COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Virginia Tech beat Maryland 35-26 on Saturday night to start the James Franklin era 3-0.
It was the Hokies’ first non-conference win against a Power Four opponent since Sept. 3, 2017, in Landover, Md., against West Virginia, snapping a 15-game streak. It also snapped the Terrapins’ (2-1) 20-game non-conference winning streak, which was the longest in the country.
“That team had the longest non-conference winning streak in the country, 20-0,” Tech head coach James Franklin said after the victory. “We hadn’t beaten a non-conference Power Four opponent since 2017. 2017! And we found a way to come on the road and get a win against a Big Ten opponent and represent the ACC, so very proud of that.”
Tech controlled the time of possession 36:38 to 23:22, and though it only scored once in the second half, it built up enough of a halftime lead — 13 points, 27-14 — that it didn’t have to sweat too much in the waning moments.
In a slow-moving first half, Virginia Tech started with the ball and drew first blood. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer moved the Hokies down the field in 13 plays, capped off by a screen pass to tight end Luke Reynolds that went for a 14-yard touchdown.
Running back Jeffrey Overton had a 29-yard score called back due to holding earlier on that drive. But Grunkemeyer extended the possession with a Houdini-like play on third-and-7, escaping pressure and finding wideout Ayden Greene over the middle for 19 yards.
After the Terrapins punted, the Hokies churned their way down the field again. A 25-yard connection to Reynolds set them up at the 1-yard line, where they appeared to stall after two penalties. However, Grunkemeyer pulled the ball down and, with running back Marcellous Hawkins as his lead blocker, weaved his way for an 18-yard score on a long third-and-goal.
John Love’s extra point attempt was blocked, so Tech led 13-0 with 14:51 in the second quarter. It was the first missed point-after try in Love’s career, snapping his streak of 130 consecutive makes.
Maryland and quarterback Malik Washington struck back quickly with a 44-yard deep ball to Kaleb Webb that, after an official review, set the offense up at the Hokies’ 1-yard line. Three plays later, Iverson Howard’s two-yard run made it a one-possession game at 13-7.
The Tech offense was behind the chains after a second-down holding call on left tackle Logan Howland. He replaced starter Justin Terry, who was rolled up on with 23 seconds left in the first quarter, helped off the field and carted back to the locker room.
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“He was able to jump in there,” Franklin said of Howland. “We think highly of him. He’s been a tremendous culture guy for us. Been a leader in the locker room, and he’s worked his tail off. That was a battle between the two of them for the starting job, so the fact that he kept preparing and was ready for when his number was called. We’ll find out about JT, but it’s going to be important for him to continue to develop and get better, and obviously, there’s no lessons that are better learned in a game against an opponent like that.”
Still, after a 15-yard connection with Greene on second-and-18, Grunkemeyer found his go-to target in Reynolds for a toe-tapping catch on the sideline to convert third-and-3.
Two plays later, the Hokies isolated Overton on a linebacker out of the backfield, and Grunkemeyer hit him on a wheel route down the sideline for a 49-yard touchdown.
“It was great blocking by the O-line,” Overton said. “Blocked-up play, been practicing it, and when you practice plays and you come out here, you’re going to execute it. …
“When you see a linebacker guarding you, you’ve got to be able to win your one-on-one. That’s what Coach Franklin and [running backs coach Norval McKenzie] harp on, just winning the one-on-ones. So, when I got my opportunity, I had to win by one-on-one and just go all the way.”
Trailing 20-7, the Terps responded two possessions later in five plays. Washington found tight end Dorian Fleming for pickups of 29 and 19 yards, and he lofted one up for a wide-open Chris Durr Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown. There appeared to be miscommunication between Tech cornerback Jaquez White and safety Quentin Reddish on that play.
The Hokies closed the half with a methodical two-minute drive. Using up 1:55 and leaving just 16 seconds left in the second quarter, they moved 75 yards in 11 plays.
A third-down pass interference penalty on Maryland — intended for Greene, who was shaken up on the play and did not return — kept things alive. There were two more third-down conversions on the possession, the second of which came on back-to-back completions to tight end Benji Gosnell.
