BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jai Patel booted a 24-yard field goal with 1 minute, 56 seconds left in the game to lead Rutgers University to a 26-23 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Patel's field goal capped a 68-yard drive after Rutgers (3-0) trailed by 16 entering the fourth quarter, but hung in there to record its first road win of the season and 10th consecutive non-conference victory.
Virginia Tech (2-2) started the drive from its own 25-yard line after Patel's field goal, but on the third play of the drive, quarterback Kyron Draughn's pass was intercepted by Rutgers' Robert Longerbeam, sealing the victory for the Scarlet Knights.
The Hokies scored consecutive touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 23-23. Both Hokies touchdowns were scored by Beischl Teuthen on runs of 14 and 2 yards.
Kyle Monangai and Samuel Brown V combined for 144 yards rushing and three touchdowns for Rutgers, who finished the game with 187 yards rushing.
Tuten led the Hokies with 122 yards rushing.
summary
Rutgers University: Greg Schiano made a bizarre decision in the third quarter, opting to throw the ball away on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line with a 23-7 lead and failing to convert.
It was one of many scoring chances, but the Scarlet Knights missed two field goals and lost a fumble inside the Virginia Tech 5-yard line, squandering their chances in a game that Rutgers should have easily won.
But the Scarlet Knights survived and enter their Big Ten opener undefeated.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies got going too late in this game, and it hurt them.
They lost the ball three times, lost a lot of time in possession and couldn't get any stops (39:20-20:40).
In the end, they suffered another non-conference loss to a Power 4 opponent.
Virginia Tech has lost 12 straight games in non-conference matches to Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame.
