Hokie ClubVirginia Tech football ran all over primetime in a dominant win on Thursday night against Boston College. The Hokies have won back-to-back conference matchups and finished their 30th anniversary of playing on Thursday with some notable stats.
Read below to dive deeper into the 42-21 victory over the Eagles, presented by Carter Bank & Trust.
Stats with Salas
Oh, What A Night
They say Thursday night games in Lane Stadium are special and last night proved no different. From the fireworks during Enter Sandman to the fireworks on the field by Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech’s 30th anniversary on ESPN’s Thursday primetime show was one for the record books.
The senior from Paulsboro, New Jersey found the end zone for the ninth consecutive game in the second quarter on an 83-yard rush – the second longest rushing play in Lane Stadium history by a Virginia Tech player and eighth longest rush in school history. He now sits in second place for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. Lee Suggs holds the record at 13 games set in 2001. In the fourth quarter Tuten found his way to the end zone for a fourth time in the game, this time with a 61-yard score. He’s the first player since 1985 to have two touchdowns of 60 or more yards in the same game. His four touchdowns were the most by a single player since Trey Edmunds against Miami in 2013.
Tuten finished the game with a program-record 266 rushing yards. The previous record was 253 yards held by Darren Evans. Evans record came against Maryland in 2008 – on a Thursday night in Lane Stadium. Tuten’s 266 rushing yards are the most this season by an FBS player against a Power 4 team and ties Florida State’s Dalvin Cook (2015) for 15th most in the ACC.
More Thursday Night Magic
The Hokies are now 25-12 (14-7 at home) on ESPN Thursday night games. Tech’s most common opponent on Thursday night is tied at seven games with Boston College and Georgia Tech. Speaking of Georgia Tech, the Hokies scored a touchdown on their first three possessions against the Eagles. The last time that happened was against Georgia Tech in 2018 – another Thursday night game in Lane Stadium.
Tech’s 88-yard drive to start the game was the first opening drive of 85 or more yards for a touchdown since 2014 when the Hokies drove 95 yards down Worsham Field against Boston College. As a team, Tech finished with 368 rushing yards, the most since putting up 420 against Boston College in 2000.
Enter Sackman
Redshirt senior Antwaun Powell-Ryland became the first player in Tech history to record four sacks in three different games and the first to do it twice in the same season. The Portsmouth, Virginia native now has 11 sacks on the season, putting him tied for fourth place for most sacks in a season with Cornell Brown (1994) and Morgan Roane (1985). Bruce Smith (1983) holds the record at 22, Cornell Brown (1995) is second with 17 and Corey Moore (1998) is third with 14.5.
For his career at Tech, APR is tied for ninth on the all-time list with Nathaniel Adibi at 20.5. Next on the list are Ken Ekanem & Darryl Tapp at 21.5, James Gayle & Chris Ellis with 22 and John Engleberger with 26.5. The top three sack leaders are Bruce Smith at 46, Cornell Brown with 36 and Corey Moore with 35.
Halftime Lead
At the half Thursday night, the Hokies were up 28-0 against Boston College. Since 1985, when leading by 28 points or more, Tech is 29-0. When leading by 23 or more, the Hokies are 52-0.
UniWatch
The Hokies unveiled new orange uniforms for the game along with a new white helmet featuring the script Hokies logo. Tech is now 13-6 when wearing orange jerseys and 3-1 when wearing white helmets, orange jerseys and orange pants.
The Streak Continues
Thursday’s game marked the 377th consecutive game during which Virginia Tech has scored. The Hokies are in 4th place in both the all-time and active streak lists. In that span, Tech has shutout their opponent 34 times.
Tech Playmakers
Depth in the Trenches
Tech’s offensive line had a bunch of road graders during primetime, opening numerous holes for running back Bhayshul Tuten. Coupled with a historic performance on the ground, the Hokies amassed 368 rushing yards against Boston College. Starters along the trenches included Braelin and Kaden Moore, Parker Clements, Xavier Chaplin and Bob Schick. This collection of talented Hokies has been the primary grouping throughout the season, and something Tuten likely appreciated is the rotation of additional linemen. During the 42-21 victory, offensive line coach Ron Crook utilized seven linemen in the offensive scheme, with additional opportunities given to Brody Meadows and Johnny Garrett. Chaplin would go on to lead the team in run block grading with an impressive 84.7 from Pro Football Focus. Tech has been making an intentional effort to use more offensive linemen, and the outing against BC supports that intention. "Yeah, I love the way it's working,” Crook stated in the postgame press conference. “Those guys deserve to play, and that's why they're getting out there. It's why you're seeing more of them.” If Thursday night’s performance was a signal of what’s to come, Hokie Nation can expect to see more great outings on the ground.
Heat Seeking Missile
Caleb Woodson is an athletic linebacker for defensive coordinator Chris Marve that has been racking up takedowns. The true sophomore displays sure tackling ability from the second level with four contests where he’s totaled at least six tackles. Against the Eagles, Woodson finished with the second-most tackles on the night (9) and recorded 1.5 tackles for loss. A product from Haymarket, Virginia, the young linebacker is proving to be a quality asset in the front seven. Recording his second-highest snap count (51) on the season and most since the home contest against Rutgers, Woodson has shown the increased opportunities mean chances to create stops on defense. He did just that against BC with four plays labeled as a 'stop' according to PFF.
