BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech didn’t deliver a clean 60 minutes Saturday, but it did enough early to beat Georgia Tech 34-24 and move one step closer to bowl eligibility.
The Hokies built a 24-3 halftime cushion behind a huge first half from Que’Sean Brown, who piled up a career-high 180 receiving yards. By the time the break arrived, Virginia Tech had put itself in position to recover from back-to-back losses to Pitt and Cal.
The second half turned messy fast. Georgia Tech trimmed the margin, Virginia Tech’s passing game stalled, and the Hokies were outscored 21-10 after halftime. Still, the early work gave them enough margin to hold on at home.
Virginia Tech (5-2, 2-2 ACC) got back on track with a mix of explosive plays and timely defense. Georgia Tech (2-4, 1-2 ACC) never fully disappeared, but every time it threatened to make it a one-possession game, the Hokies had an answer.
The opening sequence set the tone. On the second play from scrimmage, Grunkemeyer found Brown in space, and the Duke transfer turned it into a 60-yard touchdown. Brown entered the day as Virginia Tech’s receiving leader with 434 yards, and he immediately added to that total with his fifth score of the season.
Georgia Tech responded with a drive that reached the Virginia Tech 10-yard line, but the possession ended in disaster when running back Trelain Maddox fumbled through the end zone. Cornerback Thomas Williams was credited with the forced fumble, and Virginia Tech got the touchback at its 20.
The Hokies made the Jackets pay. Jeffrey Overton Jr. ripped off a 28-yard run, then Grunkemeyer kept it himself for a 20-yard rushing touchdown, his fifth ground score in 2026. That pushed Virginia Tech ahead 14-0.
Georgia Tech finally got on the board with a 31-yard Aidan Birr field goal after a muffed punt recovery gave it a short field. But Virginia Tech answered again, this time with a quick six-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a Hairston touchdown.
The defense followed with its first interception since the season opener against VMI, as safety Quentin Reddish picked off Alberto Mendoza at the 34-yard line. Though Grunkemeyer was sacked on the next possession, John Love knocked through a 39-yard field goal, giving the Hokies more breathing room.
Love’s day mattered. The fifth-year kicker went 2-for-2 after missing his previous three attempts, one against Pitt and two against Cal.
Georgia Tech made its best push in the third quarter. Maddox scored on a 42-yard run, then Penson caught a 33-yard touchdown from Mendoza to narrow the gap.
The Yellow Jackets also benefited from another muffed punt, starting one drive at the Virginia Tech 11. But after a quick three-and-out, the Hokies stopped the rally.
That set up another Overton score, a 26-yard rushing touchdown on a six-play, 54-yard drive that made it 31-17. Love added a 24-yard field goal after that, stretching the lead to 34-17.
Georgia Tech still had one more burst left, pulling within 10 on a 6-yard Jaiven Plummer touchdown after a five-play, 63-yard drive. But Virginia Tech drained the final 5:20 with an 11-play possession and closed the door.
The Hokies were vulnerable through the air all afternoon. Mendoza completed 29 of 38 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns, and Virginia Tech allowed 335 passing yards, the second-most it has given up in a game, behind only the 359 yards allowed against Maryland on Sept.
- Jordan Allen led Georgia Tech with 120 yards on 10 catches, while Penson added five receptions for 86 yards.
Brown’s impact went well beyond the box score. He had his career-high 180 receiving yards by halftime on five catches and finished with one 2-yard catch in the second half, when Virginia Tech largely stopped feeding him. He ended with 249 all-purpose yards, the eighth-most by a Virginia Tech player since at least 1987.
Overton Jr. rushed for 51 yards, and Marcellous Hawkins Jr. added 40 on eight carries. The two tailbacks were the only Hokies running backs to touch the ball, and they combined for 5.05 yards per carry. Overton Jr. finished with 141 all-purpose yards, pushing his season total to 991.
Virginia Tech next heads to Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 24, with kickoff set for either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. ET on either the ACC Network or ESPN2.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Freshman Is Giving Fontel Mines A Tougher Decision
Davion Brown has already made himself part of the conversation at Virginia Tech, and that matters for a receiver room looking for dependable playmakers. The true freshman has chipped in early, learned the offense quickly and earned praise from Fontel Mines for the kind of toughness and versatility that can keep a young player on the field. For a newcomer who had to climb into the system without the benefit of spring work, that kind of early traction says plenty about where his game is headed.
Browns first college touchdown only added to the intrigue, giving the Hokies another glimpse of what he can bring when the ball finds him. Mines now has a tougher call to make as Brown keeps showing maturity and a steady grasp of the playbook, and the bigger question is how quickly that growing role turns into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]