Maryland walked into Saturday night at home chasing a 3-0 start and walked out with its first loss, a 35-26 defeat to Virginia Tech that turned into a long night for the Terps’ defense.
The Hokies set the tone right away with a 13-play, 75-yard opening march that ended in a touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer to tight end Luke Reynolds. Virginia Tech leaned on hurry-up tempo, spread the field with shotgun looks, and kept stretching Maryland vertically. That opening drive was only the beginning of a first half in which the Hokies repeatedly found room to operate.
By the time the fourth quarter arrived, Virginia Tech had touchdowns on five of its first six possessions and had built a 35-14 lead. Maryland’s offense tried to answer, and sophomore quarterback Malik Washington did help trim the margin with back-to-back touchdown drives in the final quarter, but the Terps never fully dragged themselves back into the game.
A huge part of the problem was Maryland’s inability to get off the field on third down. Ted Monachino’s defense was beaten there all night, with Virginia Tech converting 10 of 16 third-down chances and also going 2-for-2 on fourth down. Those extra snaps kept drives alive, wore down the Terps, and made the first three quarters feel like a steady grind.
Grunkemeyer was comfortable attacking the soft spots in Maryland’s zone, and his receivers came through with contested catches in traffic. The pressure Maryland had generated earlier in the season also disappeared; after piling up 10 sacks through its first two games, the Terps managed only one Saturday.
Penalties made things worse. Amari Jackson and Jayden Scuggs each drew two pass-interference flags in the second quarter on separate drives, and both mistakes helped Virginia Tech finish with touchdowns.
Maryland’s own offense never found a rhythm early enough to match the pace. Against UConn, the Terps’ first three drives were punt, touchdown and punt, and the punts came when the passing game couldn’t create positive yardage on first or second down.
This time, the issue flipped. The run game never gave Maryland balance, which left the offense stuck in obvious passing situations and dragged it into third-and-long far too often.
Running backs Harry Dalton III and Iverson Howard had little room to work, with Virginia Tech’s defensive line swarming the line of scrimmage and closing off both the edges and the middle. Washington had stretches where the Hokies covered well or forced him off his spot, and the connection with his receivers never consistently clicked.
Even the punts hurt. Two of Maryland’s three punts ended with Virginia Tech taking over and turning those possessions into touchdowns.
Still, one bright spot stood out for the Terps: Chris Durr Jr. The offseason addition from Wyoming backed up his strong start with another big game, finishing for a second straight week with more than 10 catches, over 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown.
Durr Jr. has quickly become a dependable target for Washington. He’s agile, sharp in his routes and strong at the catch point, whether he’s working the middle or winning on the boundary against tight coverage. Washington keeps going his way for a reason.
Maryland will need that kind of production to keep coming as Big Ten play arrives.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Enters ACC Play With A Threat Fans Need To See
A 3-0 start has given Virginia Tech a strong early platform, and the Hokies have looked balanced enough to make a real impression before ACC play fully settles in. Under first-year coach James Franklin, they have paired efficient offense with sturdy defense, and the early work from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds has helped give the team a clearer identity than most clubs have this time of year.
Boston College will get the next crack at that profile when it hosts Virginia Tech in a conference game that should tell us plenty about both teams. For the Hokies, it is a chance to show the early record is more than a hot opening stretch, while for Boston College it is the kind of test that can reveal how sturdy an undefeated run really is once league games begin to stack up. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Just Raised The Stakes For Its Next Three Games
Virginia Techs strong start has turned September into something much bigger than a feel-good stretch. After beating Maryland 35-26 to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2017, the Hokies not only snapped the Terps non-conference winning streak but also put an end to their own skid against non-conference Power Four opponents, giving the season an early jolt of legitimacy.
Now the conversation has shifted from simply getting off the mat to just how high this run can climb. Bowl projections are already floating a range of possibilities, from the Gator Bowl to the Pop-Tarts Bowl and Holiday Bowl, but where Virginia Tech lands will hinge on what comes next against Pitt, Clemson and SMU. Those three games will shape both the Hokies record and the kind of bowl destination that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Enters Its First ACC Test With Real Momentum
Virginia Tech has spent the first three weeks building something it has not always had in recent seasons: a little breathing room. The Hokies opened with three straight wins, capped by a 35-26 victory over Maryland that snapped a 15-game skid against Power Four non-conference opponents, and the offense looked more comfortable than it had in some time. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns in that game, while tight end Luke Reynolds turned in a career-high 12 catches.
Now the schedule tightens up in a different way. Boston College arrives on Sept. 26 for Virginia Techs first ACC game of the season, which makes this the kind of early conference test that can tell you plenty about whether those first few weeks were a hot start or the beginning of something more sustainable. The Hokies have momentum, but league play tends to sort out quickly whether a team is ready to carry it. [Read more 🡒]