Story of the Stat Line: Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech

Evan Bainer

October 29, 2024

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA - The Hokies did not disappoint this past Saturday as they rolled on to a 21-6 victory against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

While the pivotal ACC matchup was a low-scoring affair, Virginia Tech was able to come out with the win at home in front of a sold-out crowd in Lane Stadium. 

Video via @HokiesFB on X

It was the Kyron Drones show on Saturday when Georgia Tech came to Blacksburg for homecoming weekend. The Virginia Tech quarterback contributed to all three of the touchdowns the Hokies scored in the game, finding the end zone on a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown. While Drones may not have had the most impressive passing stat line for the game, going 16/27 with 128 yards and a touchdown, he was able to capitalize on most of his throws. 

Image via @HokiesFB on X

Drones's passing success came in part from tight end Benji Gosnell, who brought in five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Furthermore, Gosnell’s short-pass catching, especially on third downs, helped Drones find a reliable target in the first half to create a more effective passing attack against a Yellow Jackets defense that played well the entire game.

The running game for Virginia Tech was relatively limited against Georgia Tech, as Bhayshul Tuten led the team with only 79 rushing yards. With both Tuten and starting left tackle Xavier Chaplin going down with injuries during the game, the rushing scheme for the Hokies will likely continue to be limited over the next few weeks.

Seeing as how Saturday’s contest was relatively low-scoring, Virginia Tech’s defense was key to the team’s victory. Linebacker Keonta Jenkins led the way for the Hokies defensively, totaling 10 tackles, eight of which were solo tackles, as well as two tackles for loss.

The defensive line for the Hokies played a large role in not only Virginia Tech’s defensive success but also in Georgia Tech’s offensive struggle. While Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Aeneas Peebles have been at the helm of the front four this season, Wilfried Pene was the main disrupter against the Yellow Jackets. Pene led the Hokies defensive line with five solo tackles on the game including both a sack and a tackle for loss.

While the stat line for the game won’t illustrate it, Virginia Tech’s secondary acted as an unsung hero for the Blacksburg team. Mainly, Georgia Tech quarterbacks Aaron Philo and Zach Pyron were held to 11 for 26 and 10 for 22 respectively on completions in the contest. The Hokies secondary also hauled in two interceptions, one by safety Jaylen Jones and the other by linebacker Keli Lawson.

The Virginia Tech defense has found its momentum over the past few games, allowing only 34 combined points to Stanford, Boston College, and Georgia Tech. With the highly-anticipated game against Clemson coming up in two weeks on November 9, the Hokies defense should look to keep said momentum going against a high-powered Clemson offense led by Heisman dark horse Cade Klubnik.

With both Tuten and Chaplin battling injuries, Virginia Tech will likely look to its passing game in its upcoming game against Syracuse on November 2. While it may seem bleak, this is a very winnable game for Virginia Tech as Syracuse has struggled against ACC opponents this season, losing games to Stanford and Pitt. If the Hokies come out with the win on Saturday, they will be in a good position to take on Clemson at home the following week.