BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech had a strong showing in its season opener against Old Dominion, resulting in a resounding 36-17 victory.
It started with sharp play under center with quarterback Grant Wells. He passed for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half alone. He added to that in the second half going a perfect 10-of-10 on the Hokies first offensive drives, with 1 passing TD and a rushing TD.
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Wells threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to Jaylin Lane, and from 10 and six yards out to Ali Jennings, as the Hokies snapped a 14-game streak of scoring fewer than 30 points. Wells also scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter for Virginia Tech, which scored the game’s final 13 points.
“I was extremely confident,” Wells said. “We had a really good plan going into the game. We felt really good about how the guys were playing. We’re playing as one unit. We’re playing fast. I thought (Tyler) Bowen (Virginia Tech’s offensive coordinator) called a really great game. He stuck to the game plan, and we were excited to move the ball like we did.”
Jennings, a transfer from ODU, victimized his former team, catching five passes for 72 yards and the two scores.
Grant Wilson threw two touchdown passes and rushed for 81 yards to lead the Monarchs, who lost for the seventh consecutive time dating to last season.
“When we do our job, it’s a great football game,” ODU coach Ricky Rahne said. “When we don’t do our job, they beat us. That’s the story of the game. I don’t want to minimize it. They did their job more often than we did. I don’t think we gave them anything. They did their job, and we didn’t. That’s how you play winning football.”
The Monarchs didn’t make things easy, offering up a bullying rushing attack. They out gained the Hokies in that department. But two crucial fumbles in the second half, followed by a fourth quarter interception, disrupted any momentum Old Dominion was trying to build on.
Up next, the Hokies will host Purdue next Saturday at Noon.
FIRST HALF RECAP
Virginia Tech’s 2023 campaign started tonight under the lights in Blacksburg as the Hokies hosted Old Dominion--a program that’s become quite the in-state rival.
The game started a bit slow in the opening quarter with both teams combining for just 73 total yards. Virginia Tech was able to capitalize off an early mistake by ODU. While lining up to punt deep in their own territory, the Monarchs had a high snap that rolled out the back of the end zone resulting in a Hokies safety and a 2-0 lead.
Tech’s offense started clicking by the end of the quarter, leading to a touchdown to start the second quarter. Grant Wells connected with transfer wide receiver Jaylin Lane for the 20 yard score and the 9-0 lead.
That was short-lived as ODU responded with a 12 play, 83 yard drive ending with a 16 yard touchdown from Grant Wilson to Dominic Dutton. That cut the Hokies lead to 9-7.
Virginia Tech mustered another response, an 8 play, 62 yard drive capped off with a 10 yard touchdown from Grant Wells to the former ODU Monarch Ali Jennings. That scoring play gave the Hokies a 16-7 lead.
But, ODU swooped in for another scoring drive before halftime scoring a 28-yard field goal.