Virginia Tech Claims Elusive One-Score Win Over Raleigh

Raleigh, N.C. - This matchup had all the makings for one way dominance via the run game. NC State boasts the ACC’s leading rusher and arguably the best running back in the country in Daylan “Hollywood” Smothers. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, entered with a bottom three ACC rushing defense.

In a shocking turn of events, it was Virginia Tech (2-3) who owned the ground, rushing for 229 yards compared to just 59 for NC State (3-2) en route to a 23-21 upset win in Carter-Finley Stadium.

“Our line came out here and did a heck of a job,” said Virginia Tech running back Terion Stewart, who went for a career-high 174 yards and a score on just 15 carries. “They said ‘I got you.’ I said ‘okay, watch this. You got me, I got you.”

After averaging nearly nine yards per carry through the first two and a half quarters, Stewart broke one for 85 yards late in the third quarter setting up a four yard Cameron Seldon touchdown which gave the Hokies a 20-14 lead. 

The confidence in his teammates Stewart spoke of seems to be a hallmark for the new look Philip Montgomery-led Hokies. 

“You’ve got to trust the people you're playing with,” Montgomery said following the win. One example of that is allowing quarterback Kyron Drones to use his natural-born talent to get out of the pocket in broken plays.

“I trust him,” Montgomery said. “He’s a guy that just continues to make plays.”

Drones had multiple heroic efforts including a 36 yard on-the-run strike to Ayden Greene down the sidelines near the end of the first half and a back foot heave to Benji Gosnell to move the chains late in the fourth quarter. 

After a difficult year and a half for Drones, he has now rattled off two straight big outings against Wofford and NC State, respectively. Drones finished 20 for 34 for 177 yards and two touchdowns and had two big time throws compared to zero turnover worthy plays according to PFF.

With 1:42 left in just his second game as interim Head Coach, Philip Montgomery was left with quite the difficult decision to make.

Drones picked up six yards on a keeper to set up a fourth and one on their own 40 yard line, with the Hokies narrowly holding on to a 23-21 lead. Pick up the first down and walk away with the win; get stuffed and NC State takes possession just a couple yards out of field goal range. Montgomery sent the offense out to try and get the Wolfpack defense to jump, but ended up using a timeout and punting it away. 

“Very seriously,” Montgomery responded in how much he considered going for it. “Our defense had been playing well and I trusted those guys to go out there and make a play.”

NC State entered the night averaging 445 yards a game. The Hokies held them under 300. 

Despite Virginia Tech’s stellar defense all night, Drones wanted to end the game on that fourth down.

“We’re going to have a talk tomorrow,” Drones said. “I said ‘Let’s end the game like eight times.’ I’m going to let him celebrate this win tonight.”

No one on this Hokies roster is more trusted than NFL talent John Love. Love drilled all three field goals including a clutch 49 yarder for the lead with 6:31 to play. As soon as this Drones-led offense crosses the opponents 45, they know they’ve given their kicker a chance.

Players of the game on the defensive end have to be Christian Ellis and Kaleb Spencer. 

Ellis is credited with three pass breakups, including a touchdown saving deflection in the endzone during the second quarter and the game winning stop on fourth and one with 42 seconds on the clock.

Spencer, meanwhile, went for a career-high 11 tackles, and consistently plugged the gaps Smothers was looking to run through.

Just as impressive was the Hokies pass rush. While NC State quarterback CJ Bailey put up good numbers, he got sacked five times - more than he had been sacked in the first four games of the season combined.

Perhaps the best result of the Brent Pry firing and the overall fallout is the opportunities Hokie freshman are now getting.

Perhaps the best example of that is Noah Chambers, who had six tackles and a sack in his first career game.

“The dude’s special,” Montgomery lauded of Chambers. “He is just full speed ahead. That’s the way he plays…He’s going to be a phenomenal player here.”

As every Virginia Tech fan is well aware, one score games have been the Hokies achilles heel during the Brent Pry era. With this win, Montgomery now has as many one score wins in two career games as Brent Pry did in just over three years.

While Montgomery doesn’t have the talent on the field Pry has sometimes had to work with, he’s won over the locker room and seemingly brought discipline back to this roster. Considering their gauntlet of a schedule to end the year, no one is expecting a bowl game run from this Virginia Tech team. However, the Hokies are once again a competent football team capable of beating power conference opponents - something that simply wasn’t true as two weeks ago.

NC State looks to get back on track next week as they host Campbell (1-4). Virginia Tech hopes to make it three in a row as they return to Lane Stadium to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.