Virginia Tech football won its first road game of the season against Boston College, 48-22. Behind six offensive touchdowns and two defensive turnovers, Tech finished the game with some noteworthy stats.
For a deeper look at the numbers, view below.
Stats with Salas
Hold The Line
Tech's offensive line did their part in Tech's win over Boston College holding the Eagle's defense to just one tackle for loss. The lone TFL occurred late in the first quarter when Boston College forced Kyron Drones to throw the ball away and pickup an intentional grounding penalty. The last time a team was held to just one TFL in a game was in the 2015 Independence Bowl against Tulsa. The 2020 game against Liberty was the last time a team was held to zero tackles for loss in a game.
Drones Strike
Quarterback Kyron Drones finished the game with 135 yards rushing and 219 yards passing. He's the first QB to rush for 100 and pass for 200 since Hendon Hooker had 135 yards rushing and 217 yards passing against Liberty on Nov. 7, 2020.
More Offensive Numbers
The Hokies picked up 600 yards of total offense in the game which ties for 10th all-time. It was the most yards against a Power 5 team on the road for Tech since picking up a school record 675 yards at Pitt on Sept. 11, 1993. Tech also had 675 yards of total offense at East Carolina in 2017.
I'll Take That
Cornerback Dorian Strong got things started for the Hokies when he intercepted the Thomas Castellanos' first pass of the game. The last time a Tech player intercepted the first pass of the game was last season when Armani Chatman intercepted Phil Jurkovec's first pass on the second play of the game. Later in the first quarter Strong would get his second interception of the game. The last time Tech had a player intercept two passes in a game was on Oct. 5, 2019 at Miami when both Jermaine Waller and Caleb Farley each had two interceptions.
Scoring Machine
Tech's 48 points in the game marked the second most points for the Hokies in an ACC road game. The most points scored against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent was on Nov. 19, 2005 when Tech beat Virginia 52-14 in Charlottesville.
Uniformigami
While Saturday's game wasn't a scorigami, we did have a uniformigami. The Hokies donned white helmets, white jerseys and maroon pants for the first time. This was the 27th different uniform combination worn by Tech since at 1987 . Below is a list of every uniform combination, Tech's record and the last time it was worn. This year's combinations are bolded.
| Helmet | Jersey | Pants | Record | Total App | Win Pct | Last Worn | vs. Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maroon | Maroon | White | 121-44 | 165 | 0.733 | Sept. 22, 2022 | West Virginia |
| Maroon | White | White | 58-41 | 99 | 0.586 | Nov. 4, 2023 | Louisville |
| Maroon | White | Maroon | 34-37 | 71 | 0.479 | Oct. 7, 2023 | Florida State |
| Maroon | Maroon | Maroon | 18-16 | 34 | 0.529 | Oct. 26, 2023 | Syracuse |
| White | White | White | 19-10 | 29 | 0.655 | Sept. 16, 2023 | Rutgers |
| White | Maroon | White | 12-2 | 14 | 0.857 | Sept. 30, 2023 | Pitt |
| Maroon | White | Orange | 5-3 | 8 | 0.625 | Oct. 7, 2017 | Boston College |
| White | Orange | White | 5-2 | 7 | 0.714 | Nov. 5, 2021 | Boston College |
| Maroon | Orange | White | 5-0 | 5 | 1.000 | Nov. 17, 2011 | North Carolina |
| Orange | Maroon | Maroon | 2-1 | 3 | 0.667 | Sept. 14, 2019 | Furman |
| White | Orange | Orange | 2-1 | 3 | 0.667 | Sept. 9, 2023 | Purdue |
| Orange | White | White | 1-1 | 2 | 0.500 | Sept. 21, 2013 | Marshall |
| Orange | Maroon | White | 1-1 | 2 | 0.500 | Oct. 28, 2017 | Duke |
| Maroon | Orange | Orange | 0-2 | 2 | 0.000 | Oct. 26, 2013 | Duke |
| Black | Black | Black | 0-2 | 2 | 0.000 | Nov. 21, 2015 | North Carolina |
| White | White | Orange | 0-2 | 2 | 0.000 | Oct. 10, 2020 | North Carolina |
| White | White | Maroon | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Nov. 11, 2023 | Boston College |
| Maroon | Maroon | Orange | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Oct. 23, 1993 | Rutgers |
| Orange | White | Orange | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Sept. 24, 2011 | Marshall |
| Camo | White | White | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Sept. 22, 2012 | Bowling Green |
| Hokie Stone | Maroon | Maroon | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Sept. 26, 2013 | Georgia Tech |
| White | Hokie Stone | White | 1-0 | 1 | 1.000 | Sept. 9, 2017 | Delaware |
| Maroon | Orange | Maroon | 0-1 | 1 | 0.000 | Oct. 29, 2009 | North Carolina |
| Maroon | Gray | White | 0-1 | 1 | 0.000 | Aug. 31, 2013 | Alabama |
| Hokie Stone | Maroon | White | 0-1 | 1 | 0.000 | Nov. 16, 2013 | Maryland |
| Orange | White | Maroon | 0-1 | 1 | 0.000 | Sept. 26, 2015 | East Carolina |
| Black | Hokie Stone | Black | 0-1 | 1 | 0.000 | Sept. 10, 2016 | Tennessee |
Tech Playmakers
Strong Coverage
Tech's secondary provided a tremendous spark to start the afternoon in Chestnut Hill. Cornerback Dorian Strong displayed lockdown coverage in the first quarter, intercepting Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos on his first two pass attempts. Strong set the tone during the first defensive possession by undercutting the receiver's route, forcing a turnover on the first play of the game. The redshirt junior proceeded to record his second interception on Castellanos' pass attempt downfield, giving the offense momentum for its first touchdown of the game. Strong's turnovers led to points in each of Tech's following possessions. The Upper Marlboro, Maryland native has recorded three interceptions this season.
Hat Trick Tuten
Running back Bhayshul Tuten continues to impress and showcase his dynamism as a playmaker. Saturday's contest presented another favorable opportunity for the junior tailback, and he took full advantage. Tuten went on to score three rushing touchdowns in the redzone, fighting his way through contact and multiple defenders in the process. He scored a touchdown in three straight quarters, the first coming from seven yards out, and the next two were both four-yard efforts. Averaging nearly five yards per carry, the Paulsboro, New Jersey native finished with 78 rushing yards on 16 carries. Tuten's ability to finish each run with tenacity and deliver contact to incoming Eagles defenders was something to note.
There Goes Drones
As a dual-threat quarterback, Kyron Drones' size and athleticism are marquee features that give opposing defenses issues. Boston College struggled to contain his ability as a runner on read options and when plays broke down, where Drones is his most dangerous. In the second quarter, the Baylor transfer ripped off Tech's longest run of the season, a 59-yard option keeper. The long run helped set up the Hokies' third touchdown of the half. Drones recorded his highest rushing total of the year, amassing 135 yards on 20 attempts. The Pearland, Texas native also found success throwing the ball, as he connected with his favorite deep target, Da'Quan Felton, for a 70-yard catch and run. Drones tossed touchdowns through the air, one to Stephen Gosnell for 22 yards and the other a five-yard bubble screen to Jaylin Lane.