Blacksburg, VA – The atmosphere at Lane Stadium was celebratory on Saturday as Virginia Tech honored its senior athletes and introduced a new head coach.
However, the Miami Hurricanes quickly subdued the enthusiasm of the Hokie supporters by establishing an early lead and maintaining momentum to secure a 34-17 victory.
The No. 14 ranked Miami team improved their record to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the ACC. Virginia Tech’s record dropped to 3-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play. This victory marked the Hurricanes’ fifth consecutive win over the Hokies, a streak dating back to 2017.
Miami’s offense totaled 418 yards, with quarterback Carson Beck efficiently dissecting Tech’s secondary by completing 27 of 32 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns. Beck’s initial 11 pass completions set the tone, and he established a personal best with 24 consecutive completions dating back to last week’s game against NC State.
Wide receiver Malachi Toney recorded 12 receptions for 146 yards and one touchdown. Running back Girard Pringle contributed 49 rushing yards and scored on a 16-yard reception. Tight end Elija Lofton and running back Mark Fletcher also caught scoring passes. Wide receiver Keelan Marion added six receptions for 79 yards. The Hurricanes capitalized on all five red zone opportunities and maintained a seven-minute advantage in time of possession.
Defensively, safety Zechariah Poyser tallied 10 tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery, while defensive end Akheem Mesidor made five tackles, recorded a sack, and forced two fumbles. Defensive tackle Ahmad Moten contributed five tackles and a sack, and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe added six tackles. Despite allowing a season-high 194 rushing yards, Miami’s defense limited Virginia Tech on third downs, converting only 3 of 12 opportunities.
Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones completed 12 of 21 passes for 124 yards. Running backs Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton combined for 141 rushing yards, with Overton scoring on a 69-yard run. Wide receiver Ayden Greene caught five passes for 95 yards. Safety Tyson Flowers and linebacker Noah Chambers led the Hokies with eight tackles each.
The Canes initiated the game with a strong opening drive, as Pringle gained 12 yards on two carries, followed by Beck connecting with Marion down the middle for a 32-yard gain to the Hokies’ 18-yard line. Two plays later, Beck threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Lofton, giving Miami an early 7-0 lead.
Virginia Tech responded on its first offensive possession, with Hawkins running 33 yards around the left end to the Miami 28-yard line. However, the Hurricanes’ defense held in the red zone, and John Love kicked a 30-yard field goal, reducing the deficit to 7-3.
Beck then completed a 22-yard pass to Toney, and three plays later, facing a fourth-and-3 from the Hokies’ 31, Beck and Toney connected again for an 11-yard gain to move the chains. Fletcher followed with a first down, setting up first and goal at the 8-yard line. Beck then threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Fletcher, extending Miami’s lead to 11 points early in the second quarter.
Tech advanced to the Canes’ 23-yard line before Hawkins was stopped by linebacker Cam Pruitt on fourth-and-2, turning the ball over to Miami. A personal foul penalty on defensive tackle Kody Huisman moved the ball past midfield, and Toney followed with a 15-yard reception to Marion and a nine-yard run. However, Beck’s third-down pass was incomplete, and Carter Davis successfully kicked a 46-yard field goal to make the score 17-3.
Virginia Tech attempted a fourth-and-1 in Hurricanes territory, with a keeper by Drones, but a sack by Mesidor thwarted the drive. Miami regained possession at its 20-yard line with 1:30 remaining in the first half. On the ensuing play, Beck found Toney deep, who raced 56 yards to the Tech 24. An offensive holding penalty pushed the Canes back, but Davis converted a 40-yard field goal, giving Miami a 20-3 lead at halftime.
In the opening drive of the second half, Tech again faced a fourth-and-1 on their own side of the field. A face mask penalty on Pruitt moved the ball to the Miami 38. Overton then scored his first career touchdown on a rush to the end zone, bringing the score to 20-10.
Miami responded quickly as Beck led a drive down the field, converting a key third down with a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw. Two plays later, Beck threw a 16-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route to Pringle, increasing the lead to 27-10.
Overton continued to produce substantial gains, including a 24-yard run to the Tech 49. However, Poyser sacked Drones for eight yards on third down, forcing a punt. Dylan Joyce then executed his first punt of the day, and Tech took over at their 30-yard line to begin the fourth quarter. The Hokies advanced to the Miami 41 but faced a fourth-and-2, and Moten sacked Drones to turn the ball over on downs.
Joyce pinned Tech at their eight-yard line, but Drones completed his longest pass of the day—a 39-yard connection to Greene. Moten again pushed the Hokies behind the chains, but on fourth-and-11, backup quarterback William Watson connected with Green for 39 yards, setting up a first and goal at the three-yard line. Watson then rushed into the end zone on the next play, cutting the lead to 10 points with 3:17 remaining.
The Hokies recovered an onside kick at their 39-yard line and converted a 38-yard reception by Isaiah Spencer. However, following an offensive pass interference penalty, Mesidor forced a fumble from Watson, recovered by Poyser at the Tech 40. Beck then led a seven-play drive culminating in a 20-yard touchdown pass to Toney, sealing the victory for Miami.
The Hurricanes will conclude their regular season with an upcoming game against Pittsburgh scheduled for next Saturday. Kickoff time will be announced.
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