Virginia Tech Opens the Season with a 73-3 Rout
Seventy-three to three. That is the whole story, but the details are fun.
Virginia Tech was up 21-0 before the first quarter ended, on a 50-yard run from Jeffrey Overton Jr., a 9-yarder from Marcellous Hawkins Jr. and a 23-yard run from Overton. By halftime it was 45-0, helped along by a 51-yard touchdown from Ethan Grunkemeyer to Que'Sean Brown and a blocked punt that Knahlij Harrell returned for a score (a special teams touchdown, in case the offense felt left out). The Hokies added another three in the third quarter, including a 40-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Baker to Chanz Wiggins at 0:33 for 66-0, and A.J. Brand's 1-yard run at 10:38 of the fourth made it 73-0.
VMI's only points came after that, Jack Joyce's 50-yard field goal at 7:45. It is the first time anyone from the visiting side got on the board, and it took until the fourth quarter. Ten Virginia Tech touchdowns and one field goal make 73, and the Hokies never trailed or even sat tied.
The Hokies had 619 yards (351 passing, 268 rushing) on 40 carries, lost one fumble and threw no interceptions. Their defense recorded five sacks. Grunkemeyer was 17 of 20 for 224 yards and two scores, and Baker was 10 of 12 for 127 and one.
Virginia Tech is 1-0 and VMI is 0-1. For fantasy purposes, Hawkins' three touchdowns (24.9 points) led the way, with Brown and Overton close behind. Nobody got there on volume: Hawkins did it on 12 carries for 69 yards.