Kyron Drones passed, rushed and caught touchdowns, leading Virginia Tech to a 21-6 win over visiting Georgia Tech in Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday.
Drones completed 17 of 28 passes for 128 yards. Bhayshul Tuten ran for a team-high 72 yards, as the Hokies (5-3, 3-1 ACC) won for the third straight time. Benji Gosnell hauled in four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown in the win.
For Georgia Tech (5-4, 3-3), starting quarterback Zach Pyron completed just 9-of-21 passing for 71 yards and an interception. Pyron was replaced in the third quarter by Aaron Philo, who completed 11 of 26 passes for 184 yards and an interception.
Jamal Haynes led the Yellow Jackets with 48 rushing yards, while Eric Singleton Jr. caught five passes for 90 yards, as Georgia Tech lost its second straight.
Leading 14-6, the Hokies had a chance to extend their lead to two scores, but John Love’s 54-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Ryland Goede. Virginia Tech regained possession two plays later, however, as Keli Lawson intercepted Pyron and returned the ball to the Yellow Jackets’ 42-yard line.
Drones then found Stephen Gosnell for 27 yards on first down, leading to Drones’ 1-yard rushing touchdown with 4:50 left in the third, extending the Hokies’ lead to 21-6.
On the final play of the third quarter, newly inserted Philo found Singleton for 57 yards to the Hokies’ 26-yard line. From there, however, the Virginia Tech defense stuffed Haynes on fourth-and-1, forcing a turnover on downs.
In the first quarter, Georgia Tech cracked the scoreboard on its opening drive, as Aidan Birr knocked through a 34-yard field goal at the 7:00 mark.
Following punts from each team, the Hokie offense put together its best drive to that point, with Drones connecting with Benji Gosnell for 31 yards to the Yellow Jacket 20-yard line, before going back to Gosnell for a 20-yard passing touchdown with 13:02 left in the second quarter.
With 5:39 remaining in the opening half, Birr’s season-long 50-yard field goal cut Georgia Tech’s deficit to 7-6.
Virginia Tech answered on the following drive with Tuten’s 41-yard run on the first play, before wide receiver Keylen Adams threw a 6-yard touchdown to Drones on a reverse play with 1:45 left in the first half, giving the Hokies a 14-6 advantage.