Then came chunk plays to Reynolds (14-yard catch) and Overton (16-yard run). Working from the 2-yard line with 18 ticks left in the half, Grunkemeyer hit tight end Ja’Ricous Hairston for the strike after he leaked out behind the Terrapins defense.
“I think Grunk is doing a really good job,” Franklin said. “A lot of times, you see these college quarterbacks, it’s one progression and then they’re running. This guy’s going through his progressions, he’s making adjustments to the protection, he’s able to throw on the run, he’s accurate. …
“The two-minute drive, we work that every week on Wednesdays. It’s really good for our offense, it’s really good for our defense. … There’s just so much great teaching and how we want to manage it, having all of our timeouts available at each half so we can make sure we’re maximizing situational football in two-minute and four-minute situations.”
At halftime, Virginia Tech led Maryland 27-14, was 8-for-9 on third down — tied for the most conversions in a half, dating back to 1987 — and owned time of possession 19:28 to 10:32.
It finished 10-for-16 on third down, converting 10 of those situations for the second straight game, and was 2-for-2 on fourth down. It’s the program’s first time with double-digit third-down conversions in back-to-back games since 2003, when it had 10 apiece to open the year vs. UCF and James Madison.
“We felt like we needed to improve on third down, so we put an emphasis on it, and it showed up tonight,” Franklin said. “… One of the biggest things about third down is being better on first and second down so you’re not in third-and-long, and I thought we did a better job of that tonight. … Those third- and fourth-down conversions were big.”
It was a quiet but fast-moving second half. After the Terps went three-and-out, the Hokies added to their margin when Overton punched it in on a two-yard rushing touchdown. Grunkemeyer found a diving Que’Sean Brown for the 2-point conversion to make it 35-14.
Hawkins had an important fourth-down conversion early in that drive; Grunkemeyer hit Davion “FatRat” Brown down the sideline for a 27-yarder; and he had a crucial third-down conversion to a wide-open Reynolds (for 12 yards) that set up the score.
Maryland cut into the deficit at the start of the fourth quarter when Washington connected with Fleming for a two-yard touchdown, though the 2-point conversion — a pass to Howard — failed.
That was a long 13-play, 81-yard drive for the Terps that included a 15-yard run from Washington, but they still trailed by two scores, 35-26, and did not get the ball back.
The Hokies converted a crucial fourth down with 2:54 remaining when Grunkemeyer rolled right and hit Reynolds, who turned and extended the ball past the sticks. The officials reviewed it and said the call on the field was upheld. That iced the game, given Maryland had used up all of its timeouts, and Tech kneeled things out.
Grunkemeyer finished 31-for-39 for 314 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with nine different receivers. More than a third of his completions went to Reynolds, who hauled in 12 passes for 107 yards and a score.
On the other side, Washington was 30-for-43 for 359 yards and three scores. Durr was his primary target, reeling in 12 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think that quarterback’s really good,” Franklin said, referring to White’s comments from earlier in the week, where he downplayed Washington’s accuracy. “I don’t know why we made the comments we did during the week. I didn’t agree with them when they were said, and I don’t agree with them now, but that’s an opportunity for growth and a teaching moment for our guys. …
“He’s one of the better quarterbacks in the country, and we’re fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
The Hokies are 3-0 for the first time since 2017, when they beat West Virginia, Delaware and East Carolina to open the season. They’ve already matched their win total from last season, too.
“It’s awesome,” defensive end Aycen Stevens said. “I’ve been here for four years and I haven’t been 3-0. I hadn’t been 2-0. So, we’re 3-0 right now, but each week, the goal is to go 1-0.”
A different caliber of opponent awaits Tech up north. It plays at Boston College (2-1) on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a sleepy noon ET kickoff.
“We have a lot of confidence,” defensive tackle Kemari Copeland said. “Starting off last year 0-3, and then this year starting off 3-0, there’s a lot of confidence. And then this being a Big Ten team, they’re really good, so it’s a lot of confidence, but we’ve got to stack this and go to the next game.”
Box Score: Virginia Tech 35, Maryland 26
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