturday in Lane Stadium.
The Hokies (2-2) got behind early after Jaylin Lane fumbled a punt ahead of their second possession, which the Scarlet Knights (3-0) jumped on immediately. Kyle Monangai capped off a nine-yard drive that started at the Tech 31-yard line, and Rutgers took off with a ton of momentum.
After Tech turned the ball over on downs at the Rutgers 39-yard line, Scarlet Knights running back Samuel Brown led a quick six-play, 61-yard drive. It was jumpstarted by a 19-yard completion from quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to Dymere Miller, and after a late hit penalty from Hokies safety Quentin Reddish tacked on 15 yards, Rutgers ran it five straight times with Brown, who eventually punched it in from the 3-yard line.
Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, the Hokies responded with one of thier most methodical offensive possessions of the game. Chunk plays from Bhayshul Tuten (an 11-yard run) and Jaylin Lane (a 34-yard catch) moved the ball into enemy territory, and Tuten took a jet sweep 23 yards and ran into the end zone untouched. It marked his sixth consecutive game with a touchdown.
However, things stalled for the Hokies soon after. Rutgers gifted them a few chances when Jai Patel missed a 36-yard field goal and fumbled at the Tech 3-yard line on the following drive — Mansoor Delane and Keli Lawson forced it and Jaden Keller recovered, the third straight game Delane’s had a hand in a turnover — but Tech couldn’t make anything of it. Rather, it shot itself in the foot.
Taking over inside its own 10-yard line, Tech quarterback Kyron Drones couldn’t escape pressure and was sacked in his own end zone for a safety, stepped on by right tackle Parker Clements in the process. That handed Rutgers a 16-7 lead at intermission.
Things didn’t get better until late in the second half. The Scarlet Knights ripped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter, which featured a 17-yard connection from Kaliakmanis to Miller, a 23-yard pass to Ian Strong and a 12-yard rush from Brown. The running back scampered in from the 5-yard line to extend the lead to 23-7.
On the first play of the following drive, Drones fumbled, which Rutgers recovered at the Tech 22-yard line, a play that epitomized the day. The Scarlet Knights didn’t do anything with the great field position, and they couldn’t convert a 52-yard field goal on their next possession, but the Virginia Tech offense took some time before it drew closer.
It wasn’t until the defense forced a three-and-out at the start of the fourth quarter that the Hokies found some offensive momentum.
Set up by a nice 34-yard punt return from Lane, which put them at the Rutgers 39-yard line, they ran two plays and scored quickly. Ayden Greene’s first catch of the year went for 25 yards and Tuten (15 carries, 122 yards, 8.1 average) ran for 14 yards around the left side for his second touchdown of the game. Drones found tight end Benji Gosnell for the two-point conversion to make it a one-score game, 23-15.
The Hokies found some more life when the defense came up with another stop, and an eight-play, 80-yard drive tied the game. Tuten found paydirt for the third time on Saturday with a 2-yard score, and the two-point conversion to Stephen Gosnell was good. In a blink of an eye, it was 23-all.
Rutgers drove down the field and kicked the game-winning field goal, though. Jai Patel made a 24-yarder with 4:35 remaining, and Tech had one final glimmer of hope, but it went up in smoke as Drones threw an interception. Scarlet Knights defensive back Robert Longerbeam tipped a Drones pass of the line of scrimmage and caught it, securing the game.
The loss puts the Hokies at 1-9 in one-score games under Brent Pry, on a day where Rutgers only averaged 2.9 yards per carry and Monangai only racked up 84 yards. The Scarlet Knights had the ball for 19 more minutes, however — a 39:20 to 20:40 advantage — and ran 23 more plays in their first-ever win in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech was inconsistent, which has been the story of the season, and did not take advantage of Rutgers’ mistakes while making too many of its own. It’ll quickly turn its attention to No. 8 Miami, who it faces on Friday night in Hard Rock Stadium.
Box Score: Rutgers 26, Virginia Tech 23
