Virginia Tech bludgeons Virginia 52-10 for 13th consecutive victory in rivalry

[ad_1]

BLACKSBURG — Standing amid a jubilant throng Saturday on the field after Virginia Tech's 52-10 win against Virginia, Hokies coach Justin Fuente tried to temper the celebration, mentioning there was more work ahead in next weekend's Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

Of course, Fuente is nobody's fool. He knew the Commonwealth Cup, which Tech (9-3, 6-2 ACC) defended for a 13th consecutive season with the win against U.Va., was likely headed for all manner of debauchery Saturday night in downtown Blacksburg.

Tech had earned it.

"The way I put it to the team was, 'Congratulations. Enjoy it (Saturday). That's your reward. … (Sunday), we have to get ready for the next game,'" said Fuente, whose team wrapped up the ACC's Coastal Division title Friday when North Carolina State won at North Carolina. "I feel good about our guys' ability to do that. I really do.

"It was nice to get the game (against U.Va.) put away. I certainly didn't expect that going into the game. Knowing the records, even when Virginia hadn't had a great record, the score was always very close, very tight. …but it sort of got rolling today in all phases of the game."

On a day when Tech dominated U.Va. (2-10, 1-7) in just about every possible way, finishing with a season-high 579 yards while the Cavaliers could only muster 247 yards, the Hokies' margin of victory ended up being the third-largest for either team in the 98-game history of the rivalry. Tech's only greater margin of victory against U.Va. was the largest in the series — a 48-0 win in 1983.

Tech, which jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead Saturday and saw its advantage grow to as many as 49 points late in the third quarter at 52-3, was led by running back Sam Rogers' career day — fitting considering he was one of 13 seniors honored before the opening kickoff of their final home game.

Rogers finished with 15 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs. He had touchdown runs of 8 yards with 2:54 left in the first quarter, and 32 yards (a career-best run) with 7:06 left in the second quarter to help Tech go up 21-0. Tech ran for a season-high 289 yards.

U.Va., which finished Coach Bronco Mendenhall's first season with a seven-game losing streak, tried to get something going offensively by rotating quarterbacks Matt Johns and Kurt Benkert for much of the first 2 1/2 quarters, often multiple times during possessions. The plan failed miserably.

"I don't know what they were trying to do with it," Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster said. "Just get both guys an opportunity, because they ran their offense."

Foster's defense got into the scoring column with a touchdown of its own when the game was already out of hand.

Trailing 38-3 in the third quarter, U.Va. put in Connor Brewer — yet another quarterback — for a third-and-10 play from Tech's 28. He got hit by linebacker Mook Reynolds, resulting in a fumble that was scooped up by linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka and returned 70 yards for a touchdown with 6:49 left in the quarter.

After gaining first downs on two of its first three plays from scrimmage in the first quarter, U.Va. proceeded to go three-plays-and-out on its next five possessions. By the time it picked up its next first down with 2:06 left in the second quarter, Tech's lead had already ballooned to 28-0.

Though running back Taquan Mizzell represented a bright spot for U.Va., gaining 113 yards on 22 carries, the Cavaliers couldn't string together enough productive drives to make it a game.

"There wasn't really anything that I prepared them well for," said Mendenhall, his voice wavering. "That's probably the best message."

Tech quarterback Jerod Evans completed 16 of 27 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, including a brilliant 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cam Phillips in the second quarter. With Tech already leading 7-0 early in the second quarter, and facing third-and-2 from U.Va.'s 39, Evans took the snap and was immediately pressured by defensive end Andrew Brown.

Evans responded by lofting a perfect pass off his right back foot, dropping it in over safety Quin Blanding's outstretched hand and into the arms of Phillips, who raced in for a touchdown to put Tech up 14-0 with 10:40 left in the quarter and cap a 10-play, 99-yard drive.

"It's a play I expect him to make," said Phillips, who led Tech with six catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. "We run the play every week in practice. The coaches saw the right look, they called the play and we went and executed it, and it worked out great."

After leading Tech on a third-quarter drive that finished with Joey Slye kicking a 24-yard field goal with 11:27 remaining to put the Hokies up 38-0, Evans' day was done. With 4:41 left in the third quarter, and Tech ahead 45-3, backup quarterback Brenden Motley took over for Evans.

"I don't want to take anything away from their program," Tech starting right guard Augie Conte said. "They played tough. When you've got (Tech's Brad) Cornelsen as an offensive coordinator, I wouldn't want to have to defend his offense. It was a combination of both them obviously going through a little bit of a rebuilding year, and the score represents itself."

Wood can be reached by phone at 757-247-4642.

[ad_2]