Hokie ClubVirginia Tech football's defense was a menace Saturday night in Lane Stadium, reviving the ol' adage of the Terror Dome.
For some, it felt like old-school Hokie football, with a terrorizing defense playing fast and free and an offense striking for big plays to keep the opponent on its toes. Following the game, there were some notable statistics that stood out. For those tidbits, view below.
Stats with Salas
LPD is Back
The Lunch Pail defense held the opposing offense to just 2 of 15 on third-down conversions for the second consecutive game. Tech, which is allowing just 13.3% conversions on third downs, sits atop FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) for third-down conversion percentage defense. This is the first time the defense has held the opponent to two or fewer first downs in back-to-back games since Ohio (2-of-13) and Georgia Tech (2-of-16) in 2005.
Tech also ranks in the top five in FBS in rushing defense (4th, 44 ypg) and total defense (5th, 202 ypg).
More Defensive Numbers
Boston College was held to just four rushing yards for the game, marking the fewest rushing yards allowed since Nov. 8, 2012, when Florida State was held to -15 net yards rushing.
The defense also racked up 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and five quarterback hurries against the Eagles. The last time the Hokies put up those kinds of numbers was against East Carolina in 2016. In that game, the defense tallied 16 TFLs, six sacks and six QB hurries.
Offense Shines as Well
Running back Keshawn King tallied 64 yards on four carries in the game. This was the most yards per carry with a minimum of four carries since running back Khalil "Juice" Herbert rushed for 104 yards on six attempts against NC State to open the 2020 season.
This is the second game in a row the offense has had three or more players with 30-plus receiving yards in a game, showcasing its well-balanced attack in the air. The last time Tech started a season with three or more receivers gaining 30-plus yards in back-to-back games was in 2019 when the Hokies opened on the road at Boston College and then hosted Old Dominion in Lane Stadium.
| Opponent | Player | No. | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion | Stephen Gosnell | 2 | 30 |
| Old Dominion | Da'Wain Lofton | 3 | 42 |
| Old Dominion | Kaleb Smith | 3 | 45 |
| Old Dominion | Nick Gallo | 7 | 49 |
| Boston College | Stephen Gosnell | 2 | 30 |
| Boston College | Connor Blumrick | 5 | 46 |
| Boston College | Kaleb Smith | 3 | 50 |
This is Home
Tech has won seven straight home openers and is now 32-3 in home openers since 1988. Since opening in 1965, Lane Stadium has seen seven head coaches lead the Hokies on the gridiron. In their Lane Stadium debut, the head whistle is 4-3 all-time.
All-time, the Hokies are 104-23-1 (.816) in home openers and 41-17 (.707) in Lane Stadium home openers.
Tech also improved to 31-16 (.660) at home at night (6 p.m. or later) since 1995.
Lane Stadium Record Watch
BC punter Danny Longman lived up to his name Saturday night with his 76-yard punt after BC's first drive in the third quarter. This ties a Lane Stadium record for longest punt. Nebraska's Alex Henry punted the ball into the end zone at the end of the Cornhuskers' first drive of the game on Sept. 19, 2009.
The longest punt by a Hokie in Lane Stadium belongs to Oscar Bradburn, who kicked a 72-yarder against Boston College on Nov. 3, 2018 near the end of the first quarter.
Scorigami
The 27-10 final score was the first scorigami of the season. Scorigami is the art of building final scores that have never happened before. More on scorigami.
Up Next
Tech Tech continues its homestand this Saturday, Sept. 17, as it welcomes Wofford to Lane Stadium for the first matchup between the two schools. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET and tickets are still available for as little as $50.