Jai Patel kicked a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 left as Rutgers recovered after blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to outlast Virginia Tech, 26-23, Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
Playing in his home state, Robert Longerbeam sewed up the victory, intercepting a pass with 1:24 left as Rutgers (3-0) beat Virginia Tech (2-2) for the second straight year after falling to its former Big East Conference rival 12 straight times.
Kyle Monangai rushed 26 times for 84 yards and a touchdown. Samuel Brown V added 14 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights.
Athan Kaliakmanis completed 16 of 25 passes for 269 yards as Rutgers outgained Virginia Tech 422-320 and dominated possession with its low-risk offense, holding the ball for 39:20 compared to 20:40 for the Hokies.
Bhayshul Tuten rushed 15 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns to pace Virginia Tech.
Kyron Drones completed 13 of 27 passes for 137 yards but suffered a fumble in addition to throwing the decisive interception.
The Hokies trailed 23-7 early in the fourth quarter before Jaylin Lane triggered the comeback with a 34-yard punt return.
Two plays later, Tuten scored on a 14-yard touchdown run and Drones followed with a 2-point conversion pass to Benji Gosnell to cut the deficit in half, 23-15.
The next time the Hokies got the ball, they marched 80 yards in a drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Tuten. When Drones followed with a 2-point conversion pass to Stephen Gosnell, it tied the score at 23 with 4:35 left.
But Kaliakmanis responded with a 63-yard pass to Ian Strong, which set up the game-winning field goal.
Strong finished with four receptions for 110 yards and Kenny Fletcher added 7 catches for 61 yards.
Mistakes were costly for the Hokies throughout. Rutgers’ first touchdown came after Lane fumbled on a punt return and Abram Wright recovered at the Virginia Tech 31-yard line.
Nine plays later, Rutgers faked a quarterback sneak as Kaliakmanis slipped a handoff behind his back to Monangai, who scored on a 1-yard run.
The next time the Scarlet Knights got the ball, they drove 61 yards on just six plays. Brown capped the march with a 3-yard touchdown run which made it 14-0 with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
The Hokies responded with a 75-yard drive, which Tuten finished off with a 23-yard touchdown run.
The Scarlet Knights increased their lead to 16-7 when Wesley Bailey pushed a Hokies offensive lineman into the backfield with a bull rush. The lineman stepped on the ankle of Drones, forcing him to the turf in the end zone for a safety.
