Virginia Tech football hangs on after ejection to beat Duke - Washington Post

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DURHAM, N.C. — With Virginia Tech leading by three precious points late in the fourth quarter, it took a targeting call and the subsequent ejection of safety Terrell Edmunds to finally snap the team into focus as darkness descended on Wallace Wade Stadium.

The No. 19 Hokies fought their way through an uneven game before sealing a 24-21 victory over Duke before 38,217. It was an atypical win for Virginia Tech from both sides of the ball but one that allowed the Hokies to retain control of the ACC Coastal Division as they head back to Blacksburg for their final two league games.

Virginia Tech may have expected to run up the score on one of the ACC’s lesser defenses, but it instead had to muscle its way to three touchdowns Saturday, one coming on the Hokies’ first blocked field goal for a score since 2005.

[Maryland is left black and blue in rout at Michigan]

Quarterback Jerod Evans, who last week threw for a career-high 406 yards and two touchdowns, was held without a touchdown pass for the first time this season, though he did run for one. Coordinator Bud Foster’s defense allowed the eighth-best rushing offense in the ACC five yards per carry, and Virginia Tech was outrushed 227-207.

Still, Foster and Coach Justin Fuente were pleased with a win.

“It was a hard-fought game by two teams, and I’m proud of our kids, how we played, and coming away victorious — that’s big,” Foster said. “I know this: We’re 7-2 and 5-1 in the league and really proud of the way our kids have played. And it hasn’t always been pretty, but we’re finding ways to get it done. And that’s one thing we haven’t done the last couple years.”

The Hokies showed the most energy at the very end, after Edmunds left the game.

[Complete major-college football scoreboard]

Edmunds had forced a fumble on Duke’s final series and Virginia Tech had recovered at the 32, but the play was reviewed after running back Shaun Wilson fell injured. Edmunds was ultimately called for targeting — the safety made head-to-head contact that spun Wilson before he fell — and was ejected. The sophomore will miss the first half of next week’s game against Georgia Tech.

With the fumble overturned and the ball advanced 15 yards to midfield, the onus fell on a shorthanded Hokies defense. It responded.

Tremaine Edmunds, Terrell’s brother, sacked Duke quarterback Daniel Jones on the ensuing play, and three plays later, Duke was forced to punt. The Hokies’ offense then controlled the ball for the final 4:06 to seal the win.

[Navy chews up the clock and turns away Notre Dame]

The Edmunds brothers combined for 24 tackles.

“We was just scratching and clawing the whole time,” Evans said. “That’s what did it. Scratching and clawing and rallying around that call with Terrell because we know how much he means to us, and a vice a versa. That was a turning point in the game.”

Evans rushed for a team-high 83 yards and a touchdown and completed 15 of 27 passes for 192 yards.

Jones, a freshman, also flaunted twin talents against Virginia Tech’s beat-up defensive line. He rushed for a team-high 99 yards and two touchdowns and completed 18 of 31 attempts for 148 passing yards.

Virginia Tech appeared headed for a cushy day against Duke (3-6, 0-5), taking a 21-7 halftime lead by way of two gutsy touchdown drives and the blocked field goal return.

The game started with a more customary score. On the second series, tight end Bucky Hodges pulled in a one-handed catch for a 20-yard gain to put Virginia Tech on Duke’s 16. A play later, Travon McMillian dodged a few tackles for a 14-yard touchdown run up the middle.

But shaky defense countered Virginia Tech’s impressive offense early in the afternoon. On the ensuing drive, Duke converted two third downs on the way to its only touchdown of the half, a three-yard rush by Wilson.

Early in the second quarter, the Blue Devils were poised to take a 10-7 lead after Jones led a drive to Virginia Tech’s 17. But Duke has had trouble with field goals (just 3 for 7 on the season), and the Hokies’ Greg Stroman took a leap.

The 6-foot punt returner blocked the kick, and Adonis Alexander picked up the loose ball and took it 75 yards with 12:40 left in the first half.

Virginia Tech’s defense forced three consecutive three-and-outs after that but took a loss when Stroman injured his right ankle on a punt return in the second quarter.

Stroman was on the sideline in a boot and crutches in the second half.

“We’re kind of thin at that spot right now, too,” Foster said. “But those guys, they stepped up in the game. My hat goes off to Duke. . . . We knew it was going to be a dogfight in here in a tough ballgame, and our kids did a great job of just going to the next play, and that’s all you can do at this level.”

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